Have you ever?

Dialed 911?  For a valid reason?  Multiple times?

Well, I have a few times since living in this house for a dozen years.  Mostly for neighborhood safety reasons.  Like one time we heard people and questionable conversation, so I dialed to call in just in case something was going on or someone was being bothered.  It probably was a social thing among friends, but my conscious would not let go of the "what if".  Our bedroom window faces a busy street and we live on a corner, so that may be why I have dialed 911 a few times; we get more foot traffic.

Oooh - I remember before I was married, living in a basement apartment. I totally had to call 911 for domestic violence.  There had been a few times when I opened my door and a cute kitty, wearing a black, studded collar, dashed inside.  He/she ran right under my bed or couch and trembled and shook and would not come out.  A couple of times I returned the cat to the very unfriendly people living above.  Another time the female of the couple knocked on my door and asked for a ride to her fast food job.  I had a MN friend visiting, so I declined.  I was not that comfortable with the situation, anyways.  THEN, one night there was a LOT of yelling.  And loud footsteps above.  My back door exited to the rear exit of the building.  People were scrambling/fighting and running down the back stairs and WABAM, smacked into my door.  That is when I called 911.  The police came, and they had been there before for the same people and were aware of the situation.  I heard a knock at my door, and was scared to open it.  They convinced me they were police, and just wanted to verify my call and my information.  The above people eventually moved out.   That was the most directly-affecting-me 911 call I have made.

A couple of weeks ago . . .
I sort of noticed a strange gray sedan parked across the vacant house across the street.  I usually know frequent cars for the busy street side neighbors who park there.  Nothing I had seen before.  And it was there ALL afternoon.  Then, a friend and a mom of one of Simon's friends, called asking me if I happened to be aware of the police activity.  That's when I noticed several police down our street and down the busy street.  I saw police on foot walking down the sidewalk and looking at houses.  My friend told me that dog-walkers by her were directed elsewhere by the police.

Then I saw two guys sitting in the strange gray sedan laughing and pointing across the street the possible house in question.  And a grey SUV pulled into the driveway of the vacant house; a lady with long blonde hair got out and started talking to the 2 guys in the strange gray sedan.  I was on the phone with my friend, she thought that calling 911 was not a bad idea.  So I hung up with her.

I dialed 911. I was put on hold.  Who calls 911 and gets put on hold?  The other line beeped in, I ignored that call.  I waited . . . .

AND,  I found out that they were undercover police on a case.  I called in the undercover police!!!!! Shortly after I hung up with 911, they drove away. The SUV parking on the wrong side of the street across from the house in question, the strange grey car gone.  Ok.  So, do I feel safe or not?  Eric was gone.  I needed too leave in about 30 minutes; I didn't want to walk my children outside with all of that going on.

I looked out my window, and I saw policemen arresting a man.  He was handcuffed and put into the squad car.  So close to home.  I see that house every time I look out both of this house's bedroom windows.

The police blotter on the following Friday informed us that a 47 year old man was charged with 2 counts of aggravated assault and battery, at the address across the busy street.

That is one of my reasons why I am not yet comfortable with letting my son ride his bike around the block.  Or walk the rest of the way to his friends house by himself after crossing the busy street (he has to walk past this house).  You just never know!!!