About a year ago I moved into a pretty nice Dallas neighborhood. Recently the Dallas PD has announced that they will not respond to burglar alarms in residences, only panic calls. Our neighborhood association has hired a Dallas Police officer to patrol our neighborhood and respond to calls within the neighborhood, particularly those homes which have joined and paid for the neighborhood watch. I intend to join in the next several weeks.

My question is...I have a number of weapons including one Class III. Most are in the vault, but there's usually a bedside handgun and a shotgun loaded and accessible. I've been considering contacting the neighborhood officer and letting him know that an alarm signal from my house should be responded to in short order due to the Class III, but I also feel the responsible thing to do would be to let them know that he should approach cautiously since there are loaded weapons in the house.

I'm just thinking that if I were a cop, I would want to have "some" idea what I might be getting into before I approached a house with an alarm going off. I think many of the DPD simply walk up to the door and stick a false alarm citation on the door without even looking for evidence of entry, but I have heard only good things about the officer who works our neighborhood.

So is the the curteous thing to do or am I simply tipping "big brother" off to my collection? BTW, everything is absolutely legal although I'm sure the media would have a field day with my "arsenal" and "thousands of rounds of ammunition"!

Don't ask,don't tell.

Hello no

No....umm let me think No!  No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!

I doubt that a request made by one officer will somehow make its way into dispatch computers in such a way that a dispatcher can see a special note when an alarm goes off, unless there have been multiple recent felonies at that address or something else horrible.  I'm sure other LEO's can elaborate on this.

Can you rig your alarm to treat every event as a panic?  Just kidding... get a really good safe, and make sure that you start voicing your dissatisfaction about the alarm policy at city hall meetings.

The ATF knows where it is, thats bad enough already.

I would tell him that you have a gun for protection and to approach your house cautiously in the event of a call.  He has no "need to know" about the Class III stuff.

Tell him you have a Title II weapon instead.  

Also... Don't cops always assume weapons are present when responding to a call???

Quoted: Recently the Dallas PD has announced that they will not respond to burglar alarms in residences, only panic calls. Our neighborhood association has hired a Dallas Police officer to patrol our neighborhood and respond to calls within the neighborhood,

Paying protection money to a PD that you already pay for protection?  

Is this a "Trick" question?

Quoted: Quoted: Recently the Dallas PD has announced that they will not respond to burglar alarms in residences, only panic calls. Our neighborhood association has hired a Dallas Police officer to patrol our neighborhood and respond to calls within the neighborhood, Paying protection money to a PD that you already pay for protection?

That was my first thought as well.

Quoted: Hello no

+ 87 billion! I don't know why you would pay for more police protection anyway.

Quoted: Quoted: Recently the Dallas PD has announced that they will not respond to burglar alarms in residences, only panic calls. Our neighborhood association has hired a Dallas Police officer to patrol our neighborhood and respond to calls within the neighborhood, Paying protection money to a PD that you already pay for protection?

Sounds like a good plan on the Cops part getting paid double for what he is already supposed to do.

But,
As an American citizen we are NOT entitled to Police Protection.


That is why I am armed 24/7.
That is why I carry a Back Up gun.
That is why I carry a Mossy 500a Persuader in my trunk.

I REFUSE TO BE A VICTIM.



Oh....BTW do not tell them about the Class III., because there is no such thing as a CLass III weapon!


What are NFA Weapons?

There are two kinds of firearms under U.S. (federal) law, title
1 firearms and title 2. Title 1 firearms are long guns (rifles and
shotguns), handguns, silencer, and firearm frames or receivers.
Most NFA weapons are also title 1 firearms. Title 2 weapons are
NFA weapons. Title 2 of the 1968 Gun Control Act is the National
Firearms Act (codified at 26 U.S.C. sec. 5801 et seq.), hence NFA.
Title 1 is generally called the Gun Control Act, (18 U.S.C. sec.
921 et seq.). NFA weapons are also sometimes called class 3
weapons, because a class 3 SOT (see below) is needed to deal in NFA
weapons.


