No, this will not be a blog about Rhianna, at least not today. No, today I want to talk about police actions. Often our actions are misunderstood. People think we are rude, cocky, and uncaring. The truth is, there are officers out there that are like that, but the vast majority of us are not. The problem is people often times misinterpret our actions to mean something they dont. What I plan to show today is that often times, in emotional situations, people can act irrationally. As police officers it is our duty to restore order to a chaotic situation. Until there is some form of order, we cannot properly investigate a crime and/or help you as a victim.
Recently, in the northwest, a man filed a lawsuit against two officers and the department they work for. Earlier in the week the man had called 911 to report a robbery, which was occurring in front of his residence. During the call dispatchers attempted to get the man to give an accurate description of the suspect, victim, and himself. The man was in such a panicked state that the dispatcher was never able to get a description of any of the involved parties. The last thing the man said was, "Oh my god, I think he's gonna shoot her." The phone was dropped to the floor and cut off. Officers were dispatched to the scene. Upon arriving, officers could see the man who had called standing on his porch, holding an assault rifle, and standing over a woman crying hysterically. As officers were getting out of there cars the man turned towards them, and began running towards them screaming something. Officer's immediately drew out there weapons, and gave the man a warning to stop or they would shoot. Surprised, the man stopped and began yelling and cursing at them. Officers continued to give the man orders to drop his weapon, which he finally did, and lay face first on the ground. As the man laid down on the ground, police approached and placed him in handcuffs, then put him in the back of a patrol car.
Now, some of you may be reading this and wondering why in the world would the police point their weapons at an innocent man and then put him in handcuffs. He was just trying to help, right? Let's stop for a second and go back and look from the officer's view point of what they saw. As I said officers were dispatched to a robbery call. In the text of the call officers know the last thing said was, "Oh my god, I think he's gonna shoot her." So the officer's know there is a male calling in about a robbery in front of his house. We know another male is the suspect, we know the victim is a woman, and we know there is a gun involved. As I said in the story, the dispatcher was never able to get a description of any of the above people. When officers arrive what do they see? They see a man, holding a rifle, and a woman sitting in front of that man crying hysterically. The man, who for all officers know is the suspect, turns and runs towards them while still holding a dangerous weapon. You'll remember I said the man was panicky on the phone; he's now screaming something at the officers. At this point the officers would not have been completely unjustified in shooting the man. Are you starting to see my point?
When we arrive on the scene we have very little information to work with. Most of the time people are not able, or willing, to give accurate descriptions of suspects involved. As I said above, before we can help we have to restore order to a situation that is usually chaotic. Understand, if you are at a scene of a violent crime, and you are still holding a weapon in your hand when police arrive, you will find their weapons pointed directly at you. We are not psychics, and we do not know who is guilty and who is innocent when we first arrive on the scene. This same scenario can be said about situations where guns are not involved. People panic when bad things happen, we understand that. Often times, people interpret our telling someone to calm down as us being rude. You have every right to be upset when you are a victim of a crime. However, we can not help you properly until you calm down and give us an accurate portrayal of what happened.
So what can you do to help us help you when you've been involved in some type of violent crime.
1. Take a breath, and slow down. You're scared we understand that. We want to help.
2. When you first call 911, give the fullest description of the suspect and any victims involved.
3. When police arrive, DO NOT run at us. Again, we don't know who you are when we get there.
4. When speaking to us, take another breath, speak slowly and calmly.
5. Have you ID ready to give us so we can identify you.
6. If you have a weapon, when police arrive drop it or put it up in a holster. Raise your hands and identify yourself. Police may ask to hold on to your weapon while they are there. GIVE IT TO THEM! We will give it back, unless we have to submit it for evidence.
7. Do not pace back and forth in front of us, stay still please. We will ask you to sit still, this is not us being rude. We are trying to restore order.
8. If we tell you to get on the ground do it and do it fast. If you don't, we will yell at you, and may assist you getting to the ground. Again we don't know who you are when we arrive. It's nothing personal, but we can't help you until we make sure the scene is safe. Just because you tell us you are the victim doesn't mean you are. Suspects can say the same thing.
9. Don't get mad and start cursing us. We are there to help, but we have to follow certain protocols you may not understand. If you are confused, ask us. We will try to explain.
