Posted on 08/15/2014 11:47:52 AM PDT by Vendome
This morning, the alarms in my house went off.
I immediately armed myself and went in search of the cause or person.
After thinking about it I think one fire alarm went off and then each and every alarm started as well, I believe, the actuall alarm system to the house.
Freaking loud as hell and brought me out of bed, with me grabbing a weapon and charging through the first floor, then running upstairs to ascertain if we had just been broken into, with a thought running through my mind that maybe there was a fire.
I didn't know.
On reflection, given what's been going on with LEO these days and their propensity to use SWAT for even the dumbest engagements, this could have ended, well...not good.
Not gonna lie. On reflection, it really troubles me that I think someone would have been unnecessarily injured or killed, if this were actually a SWAT raid or a simple burglary.
Read more below for my perspective
During my time as a sheriff explorer, I trained with the sheriff department on their range and using the tactics of the day, 30 years ago.
I always felt proud to serve, particularly since the uniform, duty belt and equipment I wore made me look professional.
I purchased every last bit of it at San Jose Uniform, then a supplier of LEO uniform and equipment to many LEO in Northern California.
It was also a point of pride I was able to outshoot most LEO in class, as well on tactic, were you are stressed by running 2 miles, doing 20 pushups and 50 situps before engaging targets at various yardages.
I was further trained when I left high school at 15 and started college in what was called Police Science, where I learned more tactics for offense/defense in weapons and hand to hand control techniques.
I suppose I, like my family was so good, was due to growing up around guns and constantly challenged to shoot certain difficulties.
In later years, my brothers and I would go paint balling, where we quickly learned tactics that work to overcome the opposition and how to think about strategies, by slowing our breathing, dropping our hips/shoulders and quickly assessing the best opportunity to prevail.
We won most of the time but, each paintball we took caused us to ponder what might have worked better, for use in the future and other times chalking it up to "sometimes stuff happens and you get injured or lose a man.
We were fast, in constant motion and always approaching from cover with quick views around an object then moving in as dictated by the scene presented.
I have practiced tactics and strategies in my home as well and I moved exactly as I trained, through my house, this morning.
None of this is to impress anyone. Rather, to impress that this could have been very bad for anyone unauthorized to be in my home.
Some Freepers have been to my home know we have a beautiful home and two of the best buddy doggies ever.
I didn't initially consider sharing my experience, thoughts and concern but, here is what tears it for me: . . " I actually thought about my actions and what my response should be in the future"
As in, maybe I should take my time and maybe not charge through the house.
I really am uncomfortable having this thought.
I mean, I live in a gated community, on one of the top golf courses in California.
Why would I need to charge toward a danger and repel it or maybe learn there was indeed a fire but, worse: "What if SWAT had busted into my home and we both confronted each other?"
I likely would hesitate upon seeing LEO's but, I don't think they would and that is not good.
Now, I have never heard the alarms in my house go off and each on engaging.
So I don't believe there was any other choice. Since I did program myself in case someone did enter my home or if there was a fire. (I have trained myself for fires as well)
Anyone here who has met me doesn't consider me a bad ass, nor do I.
I'm just some guy with life experiences.
My family twice, when I was in grade school, walked in on a burglary.
Still again, my Mom owned a convenience store when I was a teenager.
We were twice robbed, with one incidence the thug putting a knife to my ribs demanding money.
He was lucky as hell.
My brother and I had been out shooting earlier in the day.
We brought our shotgun into the store just before we started our shift and Mom was making dinner in the back.
After the robbery, a coo saw the shotgun leaning against a wall and asked if it was loaded.
We replied "yes".
He then asked if we knew how to shoot it and brother replied we knew and we are all good shots.
He laughed and asked why we didn't grab it and repel the armed robber.
My brother responded " Forgot it was there but, it would not have ended well for the guy".
Cop laughed and suggested we remember next time.
So, no questions, not looking for answers to life but, really bothered that I second guessed what my response should be in the future.
Ow th
Now that I've typed out my thoughts and considered my after thoughts I can't afford to 2nd guess in the future.
Besides, it really is more probable that I would confront a burglar rather than LEO's or that that house was on fire.
I'm going to the range this weekend with my brother and we'll probably run scenarios.
Just unbelievable that I would think like this but, reading the roid raids over the years and learning the horrors of law enforcement abuses, going way the fk overboard in using SWAT and getting a sense of their thought process and the citizen reality but, there it is.
I'm no statician but, you are 1,000's of times more likely to confront an intruder without a badge or a fire than you will an LEO who has invaded your castle...mistakenly.
Gotta go walk my dog right but, current events (shooting a woman welding a 12 volt drill) just really bother me.
Be back in a while and hopefully the electrician will be here to investigate the wiring for the alarm and fire detectors.
Damnit!
Considered putting in a safe room?
If that happened now, he'd have you and your brother on the floor and Child Protective Services going after your mom.
Just hit the snooze buttons
Kind of thinking, if they're not present, I'm clear to engage.
But I also know my three dogs WILL engage regardless ! How to handle that ? If LEO, I'm worried about them getting popped.
If not, again, I'm happy they're turning loose.
It's a crap sandwich, either way
Still better than staggering to the front door still half asleep to turn off the alarm WITHOUT your weapon! Which I have done.....
Boiled down, you done just right I’d say.
The correct response to an alarm indicating an intruder is high alert, condition one.
Get a dog that barks.
Call it early warning.
Somebody kicks in the door and starts shooting the dogs you know it’s the cops.
Nothing beats having thought out a couple of semi-concealed defensive positions from where you can determine just where an entry may have breached the alarm.
The loud alarm in my house is certainly going to impact someone entering — they are either going to try and be quick in going through my place or skeedaddle. If I am ready to apply a light from a defensive position, then I can know who it is and react appropriately.
You did not mention if you had others living with you.
Instruct them to stay out of your way and in their rooms when the alarm goes off.
You do not want a mishap to happen that you will regret the rest of your life.
I think about that alot too.
What if someone kicked my front door in and I start shooting? If its a cop, I get the death penalty.
If I miss or if the next cop through the door fires at me, well I was a threat so they had to fire. The cop is commended.
...Or being half asleep, waking your wife up and telling her to shut off the alarm. NOT a good idea! lol
If my alarm goes off for a fire a lady’s voice starts saying, “Fire, Fire, Fire”. She never has said, “Intruder, Intruder, Intruder” yet.
I know very little about weaponry, plan on receiving handgun training early next year. But my first thought is so basic, you may have already considered it. Why not have cameras or monitor systems for corridors, entrances and main areas of the house such as bedrooms, living rooms and the surrounding perimeters of your home? There could be a monitor panel in your bedroom and elsewhere on a different storey
My alarm went of at about 3:00 AM this morning. I got and as soon as I entered the room the dogs were in they quit barking and I turned on the porch light. Nothing was there so I went back to bed. This is the kind of work that is best contracted out, to dogs.
Nothing wrong with responding prepared.
If its SWAT, they have the wrong house.
I’ve taken that same “risk” several times in the middle of the night.
Unless you’re in the ghetto, don’t worry about SWAT.
Need one alarm sound for fire, and another sound for an intruder. If there is a raging fire, you really don’t want to slowly creep around the house. Keep a fire extinguisher under your bed.
Security cameras inside and out. The thing about interior cameras is loss of privacy.
A cop buddy once told me that the best approach often is to take cover and wait for the intruder to come within view. Better to see him first while under cover than the other way around.
I’m sad we have to weigh these kinds of decisions. It shouldn’t be this way - not for us - or for you in the quiet of the morning. Something is really wrong in this county.
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