We're all probably familiar with the saying that there is never a cop when you need one.  I can recall a time when there was:

I was a young boy at the time and I witnessed a crackhead bum verbally accosting a group of people at a bus stop.  He was demanding money from an elderly woman and when she refused, he punched her in the face......hard.  

Several witnesses used their cell phones to call 911 as the crackhead fled on foot.

Just a few seconds after the assault, a squad car was driving past.  I flagged the officer down and told him, "He went down there!"  The cop took off with full lights and sirens blaring and he caught the crackhead a few blocks down.

As it turns out, this officer didn't receive any kind of dispatch call about the assault.  He was just in the area and responded quickly to a citizen's request.

Bad guy was arrested and imprisoned.  The day was saved and I was impressed with the officer.  

never, and I've almost died a couple of times when they didn't bother to even show up

Yup, a few times, but then again, I don't have a high rate of needing cops.

Not really. I've had to run after teen-age drug mules myself despite having two sub-stations within miles.

IBTL

Yes once about 18 years ago. I was riding the school bus home and we were just about to step off the bus when the bus driver slammed the busdoor in my buddy's face and a car passed the bus on the right hand side.  He probably would have  been killed and I would have been fucked up for life.  The car didn't realize that there was a Marked PD unit stopped at the end of the street.  It was perfect.  The bus driver told us that the man was arrested for DWI.  Ha Ha jackass.

On several occasions they were there when I needed someone to tell me I was driving too fast.

Not ME, but...

When my father had his second (and fatal) heart attack, SOP is for the SD to show up first to make sure the scene is clear for the EMT's to come in. My mother told me that 2 cars arrived in just a couple (literally) of minutes (this was in Los Angeles, btw), and all 4 deputies immediately went to work on the old man, and kept him going until the EMT's got there.

Here is a good one.

In my town we have a county park with some of the states best trout fishing. You are allowed to fish this creek all year per DEC rules.

The park is also a meeting place for the local gay men, they meet up and have sex and whatever.

This one summer day I was walking out of the woods to get back to my car when I spotted two dudes going at it beside a truck in the parking lot. I snuck into my car and drove away.

Not a 1/16 of a mile down the road there were two sheriff deputies sitting and talking. I pulled in and let them know what I saw and the cop got all excited and took off. I waited 5 min and drove by the parking lot to see both men in handcuffs and bent over the hood (this time without the one behind the other )

I later found out that the sheriffs dept was cracking down on the gay problem and was using under covers and sting operations.


Unfortunately, the times I have needed a cop were life threatening and they never bothered to show up. Best they did was take a report over the phone. Twice. That has left a VERY bad taste in my mouth for the city police dept. The sheriffs dept is great though.

1. Head-on collision of my pro-street 1956 Ford Pickup.  The smoke hadn't cleared when a cop was in the intersection with light bar running.

2. A dumbass wanted to race me, with me on a Hog and him on a ricer.  Light changes and he wheelies across the intersection.  Cop is at the next intersection and just turns right and hooks him.

3. On two separate occasions, my 1948 Willys streetrod pickup broke down, once on the way to Vegas, once to Mission Bay.  Oddly, when you don't see a cop for months, it is strange when no less than 4 stopped to see if I needed assistance on both occasions.  

good times.

Quoted: IBTL

 

Back in 1986, my mother (RIP) was driving home at night from an antiques auction. She was 68 years old at that time, and was tired from walking all day. She feel asleep while driving, and drifted off the road, hit a culvert which flipped the car upside down, and then a utility pole while still flying through the air inverted. The car came to a rest on its roof with mom trapped inside, semi-conscious. It was a very rural area and it was pretty late at night. By chance, the next vehicle down the road was a Maryland State Trooper. He immediately summoned rescue, and laid there in the mud holding her hand comforting her until help arrived.

I usually have very little good to say about Maryland law enforcement in general, and I have good reason.  But that Trooper was a blessing of the highest order!  He and mom stayed in touch until her death in 1996, and he even came to her funeral.

So yes, one was there when we needed it MOST.

Quoted: never, and I've almost died a couple of times when they didn't bother to even show up

Very dramatic.

