What Happens When I Call For Help?
If there are weapons in your house, I need to know that too. The presence of a gun will require the officer to respond in a slightly manner than if the weapon is a knife. If the weapons are not accessible when you call, I still need to know about them and where they are. Just because they are not accessible now doesn’t mean they won’t be later.
Tell me if there are other people present, especially children who could innocently wander into the middle of a violent confrontation.
It’s helpful to know if the aggressor or any bystanders has ever fought with or fled from law enforcement officers. This will help the officer take steps to stay safe by giving them the opportunity to plan how they will approach the call.
If the aggressor has struck you or someone else, tell me how it happened. Were you slapped with an open hand or punched with a closed fist? Were you pushed or cornered? Are you injured to the point where you need an ambulance? Are you bleeding or bruised? Has this person ever struck you before? The answers to these questions help an officer gauge the severity of the incident and allow me the opportunity to obtain medical attention for you if you need it.
It’s also helpful to know what started the confrontation. A love triangle gone wrong or a conflict over children will probably be more emotionally charged than a dispute over money or taking out the trash.
Don’t hang up until I say it’s OK. If you have to leave the phone to protect yourself or someone else, set the phone down so I can hear what’s going on. That way I am able to tell the officers if you are still fighting, what you are fighting about, and if there are any threats or acts of violence. If the phone is hung up or ripped out of the wall by the primary aggressor, it is usually a sign that the dispute is about to escalating; the aggressor doesn’t want any witnesses to what has taken or is about to take place.
If you can, call 911 from a safe location and stay there until the officers arrive. If you feel you cannot leave the immediate area, please stay on the phone with me as long as you can.
Please remember that I cannot tell you exactly what to
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