10. Do not try to take justice into your own hands! You can very easily go from victim to suspect.
I hope this clears up some confusion when it comes to police actions. Again, if you are confused about something an officer has done or said to you, don't hesitate to ask. We want to help.
Thanks!
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Friday, April 1, 2011
Reasonable and Necessary
Sorry it' been a few days since the last post. Things have been crazy at work the past few days. I'm back now, and with a topic that I think all parents and their students need to read. However, this can apply to even us adults. The law talks about a reasonable expectation of defense. Meaning that you are able to defend yourself when your physical safety is IMMEDIATELY threatened. That word immediately is pretty important if you couldn't tell by the caps. But what does that mean? To be honest, the public perception of what a threat is can be pretty vague. On top of that, how far can I go in self defense, and do I have to wait to be hit first?
So first, let's talk about what elements you need to have before you can defend yourself.
1. The other person must be there.
2. Violence has to be imminent. In other words, they have to be coming at you to fight.
3. The level of violence has to be enough that a reasonable person would be afraid for their safety. So a 9 year old coming at an adult swinging, wouldn't constitute a valid threat. In most cases at least.
Those are the three basic elements that need to be in play before you can defend yourself. So, what are some situations where I shouldn't defend myself by fighting?
1. If they made the threat over the phone, then you can't go over there and attack them.
2. That whole 9 year old situation, you'd be surprised how often this happens.
3. If they tell you they are going to attack you but they make no actions to do so, then you can't go attack them for just saying it. (this can be confusing, because there are some caveats here, but I'll get to those later)
I think those are three good examples. There are certainly more, but I find those are ones that happen all to often. In fact, this is an area where high school and middle school students get caught up all to often. You need to understand that if the threat of violence is not immediately upon you then you cannot act out physically to defend yourself. In those situations, where you believe that there is a threat, but it's not imminent, then the best defense you have is to walk away from the situation and report it to the police or your principal. However, this seems to bother people because there pride gets caught up in the situation. They feel like they have to save face by lashing out with violence of their own. Understand this, people talk a lot of big game, but the vast majority of them never carry out that game. You have to let your pride go, and walk away, because at the end of the day, no matter what they said, you will be the one in handcuffs.
I say all that, not to deter you from defending yourself, but to stress to you that when it comes to defending yourself, pride can't enter the situation. The last thing I want is someone reading this, and being afraid of acting when there is an immediate threat. Like I said folks, defending yourself is ok, there are just some rules to it. So let's skip ahead and talk about what you can do when there is an actual threat.
The law says that you can use the amount of force that is reasonable and necessary to stop someone from trying to hurt you. Let me repeat that. The amount of force that is REASONABLE and NECESSARY. This is where people get into a lot of trouble, because once again they let pride and anger take over. Reasonable and necessary means that you do what you have to stop the attack so you can get away. This doesn't mean that when someone comes up and slaps you that you deliver the beat down of the century. Let me give an example:
Recently a high school senior was sitting in the hallway talking to friends. While talking another girl, a junior at the school, walked up and slapped her across the face then began calling her names. The senior tried to turn away but the other girl kept turning her back around. The junior was about to punch her when the senior violently attacked her. She knocked the punch away and punched the junior in the side of the head twice. The junior fell back and did not make a move to continue attacking the senior. Instead of ending her attack the senior paused, then continued, grabbing the girl and slamming her head into a group of lockers. She then threw the junior to the floor and kicked her twice in the rib cage, and three times in the side of the head. It was at this time when the school resource officer arrived, and stopped the fight. The junior laid on the floor bleeding and unconscious. Later, the senior girl told the officer what happened. The other girl had attacked her first, and she was, "just defending," herself. After reviewing security camera footage and talking to other people who saw the fight, the senior was arrested and charged with aggravated assault.
This is a little bit of an exaggerated story, but I did that to make a point. The senior was in the right all the way up to the point where she continued her attack after the junior stopped. The two initial punches were legally acceptable. At that point she used the amount of force that was reasonable and necessary to stop the threat. Where she went wrong is when she let her pride and anger enter the fight. So often we teach children to just turn and walk away no matter what happens. However, we have to be honest and admit that walking away is not always possible. There are some people who are going to fight you no matter how many times you try to walk away. You have to be ready to defend youself, but likewise, you have to be ready to STOP once the threat is over. Just because someone attacks you first doesn't mean you can do whatever you like. If someone slaps you, you can't just go and stab them; that's not what reasonable and necessary means. Yes, you stopped the threat, but not in a reasonable manner.
