Would You Be Afraid To Report A Crime/Evidence/Missing Person?

[Angel Who Cares]

Kat I appreciate you being honest & you brought up many good reasons on how you would decide to call or not. Thank you Kat!

 

[JDzWife]

Personally, I would report it ASAP, especially if I had nothing to hide. I now in Florida and still feel that way, but would like to see the Sunshine Law changed to protect certain information released for public viewing.

 

[sleutherontheside]

I would certainly report it. In fact....I have had to report things to the FBI White Collar Crimes Division. But that was in a professional capacity and there was no personal relationship to the suspect. Of course living in Florida I too would be concerned about people delving into my personal life. That is why as soon as I complete this post I am cancelling my cellphone account and getting a pre-paid phone. Perhaps I should ask DC which kind he uses. And for safe measure....I'll now be using smoke signals as opposed to texts. LOL

 

[bunnyphoenix1]

I will elaborate on why I said I would hesitate...

A few months ago I went to the local shopping center for groceries. As I was pulling out of the parking area I drove past a man putting a gun in the trunk of his car. I didn't know if he saw me or not, and I kept driving. He was clean cut and I thought he might be LE, wasn't sure and was scared, so just decided to drive home. On the road leaving the center, I got caught in a really bad traffic jam, then I hear on the radio there is a police road block ahead...I figure it's time to call 911 about what I saw. The 911 operator wants me to go back and meet police and point out the car etc...I told them I didn't know anything more than what I'd told them (which was true..it was a one second glance as I drove past), was scared and not comfortable going back, they asked what kind of car i was driving and made it clear they were going to pull me out of the traffic if i didn't go back to the coffee shop he walked into. They tell me there has been an armed robbery. I go back. A silly woman police officer meets me, I tell her I'm frightened and don't want this guy to see me...she doesn't care...she is fully uniformed with a bulletproof vest, she walks me to about 3 stores away, tells me in nasty terms to "stand there" and leaves me on the sidewalk a few cars from his car, walks about 20 feet away from me on the phone, leaves me out there in the open, I'm begging her to come back, she's treating me like a suspect! Another one joins us, they insist I walk them to the car and point it out and the coffee shop etc. They want to know how I know about the armed robbery...I say the 911 operator told me...duh....she says "there is no way they would have told you that"...I say, "you are kidding right"...she makes it obvious she isn't and treated me with nothing but contempt from beginning to end. In the meantime, the perp has no doubt seen me out the front with them pointing out his car, I always shop there, and they put my safety at serious risk by letting him see me. They didn't follow up my info at all. I saw his pic in the paper shortly after and thought it was probably him. Dumb police. I will certainly think twice if I see another crime in their jurisdiction.

 

[Ames]

On NG, she said along with the lawyers on her show that not reporting a crime, was not against the law.

It IS illegal in some states not to report a crime...

http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/2921.22

2921.22 Failure to report a crime or knowledge of a death or burn injury.

(A) No person, knowing that a felony has been or is being committed, shall knowingly fail to report such information to law enforcement authorities.
(B) Except for conditions that are within the scope of division (E) of this section, no physician, limited practitioner, nurse, or other person giving aid to a sick or injured person shall negligently fail to report to law enforcement authorities any gunshot or stab wound treated or observed by the physician, limited practitioner, nurse, or person, or any serious physical harm to persons that the physician, limited practitioner, nurse, or person knows or has reasonable cause to believe resulted from an offense of violence.
(C) No person who discovers the body or acquires the first knowledge of the death of a person shall fail to report the death immediately to a physician whom the person knows to be treating the deceased for a condition from which death at such time would not be unexpected, or to a law enforcement officer, an ambulance service, an emergency squad, or the coroner in a political subdivision in which the body is discovered, the death is believed to have occurred, or knowledge concerning the death is obtained.


(SNIPPED for length)


Just to name one...

 

[Chilly Willy]

There was a time when I would have immediately and without further thought answered that yes, I wouldn't be able to dial 911 fast enough if I had to report a crime or missing person. After spending time on this forum and seeing innocent people unmercifully attacked and their lives put under a microscope, as well as Cindy criticized for not calling an attorney before she called 911, I'm no longer so certain.