I thought you were a tough guy.  You actually depend on the police to guarantee you safety?  Only you can do that.  What happened to rugged individualism in America?



....or is this that  bitch like a girl about the cops any chance I get thing

Well....on my morning commute there is usually traffic backed up, and a lot of turd burglars use the breakdown lane, which pisses me off. The cops have been set up just beyond a bridge that's on a curve, they nail folks all morning long. They even yank folks who get back in lane...

Thankfully I've never really needed one, but my hometown cops are really good-responsive, courteous, and professional, in my experience.

Now Maryland State Troopers, OTOH......lol

Yes. A car accident about 10 years ago. A county deputy was driving the opposite way and turned around to help.  

But on the up side, I haven't needed them all that often as I tend to lead a quiet law abidding life.

Having been a cop, I can say that those who have frequent interaction with the police, outside of professional contact, are generally engaging in behaviors that attract police attention.

Yeah never needed one bad, but they get around. For some reason tho they have a problem with following me around, with their lights on yelling like Rosco P Coaltrain to get off the road.

The last time they showed-up, it took 45 minutes to get here.  A dog attacked a girl across the street and EMS couldn't get out of their ambulance to get into the house.  Finally after I called, a lot of pleading from the EMS workers on the radio, and the upset screaming mother calling 911 on the phone a dozen times, a cop was finally dispatched.  One more plastic surgery and the girl's face will be almost back to normal.

I haven't called 911 that many times, but the times I've called the cops never showed-up.  The last time was when I got home from work, and someone had busted a window and left the door open.  When I called 911 they wanted me to confirm that someone was still in the house before they would dispatch.  Being 68 (at the time) and unarmed didn't mean anything to them.  Before when I've called while someone was breaking into my car or a neighbor's cars, they didn't show-up.z

Define 'need'.

I've never called the police for help.

Quoted: Quoted: never, and I've almost died a couple of times when they didn't bother to even show up Very dramatic. I thought you were a tough guy.  You actually depend on the police to guarantee you safety?  Only you can do that.  What happened to rugged individualism in America? ....or is this that  bitch like a girl about the cops any chance I get thing

#1 you don't know me, and I  don't act tuff, so I don't know where that comes from because I don't
portray myself in that manner                                      
#2 I learned the hard way to protect myself, because of past and present reasons and yes I almost died, didn't mean to be dramatic
#3 I don't bitch about cops any chance I get, I responded to a question that's all

My car boke down one night in the middle of nowhere. A trooper just happened by a few minutes later and called a tow truck for me.

Late one night I was driving home from work and some crazied maniac was trying to run me off the road beacuse he wanted to get out and fight ( I was unarmed and didnt know if he was). I saw a cop on a traffic stop on a side street I passed, so I busted U-turn and went up that street, the lunatic broke contact.

It really seems like the times you DONT want a cop around is when they show up, if you know what I mean.

Yes, I have.  In fact it was the Chief of police of a small town nearby (he was outside his jurisdiction) that was 2 cars behind me when I had my motorcycle accident. He stopped and immediately began directing traffic.  Not only that, but immediately behind him were 3 EMT's returning from training.

For once the emergeny services were right where I needed them.  Of course, I haven't needed them prior or since then, thankfully.

I shudder to think what would have happened, considering there were reports from witnesses that the idiot that hit me had failed to stop his truck, and appeared to be about to run over me again.

I've been Johnny on the spot a bunch of times. I'm lucky like that.

once, I had a bike stolen when I was a kid, a police car rolled down the block only a few seconds later. kind of fun riding the cop car when your 12 and you actually catch the bastard

When I was in college I had to work nights at a UniMart.

From the parking lot of my store ,you could see the sign for the
next UniMart ,not even a half mile away.
In urban/suburban areas it's often like that with chain
convenience stores.


One night I was robbed at gunpoint.
In my situation ,there was nothing I could do as there was a gun
barrel ON my head the entire time ,until he ran out.

Once he was gone I locked all the doors and called 911,then
I took cover behind the food bar area and register in case he came back.

It took over 45 minutes for the cops to show up.
Then they drove around the parking lights with their lights on for
just over 5 minutes before coming to the door.