Lastly, do you have to wait to be hit, shot, stabbed etc.? The short answer is no, you don't have to wait. However, understand, someone voicing a threat does not give you the reason to attack. The imminent threat of violence rule still applies. Not waiting means that the person is preparing the attack. They are clinching their fist, blading their body back, bringing an arm up to swing, they are running straight at you. In other words, the attack has to be in the progress of occurring. Consequently, it's the same for shooting, you don't have to wait for someone to shoot you before you can shoot back. However, I don't want to get into deadly force situations today. I'll save that for next week, I think.
Understanding self-defense can be extremely confusing. How much is enough, how much is too much. I go on calls on a daily basis where people have received threatening phone calls, and they basically are asking my permission to go out and attack first. Listen you have to stop, think, and decide before you act. At the end of the day, as I've said before, you are responsible for your actions, not someone else's. If you are ever confused about this stuff please, please contact your local law enforcement and ask what you should do. We don't mind giving advice, especially if it helps keep the peace. As always, if you don't understand the laws in your local area, please study them before acting.
Thanks!
P.S. If you have questions or suggestions for the blog, leave them in the comment sections. I'll see what I can do about answering some.
So first, let's talk about what elements you need to have before you can defend yourself.
1. The other person must be there.
2. Violence has to be imminent. In other words, they have to be coming at you to fight.
3. The level of violence has to be enough that a reasonable person would be afraid for their safety. So a 9 year old coming at an adult swinging, wouldn't constitute a valid threat. In most cases at least.
Those are the three basic elements that need to be in play before you can defend yourself. So, what are some situations where I shouldn't defend myself by fighting?
1. If they made the threat over the phone, then you can't go over there and attack them.
2. That whole 9 year old situation, you'd be surprised how often this happens.
3. If they tell you they are going to attack you but they make no actions to do so, then you can't go attack them for just saying it. (this can be confusing, because there are some caveats here, but I'll get to those later)
I think those are three good examples. There are certainly more, but I find those are ones that happen all to often. In fact, this is an area where high school and middle school students get caught up all to often. You need to understand that if the threat of violence is not immediately upon you then you cannot act out physically to defend yourself. In those situations, where you believe that there is a threat, but it's not imminent, then the best defense you have is to walk away from the situation and report it to the police or your principal. However, this seems to bother people because there pride gets caught up in the situation. They feel like they have to save face by lashing out with violence of their own. Understand this, people talk a lot of big game, but the vast majority of them never carry out that game. You have to let your pride go, and walk away, because at the end of the day, no matter what they said, you will be the one in handcuffs.
I say all that, not to deter you from defending yourself, but to stress to you that when it comes to defending yourself, pride can't enter the situation. The last thing I want is someone reading this, and being afraid of acting when there is an immediate threat. Like I said folks, defending yourself is ok, there are just some rules to it. So let's skip ahead and talk about what you can do when there is an actual threat.
The law says that you can use the amount of force that is reasonable and necessary to stop someone from trying to hurt you. Let me repeat that. The amount of force that is REASONABLE and NECESSARY. This is where people get into a lot of trouble, because once again they let pride and anger take over. Reasonable and necessary means that you do what you have to stop the attack so you can get away. This doesn't mean that when someone comes up and slaps you that you deliver the beat down of the century. Let me give an example:
Recently a high school senior was sitting in the hallway talking to friends. While talking another girl, a junior at the school, walked up and slapped her across the face then began calling her names. The senior tried to turn away but the other girl kept turning her back around. The junior was about to punch her when the senior violently attacked her. She knocked the punch away and punched the junior in the side of the head twice. The junior fell back and did not make a move to continue attacking the senior. Instead of ending her attack the senior paused, then continued, grabbing the girl and slamming her head into a group of lockers. She then threw the junior to the floor and kicked her twice in the rib cage, and three times in the side of the head. It was at this time when the school resource officer arrived, and stopped the fight. The junior laid on the floor bleeding and unconscious. Later, the senior girl told the officer what happened. The other girl had attacked her first, and she was, "just defending," herself. After reviewing security camera footage and talking to other people who saw the fight, the senior was arrested and charged with aggravated assault.
