"It's Not REALLY A Crime...

[LillFilly]

So we won't bother coming out, just let them go."

This is pretty much what the police officer on-duty told my coworkers friday night!

The mall was closed but for one entrance where we have to drop a gate. Just as coworkers were dropping the gate, 3-guys darted-in. Coworkers explained that the mall was closed. The 3-guys turned around to go out, then faked and rushed back in past coworkers and started running down the mall! All 3-coworkers (X, Y & Z) on-duty chased these guys, during which time X slipped rounding a corner and hit his elbow, which swelled-up pretty bad and it turned-out to be soft tissue damage. They caught and cuffed all 3-guys and called the local police. And waited. And waited. And called back, because usually the police are good about showing.

Well, the dispatcher told them that the officer on-duty had CANCELED the call because 'nothing criminal' had occurred and to just let the guys go! Yeah, the guys that rushed security to enter a closed mall. So, this officer, who is usually a pretty no-nonsense, doesn't take crap, kind of guy, decided it wasn't an important enough crime! Even though someone got hurt. X did request an ambulance, which diagnosed the soft tissue damage, which was confirmed by xrays the next day.

We were all pretty gobsmacked about this. A crime DID occur; trespassing and disorderly conduct. The guys were let go after coworkers got their information and issued ban letters.

But there's a happy ending. Z happens to be a retired corrections officer and is friends with the local police chief. Guess who he called the next day the police chief had no words for his officer's actions and told us that said officer will be having 'an attitude adjustment' and that charges will be filed against the 3-guys.

This could have been so much more serious. What if it had been myself or another female coworker and the guys had become violent, with us stuck in a locked, empty mall with police refusing to respond?

Oh, and the 3-guys caught? They claimed it was just a prank and complained that they'd been chased and cuffed!

[Bright_Star]

"

They claimed it was just a prank and complained that they'd been chased and cuffed!

I'd love to be in the courtroom when they try to tell the judge that. The judge will give em one hell of a smack down. Let's see how funny they think it is when they have to face possible jail time and/or BIG fines.

[XCashier]

Well, the dispatcher told them that the officer on-duty had CANCELED the call because 'nothing criminal' had occurred and to just let the guys go!

Trespassing and disorderly conduct, as you said, leading to an injury, is "nothing criminal"? What the hell is that officer on duty smoking?! I'm glad Z contacted the police chief and I hope those cops get the smackdown of the century!

They claimed it was just a prank and complained that they'd been chased and cuffed!

I'd love to be in the courtroom when they try to tell the judge that. The judge will give em one hell of a smack down. Let's see how funny they think it is when they have to face possible jail time and/or BIG fines.

Oh, me too. Yet another variation of "I was just kidding", the old standby of every bully ever called on his crap. I would love to see the judge rip those jerks new ones!

[LillFilly]

Trespassing and disorderly conduct, as you said, leading to an injury, not a crime?

Technically, X was not injured by the 3-suspects; he slipped while running, so they could argue that they didn't cause his injuries; they didn't touch or push. It will still be covered under workmen's comp as an on the job accident though. And security getting injured isn't the same as a police officer getting injured. If anything, he might be able to go after the guys civilly.

[South Texan]

...the police chief had no words for his officer's actions and told us that said officer will be having 'an attitude adjustment' ...

THAT was the best part of the story, in my opinion.

[Pixilated]

Glad to hear the local police chief was *ahem* not pleased with the officer who said it "wasn't really a crime." Bet he won't do that again ... ya never know who has friends in high(er) places when you pull something like that.

[Merriweather]

Since the police chief certainly did not seem to condone the actions of the dispatcher (or whoever made the decission to not show up), I'd let it slide - once. If it ever happened again, anything even remotely like that, I'd be going to the media. I know police can be overstretched and sometimes have to make judgement calls on priorities of order and so forth, but to simply decide not to show up?

People expect police to respond when they feel threatened, even if all that happens is the police come out and detemine there is no threat after investigating. They don't need police making that decision (that there's no real threat) from a distance, without a detailed account of what's happened, and without checking things out. I can see the eventual headlines "Elderly woman found shot by burglar when police fail to respond", with a quote from the police "well, she did call us before it happened, but we just figured she was an old woman, living alone, and was paranoid over any noise, that it was probably a racoon or something she heard, so we never bothered to go look".

[BroSCFischer]

Technically, X was not injured by the 3-suspects; he slipped while running, so they could argue that they didn't cause his injuries; they didn't touch or push. It will still be covered under workmen's comp as an on the job accident though. And security getting injured isn't the same as a police officer getting injured. If anything, he might be able to go after the guys civilly.

But the injury occurred as a RESULT of the crime. If they hadn't been idiots X wouldn't have had to chase them.

SC

[MoonCat]

So it never occurred to this cop that these kids could have been causing a distraction to keep security busy while friends of theirs broke in somewhere else? I know there are alarms & cameras but that doesn't always stop thieves. Point being, it's not always what it looks like.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

I agree there's a lot of suck to go around.

But let's keep it confined to SC behavior and not let this stray into any territory that should go to Fratching.

[LillFilly]

So it never occurred to this cop that these kids could have been causing a distraction to keep security busy while friends of theirs broke in somewhere else? I know there are alarms & cameras but that doesn't always stop thieves. Point being, it's not always what it looks like.

That's about what I thought.

[PepperElf]

Glad it got sorted out for you.

You should never have to accept people breaking in and running amuck in your store or mall. even if they claim it was a "prank".

[RealUnimportant]

Last I heard, an investigation had to occur before it could be determined whether or not a crime had occured! Glad this guy's going to get reminded of the basics.

[wagegoth]

Police officers are not judges. They are not supposed to decide what is a crime and what is not. They don't even get to decide what charges are brought, as that's up to the prosecutor.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Okay Folks . . .

I believe I specifically asked for this NOT stray into Fratching territory.

Last warning.