An update on my wacky phone line making 911 calls to the Pasadena Police Department (original post here). The problem with the line was out on the pole. Over time the wires got smushed together and the line in question was ‘grounding out.’
While I understand the necessity for protocol to be followed when responding to a 911 call, I find it disturbing that officers don’t believe you when you say you didn’t make a 911 call. More precisely, saying that you didn’t make a 911 call is apparently code for “this may be a domestic violence situation.”
I’m trying to wrap my head around the idea that the police are just doing their job. If I really didn’t make a 911 call, it is difficult to accept that they think I did and therefore protocol is going to happen whether I like it or not. What’s more, that’s is reason enough for them to enter the house and check things out. In the numbers game, 911 trumps the 4th amendment.
File this under the ‘live and learn’ category.
West Coast Grrlie Blather 
I guess so many bad things happen where someone in distress calls 911 and then when they get there and they say “Oh I didn’t call 911” – the cops have to take every precaution.
Good on them but bad on them when it’s an accident.
I remember when I lived up on North Hill there was a violent fight in one of the apartments upstairs. I was coming back from Rite Aid and there was a cop at my door. I went up to the door and asked “Do you live here in apartment 6?” and I said “Yeah.” and he gets on his radio and goes “Number 6 is here.”
Didn’t get it all – but I felt like Number 6 on the Prisoner. The fight wasn’t even on the same floor of my building. No idea why he did that. Cops were never called to my apartment before, either.
Here’s the deal: a very close friend of mine who shall go un-named really did have a domestic violence incident (the guy drank too much, was getting violent). When he wasn’t looking, my friend simply picked up the phone, dialed 911, waited for it to connect, then hung up without speaking. Moments later, the phone rang, it was the police, and Mister Domestic Violence answered and angrily told them that no one had called. Minutes later, a squad car pulled up the the house and two officers knocked on the door. Mister Domestic Violence again answered and angrily told them to go away but being drunk, the police didn’t buy it. Back up was called in and the whole thing ended with ass getting tasered on his front lawn with half the neighborhood watching. The cops then arrested him and hauled his ass down to County. Since then the situation has been permanently resolved.
And that is why the cops don’t believe you if you say you didn’t call 911.
It’s your wacky phone line. It’s saying, “Repair me!” “Get me fixed!” They’re always on the internet!” (oh wait, you have cable modem? or DSL?) And it dials 911 all on its own.
Or maybe… something happened, FISA-override wise, and ever was heard a discouraging word. 911.
Or maybe…
I’m just thinking up other plausible reasons for such an occurrence. Which, at the wee hours of 4 you’ve got be kidding me a.m. you’re not apt to think of at all. (And I don’t blame you one whit for the whiskey tango foxtrot oscar moment… just trying to introduce alternative explanations.
What happens if a neighbor calls 911 and reports a fight at your address ? Do the police have a right to enter your address without warrant?