My friend that worked at the other store (the one less than half a mile away)
said that night 3 cop cars were parked outside of his store,with 6
officers.
4 of them were in the store ,when he HEARD the call from the dispatcher
come on their little walkie talkie deals.

It took them OVER 45 MINUTES to show up !

They were LITTERALLY to busy drinking coffee and eating donuts at their
speed trap  to help !

"To serve and protect "

BULLSHIT !

Every time either my wife or I have asked, and they have gotten help to us darn proto too... plus once a cop was there when I didn't really want one (I got busted for 15 mph over ).

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: never, and I've almost died a couple of times when they didn't bother to even show up Very dramatic. I thought you were a tough guy.  You actually depend on the police to guarantee you safety?  Only you can do that.  What happened to rugged individualism in America? ....or is this that  bitch like a girl about the cops any chance I get thing #1 you don't know me, and I  don't act tuff, so I don't know where that comes from because I don't portray myself in that manner                                       #2 I learned the hard way to protect myself, because of past and present reasons and yes I almost died, didn't mean to be dramatic #3 I don't bitch about cops any chance I get, I responded to a question that's all

Still waiting on how they never showed up even though you "nearly died." How did you "nearly die?"

Yes:

Some kids decided it would be fun to throw big sticks at cars that were going about 50 mph. I was the lucky one who took one right in the winsheild. I whipped into the next neighborhood (the next turn off the road) with the intent to chase them down.

There was a median so I was waiting for the cross traffic to stop and when I looked up a cop was on the street ahead of me. I started flashing my headlights at him (it was daytime evn) and he must have looked in his mirror at the right time because he stopped.....I finally got a break in traffic and pulled up behind him, jumped out of my truck and ran to his car to tell him what happened.

He asked which way they went and told me to stay there. About five minutes later the cop pulled back up with four crying kids in the back seat. The best part was he told me to point out the one who threw the stick.....well I was going 50 mph and couldn't really tell which one it was so I was honest with him and told him that. Then he told me to justy point at any of them and that would be enough to break them down into confessing on their own.

One kid came across as being more arrogant than the others so naturally I pointed him out.....ends up I was right, he confessed. So then the cop, the kids, and I all got to go to each one of their houses and talk to their parents. I got a new windshield from one of the kids parents and they even asked me to lecture their son.......I myself was only 19 or so at the time.

So yeah, the way I see it is that cop saved me from chasing down the kids and possibly getting myself into trouble depending on what it took to stop them. I'm thankful for the cop.

Quoted: once, I had a bike stolen when I was a kid, a police car rolled down the block only a few seconds later. kind of fun riding the cop car when your 12 and you actually catch the bastard

Shit, twonami....I said I was sorry about that.  

How often are you going to keep bringing that up?

Last night, in fact.

I was driving home from work, along I-65 South, just south of Nashville, about 10pm.  All of a sudden, this little white car comes flying past me at about 90-100 mph and whips right in front of me, missing my truck by about 10 feet.  I flashed my highbeams, intent on letting him know he needed to be more careful.  He responded with the one-finger salute.  My exit was coming up, so I merged right, passing him as I did so (he had slowed down considerably).  As I passed him, he kept giving me the finger.  Next thing I know, he cut in front of me again, still flipping me off.  I again flashed my highbeams (big mistake, but I wasn't expecting his reaction to it.).  I figured he'd tap his brakes, so my foot was resting on my brake pedal.  Instead of tapping them, he stood on his brakes and came to a complete and rapid stop, in the middle of the Interstate!  I slammed on my brakes, barely avoiding hitting him.  Several other cars had to swerve to avoid hitting my truck, as well.  He began to point at me, shaking his fist, and it looked like he was going to step out of his car.  I immediately began to dial 911.  As soon as traffic cleared enough, I began to turn towards the right and my exit ramp.  Seeing this, he put his car in gear and sped to the side of the ramp.

He then wen to the right side of the road, and began to open his door.  When he saw that I wasn't stopping (I was actually on the phone with the State Police dispatcher), he got back in and pulled alongside me at the light.  We turned right at the light and he again pulled right in front of me, coming to a complete stop.  This time, he started pointing to a parking lot, like he was inviting me to pull over and fight him.  

