[brent13a]

What possible crime?

Next

By requesting the "Patriot's" name Officer Lyons could have then checked to see if the "Patriot" was legal to even possess a firearm. Maybe this "Patriot" was a felon.

If this interaction had happened and then later it was revealed the "Patriot" had been a felon and/or maybe done something else with the gun then everyone would be flaming the police for not investigating further.

If the police officer hadn't tried to get the "Patriot's" name and then later it was found out that someone fitting the "Patriot's" description had broken the law with the firearm then it would fall back on the police yet again for not doing their job.

There is a lot more that goes into an encounter with a person than just police driving around looking to violate people's rights. I know you don't want to hear that but it's true. If we don't follow through with an investigation then the it becomes our liability.

[Cboldt]

-- If we don't follow through with an investigation then the it becomes our liability. --

There is no liability for failing to respond to a call. NONE. This has been held so many times. The government has no duty to respond to any individual call. Unless the conduct of the government is beyond the pale, the government actors posess immunity from all suit.

[semaj]

"There is a lot more that goes into an encounter with a person than just police driving around looking to violate people's rights. I know you don't want to hear that but it's true. If we don't follow through with an investigation then the it becomes our liability."

I'm sorry, but police are seldom held liable for the "mistakes" they make, and it's only those instances that are so blatantly outrageous that they are sometimes held to acocunt for.