Special (Occupational) Taxpayers (SOT's) under the NFA are exempt
from some of the making or transfer taxes. All SOT's may transfer
weapons between themselves tax free. However a transfer between an
unlicensed individual and a SOT will require the tax. And unless
one has a class 2 SOT, there is a tax on making an NFA weapon,
except for making by or on behalf of a government entity. Sole
proprietor SOT's need not get the law enforcement certification for
any transfer, except DD's (unless they have the appropriate FFL),
even for their own personal collection, although in that case they
should pay the $200 transfer tax. They also need not attach a
photo to the transfer paperwork, nor submit fingerprints. The
Crime Bill (effective 9/13/94) now requires these things with FFL
applications, and SOT applications, however, and ATF was requiring
them even before that became law, since early 1994. If one plans
to engage in business in NFA weapons, one needs to be a SOT, just
as one needs the FFL if they plan to engage in the business of
dealing, making, or importing regular firearms.

The classes of SOT holders:
Class
1 - importer of NFA firearms
2 - manufacturer of NFA firearms
3 - dealer in NFA firearms

A class 1 or 2 SOT may also deal in NFA firearms. A class 3 SOT
costs $500 a year, due each July 1. A class 1 or 2 SOT costs $1000
a year, except that SOT's who did less than $500,000 in gross
receipts in business the previous year qualify for a reduced rate
of $500 per year, also due July 1. One must also have the
appropriate FFL to engage in the specific activity, as well as the
SOT. This is because most NFA weapons are also title 1 weapons, and
thus both the law regulating title 1 weapons (the GCA) and title 2
weapons (the NFA) must be complied with. As with the privacy of
Registry information and transfer information, SOT status is also
protected tax information, and ATF will not release lists of SOT
holders, as they will of FFL holders.

A Class 2 SOT can make, tax free, machine guns, silencers, short
rifles, short shotguns or AOWs. A Class 2 can also have weapons
transferred to him tax free, by other SOT's. He also has to have
a type 07 or type 10 FFL. He does not need to ask prior permission
of ATF to make a weapon, he would notify ATF of its making within
24 hours after its making by filing Form 2 with ATF. He could also
import foreign made NFA weapons, for R&D use. To import a machine
gun (only) a Class 2 would need a letter from a governmental entity
able to own the weapon requesting a demonstration. A weapon
imported for R&D must be exported or destroyed when the R&D is
completed, whereas a weapon imported for sale to a government
entity would be considered pre-86 dealer samples. To import for
sale to government entities you need a Class 1 SOT.

A sole proprietor SOT may keep any NFA weapon he has after
surrendering his SOT, as his personal property, except post-86
machine guns, discussed below. If ATF thinks, based on the number
of weapons retained and the timing, that your SOT status was used
to evade the transfer taxes, they may demand transfer or making
taxes on all or some of the guns. Conceivably you could also be
prosecuted for tax evasion.



Class 3 is NOT a weapon... its a dealer.

I know...don't get me started with the new policy. Dallas City Hall is hardly a brain trust...basically so many alarms are "false" cops are wasting time and tax payer money. Of course around here, the fastest way to get a cop is just haul ass to the nearest 7-11. Free drinks and magazines to flip through. So I get to pay a rediculous amount of money for property taxes, so that the city has cops, etc., a $50 permit fee for having an alarm that they no longer will respond to, $170 a year for the neighborhood off duty DPD and now I hear my alarm service is going to go up since they're going to have to provide their own "rent-a-cops" to respond to the alarms. Needless to say, it is FUBAR!

I'm not worried so much about big brother. As mentioned earlier...the ATF knows where it is and they get to see it any time they come a knockin'. Which has never happened (yet).

I'd like to think that I might get a quicker response from the neighborhood PD if he knew that delays might put some particularly evil weapons in the hands of bad guys.

Quoted: Don't ask,don't tell.

+1.  Don't say anything.  Not to be overly dramatic, but you may end up calling them some day for something minor, and a swat team might show up because you own a class iii item.