The dispatcher was transferring me to the local police dispatcher when out of the blue, a local cop passes us.  I pulled away from behind the idiot and chased after the cop, flashing my headlights to get his attention.  He pulled over and I told him what happened, giving him descriptions of the car and driver, as well the license number.  The cop asked what I wanted to have done about it.  I told him I figured it was ok now.  Once the other guy saw the cop, he had decided to turn around and get out of Dodge.

Like I told the cop, I wasn't about to drive home with this idiot following me.  I also wasn't about to drive around much longer.  For all I knew, this idiot could decide to slam into my truck, immobilizing it and myself.  Since I had been in IL over the weekend and hadn't been back to the house since, I didn't have my pistol on me like I usually do.  If this idiot slammed into my truck, stopping me, I wouldn't have been fully prepared to protect myself, had he wanted to escalate it further.  There's no way I would have brandished a weapon unless the situation was life or death, but I didn't even have the option had it become necessary.

Luckily, the cop was in the right place at the right time when I needed him.

Two lessons I learned from this incident:
1) don't flash your headlights when idiots are demonstrating their stupidity
2) always be prepared, to this end, I will never venture anywhere again without a pistol in the truck

Quoted: Quoted: once, I had a bike stolen when I was a kid, a police car rolled down the block only a few seconds later. kind of fun riding the cop car when your 12 and you actually catch the bastard Shit, twonami....I said I was sorry about that.   How often are you going to keep bringing that up?

I'll stop when you bring your new 308 AR to the princeton shoot you lucky bastard

Quoted: Yes once about 18 years ago. I was riding the school bus home and we were just about to step off the bus when the bus driver slammed the busdoor in my buddy's face and a car passed the bus on the right hand side.  He probably would have  been killed and I would have been fucked up for life.  The car didn't realize that there was a Marked PD unit stopped at the end of the street.  It was perfect.  The bus driver told us that the man was arrested for DWI.  Ha Ha jackass.

Good story! The po-po wasn't the hero in your story, the bus driver was! I hope that my kids' bus driver is that alert. Definitely not like Otto from the Simpsons.

Quoted: Last night, in fact. I was driving home from work, along I-65 South, just south of Nashville, about 10pm.  All of a sudden, this little white car comes flying past me at about 90-100 mph and whips right in front of me, missing my truck by about 10 feet.  I flashed my highbeams, intent on letting him know he needed to be more careful.  He responded with the one-finger salute.  My exit was coming up, so I merged right, passing him as I did so (he had slowed down considerably).  As I passed him, he kept giving me the finger.  Next thing I know, he cut in front of me again, still flipping me off.  I again flashed my highbeams (big mistake, but I wasn't expecting his reaction to it.).  I figured he'd tap his brakes, so my foot was resting on my brake pedal.  Instead of tapping them, he stood on his brakes and came to a complete and rapid stop, in the middle of the Interstate!  I slammed on my brakes, barely avoiding hitting him.  Several other cars had to swerve to avoid hitting my truck, as well.  He began to point at me, shaking his fist, and it looked like he was going to step out of his car.  I immediately began to dial 911.  As soon as traffic cleared enough, I began to turn towards the right and my exit ramp.  Seeing this, he put his car in gear and sped to the side of the ramp. He then wen to the right side of the road, and began to open his door.  When he saw that I wasn't stopping (I was actually on the phone with the State Police dispatcher), he got back in and pulled alongside me at the light.  We turned right at the light and he again pulled right in front of me, coming to a complete stop.  This time, he started pointing to a parking lot, like he was inviting me to pull over and fight him.   The dispatcher was transferring me to the local police dispatcher when out of the blue, a local cop passes us.  I pulled away from behind the idiot and chased after the cop, flashing my headlights to get his attention.  He pulled over and I told him what happened, giving him descriptions of the car and driver, as well the license number.  The cop asked what I wanted to have done about it.  I told him I figured it was ok now.  Once the other guy saw the cop, he had decided to turn around and get out of Dodge. Like I told the cop, I wasn't about to drive home with this idiot following me.  I also wasn't about to drive around much longer.  For all I knew, this idiot could decide to slam into my truck, immobilizing it and myself.  Since I had been in IL over the weekend and hadn't been back to the house since, I didn't have my pistol on me like I usually do.  If this idiot slammed into my truck, stopping me, I wouldn't have been fully prepared to protect myself, had he wanted to escalate it further.  There's no way I would have brandished a weapon unless the situation was life or death, but I didn't even have the option had it become necessary. Luckily, the cop was in the right place at the right time when I needed him. Two lessons I learned from this incident: 1) don't flash your headlights when idiots are demonstrating their stupidity 2) always be prepared, to this end, I will never venture anywhere again without a pistol in the truck

I think in Florida, that would fall under the "He needed killin'" Act and be perfectly legal to ram him.

