Calling the Police

[ForumManager]

The phone call idea is a good one.  I believe they visit people to be sure the call was legit.

[jay]

Instead of making a visit to your home, why can't the responding police officer just phone you at home when he is only a few block away from the crime scene?  He obtains the needed information and doesn't put the caller in jeopardy.

[ForumManager]

It is my understanding that you cannot block your number from the 911 service.
This is a safety measure for those that have their number blocked all the time by the phone company as a service to their unlisted numbers.
You cannot block your number from 800 numbers as well, as it incurs a long distance charge to the receiver and all numbers that called will be itemized on their statement.

t maybe someone could suggest to the chief of police that they
send undercover (ie: un-marked) cars to the home of the person that called the police instead.
This would certainly attract much less attention to the caller's home.

They don't even send cruisers to our street.  I can see requesting an unmarked car. Like that is really gonna happen! LOL 

[AllanY2525]

Folks,

If you want to keep your phone number confidential, just dial *67 (and wait for the dial tone
to come back) before placing your 911 call.  This BLOCKS caller ID.  The same legislation
that allowed the Caller ID feature to be implemented by the phone companies also mandated
that people be allowed to maintain their right to privacy by blocking their phone number from
Caller ID whenever they wish to do so.

I agree that having your neighbors look outside and see a police cruiser at your home can
be a little disconcerting - but maybe someone could suggest to the chief of police that they
send undercover (ie: un-marked) cars to the home of the person that called the police instead.
This would certainly attract much less attention to the caller's home.

[our2cents]

Duh...slap me now...slapping party to be planned.   

I knew the reporting info was maintained in caller ID & E911 now.  I've seen the reporting party listed on call sheets before when obtaining them for other reasons.  It's like anything, there's always a record...especially now it seems. 

[northside lurker]

At our last blockwatch meeting, there were people who felt that their anonymity was safe, even after calling the police many times.  This makes me wonder if they always stop at the caller's house beforehand.  They were surprised to learn, however, that their identity could be found in the police reports, even though they didn't give their name when they called.

[jay]

With caller ID, they will know the address of a call made from a home phone.

[our2cents]

I'm always hearing on the air that the reporting party was a CC which I was told is confidential caller.  I'd love to know if it is truly correct and if people can remain confidential. 

[Leah]

Not to mention, it wastes time.  They could be where the crime is actually taking place faster if they didn't make this extra stop.  Chances are, the person already gave the police all the necessary info on the phone anyway.

I called the police to report that 2 suspicious individuals were going around my neighborhood pretending to be from SBC and gain entry into residents' homes.  I made it clear that this was a non-emergency call, I just wanted to make them aware, so they could keep an eye out and warn other residents.  I was never told that an officer would be stopping by my home.  About an hour later, I was pretty surprised when a police man knocked on my door.  This upset my young children.  It was also embarrassing because it appeared to neighbors and passers by that maybe I had done something wrong and there was a problem at my residence.

This procedure should definitely be changed.

[jay]

A city block watch recently expressed concern over one procedure at the police department.  When a call is made to the police department, the responding officer often stops first at the home of the person making the complaint.  The officer then goes to the home of the person causing the problem.  The block watch feels that this procedure sets the caller up for possible retaliation.