When things go bump

[sgtmac_46]

What would I do, or what do I advise others to do because of concern for legal liability?

Advice for those asking me? Call the police.....

What DO I do? I don't call the cops when I hear a bump in the night.....I am a police officer, and i'm more than capable of checking my own house.

Yeah, I know, i've heard the advice 'Call the cops, it's what they get paid to do'.......so I should only risk my life when i'm getting paid my pittance on the clock, but not when defending my own home?

I check my house, and if there's anyone there who shouldn't be there, then I call the police to come pick up the body.

Now if they're outside and not doing anything but prowling, i'll call the on-duty guys and have them round them up....inside the Bat Cave they belong to me.

 

[chinto]

I would say a pellet gun is stupid, and that if you are concerned enough to arm yourself with a deadly weapon, then perhaps going into a defensive position and calling 911 is not a bad choice at all. but clearing a room or home of possible intruders is something that does take training to do right!! if you have a fire arm prepare to use it, as any intruder in your home should provably be considered a very possible deadly threat, but going looking is an invitation to an ambush or worse.

 

[allenjp]

Ok Kenpotex, I smacked myself upside the head, I guess I can respond now???

Seriously, this is why I have a dog. If there's a noise outside his ears are keen enough to know if it's something I should worry about or not, and he lets me know. He actually woke me up one night, barking his head off at the front window, and when I looked out I found the neighbor's dog relieving himself on my lawn! At 3 a.m.! (He somehow knew I would care about that one) He also lets me know WHERE the danger is coming from, which means I can take a proper defensive position without having to go outside, while my wife calls the pros. And yes, my primary home defense weapon is a Mossberg 500, so the next thing the bad guy hears is a BIG action cycling. If he is determined or stupid enough to keep coming after that, well, that's on him.
Dogs are also a great deterrent. When they bark, even if it's a small dog, many BG's will move on to the next...less noisy...target.

 

[trainable]

The castle clause applies to your person in Florida. However, the law views life above property. If you shoot and/or kill someone, you had better have a good reason. A person being in my house or trying to get in my house is plenty of reason.

Be prudent in preparing for the worst case scenario. Have the PD on speed dial or the #near the phone. Take the time to train with your weapon. If you dont practice, you have no clue what will happen when you try to engage under pressure. Determine where you can or can not shoot safely in your home. My kids are behind many of the walls that I might have to engage a badguy. Bullets go everywhere you hope they wont. Dont kill your family.

Also, a great coach once said(Tony Blauer), "Dont let ego or pride dictate your next strategy". This is true. Think about your capacity to act, and cover your bases. Call the cops. Protect your family. Let the PD handle the rest. If the threat comes to you, STOP THE THREAT. Dont let your ego take you down a path you have no experience on. Be safe.

 

[KenpoTex]

Ok Kenpotex, I smacked myself upside the head, I guess I can respond now???

Seriously, this is why I have a dog. If there's a noise outside his ears are keen enough to know if it's something I should worry about or not, and he lets me know. He actually woke me up one night, barking his head off at the front window, and when I looked out I found the neighbor's dog relieving himself on my lawn! At 3 a.m.! (He somehow knew I would care about that one) He also lets me know WHERE the danger is coming from, which means I can take a proper defensive position without having to go outside, while my wife calls the pros. And yes, my primary home defense weapon is a Mossberg 500, so the next thing the bad guy hears is a BIG action cycling. If he is determined or stupid enough to keep coming after that, well, that's on him.
Dogs are also a great deterrent. When they bark, even if it's a small dog, many BG's will move on to the next...less noisy...target.

Dogs are a great "tool" in home security. If they bark, they can attract unwanted attention from neighbors or alert the homeowner to a possible intruder. They can also, depending on the dog, pose an actual physical threat to the BG.

There is a big difference between having a dog, motion lights, good locks, etc. (all of which can act as a deterrent...making your house a harder target than the BG may want to tackle), and meeting the guy with a BB-gun in your hand. Showing up with a BB-gun is bluffing...you'd better hope the BG doesn't call your bluff.

 

[jks9199]

Dogs are great -- but not a guarantee. I've seen plenty of supposedly vicious "guard dogs" that were really family pets who simply viewed a burglar as a new playmate...

 

[allenjp]

My dog is not there as a guard dog or an attack dog. I don't want him to attack the BG, the way I figure, just me being AWAKE before the BG gets into my house is a huge advantage for me. And he barks at every one that's outside the house. Even me. I've encouraged him to do that since he was a puppy.