This is a little bit of an exaggerated story, but I did that to make a point. The senior was in the right all the way up to the point where she continued her attack after the junior stopped. The two initial punches were legally acceptable. At that point she used the amount of force that was reasonable and necessary to stop the threat. Where she went wrong is when she let her pride and anger enter the fight. So often we teach children to just turn and walk away no matter what happens. However, we have to be honest and admit that walking away is not always possible. There are some people who are going to fight you no matter how many times you try to walk away. You have to be ready to defend youself, but likewise, you have to be ready to STOP once the threat is over. Just because someone attacks you first doesn't mean you can do whatever you like. If someone slaps you, you can't just go and stab them; that's not what reasonable and necessary means. Yes, you stopped the threat, but not in a reasonable manner.
Lastly, do you have to wait to be hit, shot, stabbed etc.? The short answer is no, you don't have to wait. However, understand, someone voicing a threat does not give you the reason to attack. The imminent threat of violence rule still applies. Not waiting means that the person is preparing the attack. They are clinching their fist, blading their body back, bringing an arm up to swing, they are running straight at you. In other words, the attack has to be in the progress of occurring. Consequently, it's the same for shooting, you don't have to wait for someone to shoot you before you can shoot back. However, I don't want to get into deadly force situations today. I'll save that for next week, I think.
Understanding self-defense can be extremely confusing. How much is enough, how much is too much. I go on calls on a daily basis where people have received threatening phone calls, and they basically are asking my permission to go out and attack first. Listen you have to stop, think, and decide before you act. At the end of the day, as I've said before, you are responsible for your actions, not someone else's. If you are ever confused about this stuff please, please contact your local law enforcement and ask what you should do. We don't mind giving advice, especially if it helps keep the peace. As always, if you don't understand the laws in your local area, please study them before acting.
Thanks!
P.S. If you have questions or suggestions for the blog, leave them in the comment sections. I'll see what I can do about answering some.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Personal Defense/Security Training
Ok, so here's the deal. I wanted to take a break from my regular postings today, and tell you about a friend of mine. I met Tim Guy about 2 years ago. I was immediately impressed with his tactical knowledge and his expertise in the field of Personal Security. Not to mention, he offers this knowledge to others. If you or a loved one are looking to get a Hand Gun Carry Permit, then Tim is your guy (pun intended). Go over to his website for more information at http://www.guysecuritytraining.com/default.html . Tim offers other training as well, for those interested in Armed/Unarmed Security. I can't say enough about him, but let me say this; I trust Tim with my life, and as far as I'm concerned he's one of the best in the business.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
To High To Realize
Let's talk about that weed. Man, I could write a hundred blogs about marijuana and it's illegal use in the United States. In fact, I think it's telling that one of the constant political debates in our country is over the legalization of marijuana. Proponents declare it safer than cigarettes and helpful for people with chronic pain, but opponents say it's just a gateway to stronger narcotics, among other arguments. The fact of the matter is folks, no matter what your opinion is, marijuana is illegal here, at least in most states that is. As long as people continue to buy marijuana, they will continue to fund and fuel an underground criminal network that not only sells marijuana, but often commits violent crimes against innocent people. You can tell me all day long that it is the fault of the government for making it illegal, but it doesn't change the fact that you are giving your money to individuals who commit horrible atrocities just to make an easy buck. I could go on all day about this phenomenon, that we as people are responsible for our own actions regardless of the actions of others (or governments), but I wont. That's not what today's post is about.
Marijuana has grown more and more popular, especially among the younger generation here in the States. It has become a way to relax and to forget about the problems of the day, even though they are ignoring the origins of what they are smoking. Again I digress. What people, especially young people, fail to realize is the trouble they can get into for smoking pot. In most states possession of a single joint is a misdemeanor offense. In the State of Tennessee that offense is known as Possession/Casual Exchange. The punishment for this offense is usually probation, a few days in jail, or some community service. Nothing that would ruin anyones life, right? Well, there's a caveat to this law; once you're alright, twice it's ok, but what about the third time? Many states, including Tennessee, have limits to how many times you can be charged with a misdemeanor Poss. Casual Exchange. The truth is, that 3rd offense could lead you to a felony charge. A class E felony to be exact. As common as marijuana is today on high school and college campuses, it's not unlikely that casual smokers of this drug can find themselves in serious trouble. We're no longer talking about a citation and confiscation of your stash. We're talking getting placed in handcuffs, put into the back of a police car, and going straight to jail. Once there, it's up to a judge or commissioner to let you out until your next court date, but given that it's your third time for this charge, you could be looking at a hefty bond. I don't know about you, but I don't have $1,000 sitting around to just throw away.