XD...thanks for the clarification

Excuse me everyone...NFA, otherwise known as a M1A1, Tommy to his friends and Mr. Thompson to everyone else!

Got a safe to leave those weapons in?

In a casual conversation, let the on duty officer know that you have weapons in your home that they should be aware of when responding to an alarm. Word will spread to the others.  Be nice, be polite, and let them know you want to cooperate to rid your neighborhood of crime, but that you are a legally armed citizen. No need to mention anything beyond that, and let it go at that.

not enough upside...

Quoted: Quoted: Hello no + 87 billion! I don't know why you would pay for more police protection anyway.

Because they are a bunch of weenies in a planned community with a neighborhood association?

Bob

Bob your right! Planned back in about 1937. Weenies...I'm sure there are some, but I happen to know there are also two more Thompsons, 2 1919's, one BAR, one MG42 and one MP40 in the neighborhood. Then there's the rich folks...no telling what they have.

I seem to recall a local magazine that recently stated that my zip code has the highest concentration of CHL's in the North Texas area. Uptight...probably, high maintenance...definitely, but I seriously doubt that any of my neighbors would take to kindly to being called "weenies".  You might get away with that in Kentucky, but this is Texas mister!

I see two possible errors:

1) Letting anyone know you have such a weapon, or collection of weapons, in your home. If they didn't have a good reason to target you for a burglary before . . . . .

2) Thinking that minimum wage security people actually give a shit and will remember for any purpose other than planning burglaries with their friends. This security guard will probably be gone before too long, and then you will have to tell the next one, and the next one, and so forth, until you find the one with criminal connections.

Quoted: About a year ago I moved into a pretty nice Dallas neighborhood. Recently the Dallas PD has announced that they will not respond to burglar alarms in residences, only panic calls. Our neighborhood association has hired a Dallas Police officer to patrol our neighborhood and respond to calls within the neighborhood, particularly those homes which have joined and paid for the neighborhood watch. I intend to join in the next several weeks. My question is...I have a number of weapons including one Class III. Most are in the vault, but there's usually a bedside handgun and a shotgun loaded and accessible. I've been considering contacting the neighborhood officer and letting him know that an alarm signal from my house should be responded to in short order due to the Class III, but I also feel the responsible thing to do would be to let them know that he should approach cautiously since there are loaded weapons in the house. I'm just thinking that if I were a cop, I would want to have "some" idea what I might be getting into before I approached a house with an alarm going off. I think many of the DPD simply walk up to the door and stick a false alarm citation on the door without even looking for evidence of entry, but I have heard only good things about the officer who works our neighborhood. So is the the curteous thing to do or am I simply tipping "big brother" off to my collection? BTW, everything is absolutely legal although I'm sure the media would have a field day with my "arsenal" and "thousands of rounds of ammunition"!

For the most part, the neighborhood officer will respond to your home like any other home, panic alarms only. I don't think you need to let him know this information. You may not be the only person in your neighborhood with firearms at home.
If you are in your home and an intruder enters, you can call 911 and hit the panic alarm. If you are not in your home, all your weapons should be secured in safes or have trigger locks.

For what possible reason would an officer need to know that there are weapons in your house, unless they roam about the house and shoot at moving objects all by themselves (or you leave them laying around for burglars convenience, like cookies for Santa). As long as they are properly secured and accessible only to you they're no ones business. Not trying to sound abrasive, but it isn't rocket science.

Why? it's a legal item. You have it secured and no ones getting to it but you. No. No. No. Did I say No?

Um No, and No.

Absolutely no viable reason you should tell anybody.

If you live in TX, the assumption should be that every household is armed.  No need to say anything.  It would be like saying.  "I have a roof and indoor plumbing"

An NFA weapon is not going to jump out of the safe and start shooting any more than a "normal" one would.  

Legal MG owners arent the ones the PO-PO has to worry about...If they ask, Ill tell em..

