In case you don’t know it, the police have no legal obligation to respond when you call them. Most people have expectations otherwise though. Including this lady who found a .25 caliber pistol near where some children were playing.
Every day after work, Freddy Gibbons walks her dogs, Bonsai and Lola, along Monument Creek. It’s been her ritual for years. Last week, Gibbons and her dogs made a couple of discoveries during their daily walk that left her shocked and angry. The first surprise came when Gibbons noticed something near the water not far from where some children were playing. “There, in the sand, was a little black gun,” Gibbons said. “At first I thought it was just a toy. Then I noticed some rust on it. I pulled it out and realized it was a real gun.” Gibbons grew up around weapons and immediately knew what she was holding. “It was a .25-caliber handgun,” she said. “It was a nice little gun.” Her fascination was interrupted by the laughter of children nearby and the scary realization of what might have been.
Note the oh so typical tugging at the reader’s heartstrings by referencing the nearby innocent children but don’t let yourself be distracted by the main point of the story which is: the cops were too lazy to come get the found gun – they actually asked the finder to bring it on down to the station.
The same thing happened to my parents many years ago when they found a bag of pot in my dresser drawer (yes, I experimented and yes, I inhaled). Anyhow, my parents called the police and the police told them to bring it on down to the station. They also warned my mother that if she was caught with the pot on the way to the station she would be arrested and charged. I think she flushed it down the toilet instead of turning it in. That’s rather hard to do with a pistol.
The War on Guns duly notes the irony of a police Lieutenant named Skip Arms discussing how police budget cuts have forced cutbacks and meant that police are too busy issuing speeding tickets to deal with loose firearms near where children are playing.
The main point of this story is that when you need them, there is no certainty that police will be available. You may see protect and serve emblazoned on the side of the car, but chances are you will not see the car while you are being mugged. Chances are that you will not be saved by a police officer while you are being held up at gunpoint. And if you happen to find a gun don’t count on the police coming and picking it up in 30 minutes or less. Your best bet is to be prepared to deal with such situations on your own. This applies to any situation in which a typical person has been trained from birth to call 911. I would never suggest that you not call 911 – by all means, please do. Just be prepared to do so after the emergency has already ended. Government does not work on the same time frame as the life or death situation.
As in Hurricane Katrina, people will come in and clean up. They will measure, record, pontificate and pass new rules. The statisticians and the epidemiologists will even suggest measures that could improve safety for the general populace down the road. However, when the shit hits the fan, it will be you and the friends and loved ones you have gathered around who will always be the first responders. As responsible citizens don’t you want to be prepared to defend and protect your own life and and the lives of those around you if possible? I do.