[D-Day] RAMMING SPEED!! [/D-Day]

Quoted: Still waiting on how they never showed up even though you "nearly died." How did you "nearly die?"

I've talkd about it before, but I'm no going to go over everything that happened to me when people are acting like asshole because of what I said, if your nice and want to talk about it, IM me and I'll tell you what happened. I don't hate cops, I dont bash then, There was a question and I replyed. There has been many times in my life where I have almost met my end, when I was 16 I was almost murdered in my house, I won because he had a 12inch hunting knife and I had my dads 357, and there have been other times I didn't always carry a gun or a knfe with me, I do now because of the past, but I have every right to be pissed at HPD for not bothering to show up to my house when I needed them, like when I've had people at gun point, or when my friend got attacked buy around 20 guys at his apts because the drug dealer that lived above him got pissed when doug tod him not to sell that shit in front of his apt, the cops never came I had to stop it with a 45, cops never came; I have alot of reasons

Once, but he was off duty and was only there accidentally. Then he overreacted and the car thieves got away because of it. But whatever

Yes, when I was in Amsterdam.

It was about 7am, and I was walking through the narrow pedestrian-only streets towards the train station when two Morroccans started flashing knives and threatening me for money.  About a minute later, a pair of Dutch cops appeared down the street and the Morroccans ran at the sight of them.  The cops didn't chase them or seem to care that they were trying to rob me.  But they were there, and that was enough to scare off the would-be muggers.

Yes.

Yes, but it did not matter.
Followed an obviously intoxicated driver for about 5 miles. He was all over, and occasionally off, the road. He ran a red light and almost caused a collision and almost caused two separate head-ons. We approached an intersection with red liight showing and he stopped. On one corner was parking lot and two officers were parked and talking. I pulled in and told them what I had observed. One of the officers started giving me a hard time, and they never did follow the other driver.
One officer was male, other was female. Guess I interrupted something.

Never needed the cops. They were there a bunch of times when I could have done without them, though

Quoted: The last time they showed-up, it took 45 minutes to get here.  A dog attacked a girl across the street and EMS couldn't get out of their ambulance to get into the house.  Finally after I called, a lot of pleading from the EMS workers on the radio, and the upset screaming mother calling 911 on the phone a dozen times, a cop was finally dispatched.  One more plastic surgery and the girl's face will be almost back to normal. I haven't called 911 that many times, but the times I've called the cops never showed-up.  The last time was when I got home from work, and someone had busted a window and left the door open.  When I called 911 they wanted me to confirm that someone was still in the house before they would dispatch.  Being 68 (at the time) and unarmed didn't mean anything to them.  Before when I've called while someone was breaking into my car or a neighbor's cars, they didn't show-up.z

This is called getting what you pay for.  Sounds like your city or county isn't willing to pony up the bucks to field a competent force, or the money is going other places it shouldn't.

Was leaving the market one time with my Dad.  Guy grabbed his g/f and started chewing her out and shaking her pretty good.  Got the wrong cigs or other similar dissing feleony.  My Dad said, "Don't do that, let her go."  "wahat are you going to do call the cops?" "No, just let go of her"  and he whipped her around, and my Dad again in a command voice "Let HER GO" "Why are you a Cop, you gonna shoot me?"  "Yes, I am a Cop and I just might shoot you if you don't let her go."  Suddenly became very meek and mild.

Passing school buses hasn't been a very big and expensive deal in CA like it is in some states, so some people still blow pass them when lights are flashing.  Just love to see them get caught.

I haven't ever called the police but when I called for an ambulance for an old guy that I found unconscious in the street they came in about 3 minutes.
I was very impressed.