Quoted: Your intentions are certainly well placed but I would always advise against telling anyone about firearms on your property.

Agreed.  And since you say it is in a safe you should not worry.  At this point it's like telling someone about the gold bars that you store in the basement.  The fewer people that know, the better.

This is the same argument I've had with myself regarding putting the NRA sticker on the car...  I would love to voice my opinion, but I also feel as it might advertise too much information and encourage a break-in on the automobile or home.

Sometimes the thief is more encouraged than deterred by the presence of firearms.  I'd rather let them guess, and they will guess wrongly in most homes of the members of this site.

Do it and tell your mail man too.

Just because someone wears a badge and has "Protect and Serve" on the side of his car, that doesn't mean he's not a crook.

Quoted: No....umm let me think No!  No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!No....umm let me think No!

Couldn't agree more.

None of their business

Quoted: Bob your right! Planned back in about 1937. Weenies...I'm sure there are some, but I happen to know there are also two more Thompsons, 2 1919's, one BAR, one MG42 and one MP40 in the neighborhood. Then there's the rich folks...no telling what they have. I seem to recall a local magazine that recently stated that my zip code has the highest concentration of CHL's in the North Texas area. Uptight...probably, high maintenance...definitely, but I seriously doubt that any of my neighbors would take to kindly to being called "weenies".  You might get away with that in Kentucky, but this is Texas mister!

With all due respect. If you have that much firepower in your neighborhood, what do you need an OD cop for?  The regular cops can respond just fine to the "shots fired" and "felon down" reports coming in to the same address as the previously received (and ignored) home alarms.

No Expert

Quoted: So is the the curteous thing to do or am I simply tipping "big brother" off to my collection? BTW, everything is absolutely legal although I'm sure the media would have a field day with my "arsenal" and "thousands of rounds of ammunition"!

There are very few people in the world I would tell that I have machine guns. People get wierd with that bit of information, especially if they don't know you.

The less said, the better.

That kind of information spreads like herpes in a cat-house, and it will inevitably end up in the wrong ear.

Nothing good can come of you telling this complete stranger that you have 3 or 4 machine guns back at the house.

No.

Max

Hells no!!

information that the cop, at very best, does not need to know.

at the worst, consider the guy falls on hard times, needs money, isn't the most moral person on the planet, and knows FOR SURE where a MG is...

Quoted: Also... Don't cops always assume weapons are present when responding to a call???

Particularly in Texas?  Sheesh, I live here in AZ, and I assume EVERYONE is armed.  

No need to tell the Po-Po...I'm a cop and seeing you live in Texas I imagine its like here (Arkansas) I take it for granted there're weapons in the house...the first question asked here when doing a residential burglary report is, "Were any fire arms taken?". Unfortunately the next question is "Do you have the serial numbers?", then more often than not, "Well, recovery may be a lot harder with no numbers". It freaks me out how many people don't have their serial, model numbers, etc. written down.
As far as the off duty stuff goes, we're seeing more and more of it. Security guards don't have arrest powers and like my department, we recently lost 24 Patrol slots (another story) which puts less boots on the street, so those that can afford it hire off duty police to guard their property, etc...
Finally, wow, not responding to burglaries...cutting back on services is one thing but not responding to a burglary is outrageous.

Quoted: Don't ask,don't tell.

What he said.

I clicked just to see the punch line.....
Judging by the lenght of the post you are serious and already know the answer.

One time when the police were responding to my house the dispatcher kept repeating that there were multiple machine guns at my residence. I would say that anyone that needs to know already knows.

I wouldn't say a word about it.  It's a need to know situation and he doesn't need to know.

Alright...fair enough. I'll keep quiet about the MG.

Thanks for the replies. Maybe I'll just teach my dog to hit the panic alarm if/when someone tries to break in. It worked for that old dude and his cat! I'd like to think my dog would keep the bad guys out, but it's hard to look menacing when your pissing all over yourself!

You guys have a great weekend.

Not just No, but HELL NO!

you want to do WHAT? Hell NO!!