As I've said before, there are those out there that look at this as the price of doing business. However, for your average college student, this can be devastating. They could be looking at expulsion from University at worst, but you might just be sitting down in booking on the day you have a big exam. I don't know many professors who grant make-up exams for people who've gotten arrested. Who knows, maybe you'll get lucky. Even if you're not in college, employers don't like having to grant sick days or vacation time to employees who can't make it to work because they got arrested.
You may think weed is a casual drug, but it's not. Using it comes with real consequences that you'll have to live up to, and guess what? You can't blame it on the Officer arresting you, or the government. That goes back to that whole taking responsibility for your actions thing. It is common knowledge that marijuana is illegal. If it wasn't, people wouldn't be buying it from that guy hiding in the shady corner with a gun his waist band. Again we can argue about the government making it this way, but you need to wake up and realize that until the law changes, you're gonna have to deal with the consequences.
I'll stop there, because I don't wont this to turn into a raving rant about pot smokers. Truthfully I write this to hopefully wake someone up to reality. I've known plenty of wonderful people who partake of the green leafy substance we know as weed, but they are playing a risky game. Please don't throw your future away on a short high. Too many people, with great potential, have thrown it away on marijuana. Don't be one of them. At the least you're fueling a violent drug war that has claimed the lives of Thousands across this country, and in others.
Thanks!
Marijuana has grown more and more popular, especially among the younger generation here in the States. It has become a way to relax and to forget about the problems of the day, even though they are ignoring the origins of what they are smoking. Again I digress. What people, especially young people, fail to realize is the trouble they can get into for smoking pot. In most states possession of a single joint is a misdemeanor offense. In the State of Tennessee that offense is known as Possession/Casual Exchange. The punishment for this offense is usually probation, a few days in jail, or some community service. Nothing that would ruin anyones life, right? Well, there's a caveat to this law; once you're alright, twice it's ok, but what about the third time? Many states, including Tennessee, have limits to how many times you can be charged with a misdemeanor Poss. Casual Exchange. The truth is, that 3rd offense could lead you to a felony charge. A class E felony to be exact. As common as marijuana is today on high school and college campuses, it's not unlikely that casual smokers of this drug can find themselves in serious trouble. We're no longer talking about a citation and confiscation of your stash. We're talking getting placed in handcuffs, put into the back of a police car, and going straight to jail. Once there, it's up to a judge or commissioner to let you out until your next court date, but given that it's your third time for this charge, you could be looking at a hefty bond. I don't know about you, but I don't have $1,000 sitting around to just throw away.
As I've said before, there are those out there that look at this as the price of doing business. However, for your average college student, this can be devastating. They could be looking at expulsion from University at worst, but you might just be sitting down in booking on the day you have a big exam. I don't know many professors who grant make-up exams for people who've gotten arrested. Who knows, maybe you'll get lucky. Even if you're not in college, employers don't like having to grant sick days or vacation time to employees who can't make it to work because they got arrested.
You may think weed is a casual drug, but it's not. Using it comes with real consequences that you'll have to live up to, and guess what? You can't blame it on the Officer arresting you, or the government. That goes back to that whole taking responsibility for your actions thing. It is common knowledge that marijuana is illegal. If it wasn't, people wouldn't be buying it from that guy hiding in the shady corner with a gun his waist band. Again we can argue about the government making it this way, but you need to wake up and realize that until the law changes, you're gonna have to deal with the consequences.
I'll stop there, because I don't wont this to turn into a raving rant about pot smokers. Truthfully I write this to hopefully wake someone up to reality. I've known plenty of wonderful people who partake of the green leafy substance we know as weed, but they are playing a risky game. Please don't throw your future away on a short high. Too many people, with great potential, have thrown it away on marijuana. Don't be one of them. At the least you're fueling a violent drug war that has claimed the lives of Thousands across this country, and in others.