Yes, and one time saving my friends life.  My friend was driving to El Paso and somewhere near Comstock, he fell asleep and rolled his car.  He was unconsience and his car caught on fire.  A Border Patrol Agent drove up on the accident and pulled my friend out, saving him from burning up in the car.

I myself have stopped dozens of times to help change a tire for women and older couples.    One time I stopped to help a lady with a flat tire.  I couldn't change it out for her so I let her use my cell phone to call county.  She complained on my cell phone to the county's dispacther that I wasn't any help.  She got pissed off because I didn't have a jack or lug wrench for her car.

LOL, the worst I heard was from one of my close friends, a Border Patrol Agent in S. TX.  He stopped to help a lady with a flat tire.  She was driving an older car without AC and had 4 of her kids with her.  It was an extremely hot summer day in south Texas and several people had already passed her by.  She didn't have a jack, so he used his van's jack to change out the tire.  When he was finally done, she had the nerve to accuse him of being a racist for picking on the poor aliens.   She berated him about stories of BP guys beating and raping women they caught.

Yes.  I saw a burglary go down and turned to run to a pay phone (pre-cell phone days) and voila, a marked unit was rolling up the street.  I flagged the unit down and pointing to the suspect vehicle, told them: "459, 2 NM, black ford pick-up."  The officer asked, "That one up there?"  "Yes."  They zoomed off and nabbed them.

My dad was driving his loaner work truck one day last year.  There was a three-car accident, he got rear-ended(he was the front car.)  ISP(Illinois State Police)trooper sees the accident(there was another accident nearby.)  Walks up to my dad, asks is he okay, he is.  The truck isn't even dented, but the Lincoln that hit it had a nasty dent due to the vise on the back

Yup, I was speeding and a cop was right there to give me the ticket I needed.

Not saying I didnt deserve the ticket.

Yes.  When I had a road rage incident, I got the guy's plate.  Then I drove to the police station and filled out a report.  Gave it to the officer and he went and arrested the guy.  Too bad an OJ-style jury with one shared brain cell among them couldn't put 2 and 2 together to convict him.

If you want a police officer you should always try the police station first.

Nope, but then again I don't frequent donut shops.

Seriously though, for the taxes we pay around here I hardly ever see them. I sometimes wonder where all that money goes...

nope. in fact the response time to our area is so slow that calling the cops is basically useless. Heck I can make the trip from here to their department in about 8 minutes without running red lights or the benefit of lights and sirens. They have that benefit and somehow take half an hour to get here. The last time that a neighbor had an attempted break in we got our guns and gear, went out and checked on everything, checked the jimmied door, interviewed the neighbor and got details of the event, looked for prints both on the door and on the ground and then stood around talking for several more minutes when a cop shows up. He asks a few questions, looks around a little bit and gives us the usual speech about how we need to leave these things to the police. He then left assuring the enighbor that all was well.

On another instance at night we saw a car drive quickly up a road behind our house, a few minutes later we heard several quick shot in quick succession and saw and heard the car peeling out of that road real fast. We called 911 and let em know and one car showed up and drove up the road once and then drove back down and left. To make a long story short we had to make several more calls before the cops made any effort to search the whole community on that road and go door to door checking on things. I mean there could have been someone up there shot and dying and they would have never known, at least until it was too late. It ended up being one of the neighbors testing out a new pistol and not realising that shooting real quick at night without warning and then peeling out real fast for no reason (which he does most of the time anyway) was highly suspicious.


But yeah where we live me mostly take care of our own and only call the cops when we need something cleaned up.

Quoted: Etc.. But yeah where we live me mostly take care of our own and only call the cops when we need something cleaned up.

Just be happy the U.S. has the 2nd Amendment.  In Canada, my parents live a good 30 min. drive from the nearest police station.  If the SHTF then you're on your own.  That would be all fine and dandy if it were not for the fact that you can be assured to serve jail time if you used a firearm in self-defense.  It is a practical impossibility to own a handgun.

The police have enough shit on their plate and you do not have a personal constitutional right to police protection.  That's why it burns my ass to see people disarmed like in NO.  The gov't can't have it both ways.