In neighboring areas, there had been recent reports of people driving fake police cars and pulling over women and raping them, as well as, gangs conducting robberies disguised as no knock warrants.
Even though I lived in a very rural area (my house sat 1/8 back from a dirt road and was surrounded by woods on three sides), someone had already attempted to break in once before while I was home. My Mossberg 500 answered the door. The sheriff's office responded to the call and THREATENED TO ARREST ME for "brandishing" because I had pointed a shotgun at someone trying to breakdown my door at 3am, with my doberman trying to eat through the other side and my wife and kids in the house.
So, the sheriff's office had already been to my house, including one other time (we were having a get together/shooting competition), with both incidents involving firearms. They KNOW I am heavily armed. I have Purple Heart license plates; they know I have combat experience.
Still - at around 2am, they decided to roll up my driveway lights out for "tactical advantage" while responding AT THE WRONG HOUSE to a report that woman that had fallen and couldn't get up.
My 115lb Doberman alerted me to their presence. They did not announce themselves as law enforcement. They did however, hit the glass on my front door. I drew my weapon (I could only see their faces at this point; no uniforms) and popped around the corner.
Both of their eyes went wide. The first deputy screamed "Sheriff's office. Put the gun down."
The second deputy displayed his empty hands. I held my gun on them and approached until I could identify them as law enforcement. I then lowered my weapon, called off the dog, and answered the door.
Both deputies were obviously shaken. They informed me someone had made a 911 call of a woman that had fallen and was yelling for help she couldn't get up.
I will say the deputies were polite and friendly and apologized for startling me. I reminded them I had a previous attempted break in and that, honest advice, for their safety blue lights and announcing their presence might save their life the next time they find themselves at the "wrong house".....especially when responding to a 'fallen and can't get up call.
I get they have a difficult job, but many don't seem capable of putting themselves in the shoes of the public.
Would you be so kind as to explain to me what, exactly, is the “tactical advantage” of responding to a call of a woman that had fallen and couldn’t get up, silently, and with lights off? Because I’m just not seeing it.