Thanks!
Friday, March 25, 2011
Domestic Bliss
The new hot button topic in Law Enforcement circles? Domestic Violence, and how to handle a domestic call. Ask any Officer, what's the most dangerous call he can go on, and he will tell you, a DV call. Over the past years there have been many Officers killed while responding to DV calls, and on top of that there have been many men and women abused and even killed during these calls. Society's response to all of this has been extremely tough DV law. Law's that require Officers to sometimes make physical arrests and prosecute on misdemeanors that did not occur in their presence, regardless of the victim's wishes. These laws have saved countless lives, and they are a step in the right direction. However, in the world of intense domestic situations there is a large grey area that is not widely discussed, except within law enforcement circles. What defines a domestic relationship?
Recently a 27 year old went out with his friends from college to a popular bar in his hometown. During that outing he and another friend got into an argument over a minor issue that in the larger scheme of things, made no difference. During this argument the 27 year old's friend shoved him out of the way so he could leave. Angry about being pushed, and fueled by alcohol, the 27 year old became so enraged that he decided to attack his former friend. The 27 year old came forward and struck his friend several times in the back of the head, knocking him to the ground, and causing a minor cut on his hand and a knot on his head. Seeing what he had done, the man was immediately filled with regret, and stooped down to help his friend. However, the damage had been done. The friend got up, with the help of others around him, and stormed outside where he called Police. However, once police arrived the friend had changed his mind about the situation, and decided that he no longer wanted to press charges against his former friend. Officers decided to file a report on the situation in case the friend changed his mind later. While speaking to officers about the incident the suspect made a passing comment about, this being why the two had stopped living together in college.
Let's stop right here, and let me explain something. The word domestic in Domestic Violence does not necessarily mean a romantic or blood relationship is involved. What you need to understand is, Adults or minors who live together or who have lived together, qualify under domestic relationships.
Because of this relationship, and because of domestic violence laws, officers were obligated to make an arrest and to prosecute, despite the wishes of the victim. This suspect had never before been in trouble with the law.
What I want people to understand is, that the consequences of a "Simple Assault" are usually not that great. Often times an offender may get away with probation, a fine, a few days in jail, or a combination of any of these. They can usually even have this expunged after staying out of trouble for a few years. However, when you add a domestic relationship to the assault the consequences are much more far reaching. Your legal right to own and carry firearms is thereby revoked, unless, you are able to have the conviction purged from your record. That's IF and WHEN you can have it purged. There are other consequences, such as having to abide by order's of protection, and the stigma of having a domestic assault on your record. Regardless of what the circumstances may be, two former friends in a minor scuffle for instance, future employers or anyone conducting a background investigation will only see the conviction, no matter what you tell them.
There will always be times in life where we find ourselves upset, angry, and wanting vengeance. However, before you do anything stop and think of the consequences. Any conviction on your record, domestic or not, can greatly hinder your ability to get a job. Remember, the consequences can affect others as well. It's always best to step aside and to take a deep breath. Your pride is not worth going to jail over.....EVER!
Please take the time and study the domestic violence laws in your state. Understand what they mean for you. Seemingly good and honest people can find themselves in situations where they make bad decisions. Even small mistakes can cost you a lot, not to mention what they cost the victim. There's no second chance when it comes to domestic violence. Stop, take a breath, and think about what you're doing.
As always the victims of domestic abuse crimes are the first and foremost priority. If you, or someone you know, has been a victim of domestic abuse, then please visit: http://www.thehotline.org/ or call
1-800-799-SAFE(7233) to get help or more information on resources in your local area.
Thanks!
Recently a 27 year old went out with his friends from college to a popular bar in his hometown. During that outing he and another friend got into an argument over a minor issue that in the larger scheme of things, made no difference. During this argument the 27 year old's friend shoved him out of the way so he could leave. Angry about being pushed, and fueled by alcohol, the 27 year old became so enraged that he decided to attack his former friend. The 27 year old came forward and struck his friend several times in the back of the head, knocking him to the ground, and causing a minor cut on his hand and a knot on his head. Seeing what he had done, the man was immediately filled with regret, and stooped down to help his friend. However, the damage had been done. The friend got up, with the help of others around him, and stormed outside where he called Police. However, once police arrived the friend had changed his mind about the situation, and decided that he no longer wanted to press charges against his former friend. Officers decided to file a report on the situation in case the friend changed his mind later. While speaking to officers about the incident the suspect made a passing comment about, this being why the two had stopped living together in college.
Let's stop right here, and let me explain something. The word domestic in Domestic Violence does not necessarily mean a romantic or blood relationship is involved. What you need to understand is, Adults or minors who live together or who have lived together, qualify under domestic relationships.
Because of this relationship, and because of domestic violence laws, officers were obligated to make an arrest and to prosecute, despite the wishes of the victim. This suspect had never before been in trouble with the law.
What I want people to understand is, that the consequences of a "Simple Assault" are usually not that great. Often times an offender may get away with probation, a fine, a few days in jail, or a combination of any of these. They can usually even have this expunged after staying out of trouble for a few years. However, when you add a domestic relationship to the assault the consequences are much more far reaching. Your legal right to own and carry firearms is thereby revoked, unless, you are able to have the conviction purged from your record. That's IF and WHEN you can have it purged. There are other consequences, such as having to abide by order's of protection, and the stigma of having a domestic assault on your record. Regardless of what the circumstances may be, two former friends in a minor scuffle for instance, future employers or anyone conducting a background investigation will only see the conviction, no matter what you tell them.
There will always be times in life where we find ourselves upset, angry, and wanting vengeance. However, before you do anything stop and think of the consequences. Any conviction on your record, domestic or not, can greatly hinder your ability to get a job. Remember, the consequences can affect others as well. It's always best to step aside and to take a deep breath. Your pride is not worth going to jail over.....EVER!
Please take the time and study the domestic violence laws in your state. Understand what they mean for you. Seemingly good and honest people can find themselves in situations where they make bad decisions. Even small mistakes can cost you a lot, not to mention what they cost the victim. There's no second chance when it comes to domestic violence. Stop, take a breath, and think about what you're doing.
As always the victims of domestic abuse crimes are the first and foremost priority. If you, or someone you know, has been a victim of domestic abuse, then please visit: http://www.thehotline.org/ or call
1-800-799-SAFE(7233) to get help or more information on resources in your local area.
Thanks!
My First Post
I decided to create this blog because of what I see everyday while working as a police officer. I've discovered that for the most part people make honest and innocent mistakes that land them in major legal trouble. I tell people time and time again you have to think through your decisions before you make them. For example; deciding to go out and to have a drink or two with friends can lead to serious repercussions later that night if you do not plan ahead. Having a DUI on your record can seriously harm your ability to obtain a good job. Employers want employees who make smart responsible decisions. DUI's can lead to missed work, loss of productivity, and tarnishing of a company's reputation.
This is just one example of how, GOOD people can make BAD decisions that can lead to REAL consequences. Career criminals look at a lot of these consequences with little to no care. To them it's the price of doing business, but for your everyday honest working person, it can lead to some serious bad times. Remember it will not only affect you, but your family as well.
My plan is continue to post vignettes of real situations that happen to real people. What I will NOT be doing is posting up people's personal information; including but not limited to names and locations. As I said a lot of the people I deal with are good people who have made bad decisions. Their mistakes will already cost them, they don't need me airing their personal info out to the readers of this blog. However, the stories I post will definitely amaze you. You will not believe some of the things that happen out there. I will also be posting up links to articles written by individuals far more qualified than me. Hopefully this blog can keep at least a few people from making a poor decision.
Thanks for reading, I'll be posting up the first entry tonight.
This is just one example of how, GOOD people can make BAD decisions that can lead to REAL consequences. Career criminals look at a lot of these consequences with little to no care. To them it's the price of doing business, but for your everyday honest working person, it can lead to some serious bad times. Remember it will not only affect you, but your family as well.
My plan is continue to post vignettes of real situations that happen to real people. What I will NOT be doing is posting up people's personal information; including but not limited to names and locations. As I said a lot of the people I deal with are good people who have made bad decisions. Their mistakes will already cost them, they don't need me airing their personal info out to the readers of this blog. However, the stories I post will definitely amaze you. You will not believe some of the things that happen out there. I will also be posting up links to articles written by individuals far more qualified than me. Hopefully this blog can keep at least a few people from making a poor decision.
Thanks for reading, I'll be posting up the first entry tonight.
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