 

[Oakley]

Yes I would report a crime, in a heartbeat. Actually, I believe it would be a natural reflex, without thinking twice. I don't think I could sleep at night if I neglected to report it. However, I would avoid the media like the plague.

 

[shadow of my mind]

A loud and emphatic YES

I have reported crimes that involved strangers and crimes that involved neighbors or family and will continue to do so in the future. Without hesitation. If someone wants to criticize, dig stuff up about me have at it. I have nothing to hide, know how to protect myself and couldn't care in the least what others think or say. I live by honesty is the best policy so there isn’t anything that you can attempt to pressure me with. With anything comes risk. I do take precautions such as would be warranted by circumstance when necessary.

I turn in drug dealers complete with physical description, tag numbers and best time to nail them to the narc division whenever I can. I call LE about suspicious behavior and have been know to contact the FBI from time to time concerning more serious matters.
Yes it can be a pain in the butt having to answer questions and give details and testify in court. Oh well.

I have a sister who is BPD. Her last suicide attempt was planned and then faked to receive SS benefits so she didn't have to continue to work. Turned her in to SS, the States Attorneys office and wrote and filed an emergency petition to the court to remove her children from her custody. Motion was granted. That was four years ago. She is now doing better [fingers crossed]. She has a job and is taking her medication, working with a professional and has her children in her life again [its been six months now].

Children in my neighborhood know not to mess with me and if they are misbehaving they will first get a dressing down from yours truly and if they continue with the behavior or give me an attitude they know I will deliver them in person to their own front door. Repeat offenders get the VIP treatment and LE is called. I also treat them with respect when they so deserve it. [I also have been know to hand out cookies from time to time.]

I am a member of my community and as such have a responsibility not only to my family and myself but also to those around me to do my part to insure that where I live is as safe and secure as can be. I will not allow intimidation to keep my silent.
The day we give in to the criminals is the day we have lost our freedom and freedom isn’t free.

 

[Egoslayer]

I think it depends on the crime.
When I was 16, I failed to report sexual assault. To this day I have not told any law enforcement about it. I should have though, to prevent him from hurting anyone else.
I also did not report a fight, once. (it was family related)

I think it is much harder to report your family. If I saw a crime on the street I would call 911 immediately.

 

[poco]

Hard to say until the situation happens.

Years ago, in the space of one week, I was a witness to a murder and an attempted murder.

I wound up on the news with the murder, misquoted all over the place. This was a slam dunk, and the perp decided to not go for a trial and pled out.

But the attempted murder was another story. The attempted murder involved 2 people that I considered friends. The fella that attempted to murder the other guy pointed a gun at my head as he walked out of the building and tried to take me with him. I refused to go. Not very politely, either. The other guy was shot.

Of course I spoke to the police. But I didn't want to give them my info in this case.

I was afraid the guy might come after me (when one gets a gun pointed to their head, it gives one pause.)

I didn't want to go to court and testify. Of course, I wound up going. And because of my testimony, which was honest testimony, the perp got off! He should have spent at least a few years in jail. But he was a nice guy and the only thing I had bad to say about him was the fact that he tried to kill the other guy. Because of this, he wound up with probation. I ended up being a character witness, what I saw meant zilch.

I did not feel the sentence was fair, and if I had it to do over again, I wouldn't open my mouth - I don't think. I lost both of these guys as friends - the one who got shot because of my glowing testimony, and the perp because I opened my mouth.

Friends??????? You still want them in your life after all that? Good thing you did lose them as friends before they decided to get rid of you as a friend.... (if you get my drift - geez).

 

[Egoslayer]

Friends??????? You still want them in your life after all that? Good thing you did lose them as friends before they decided to get rid of you as a friend.... (if you get my drift - geez).

I was thinking the exact same thing. Not to say my friends are perfect, but at least they keep guns from my head.

 

[Angel Who Cares]

I think it depends on the crime.
When I was 16, I failed to report sexual assault. To this day I have not told any law enforcement about it. I should have though, to prevent him from hurting anyone else.
I also did not report a fight, once. (it was family related)

I think it is much harder to report your family. If I saw a crime on the street I would call 911 immediately.

Egoslayer My heart goes out to you that you had go through something so truamatic at such a young age. :hug: :blowkiss:
Even those who are an adult have difficulty reporting this type of crime.

I can understand why you didn't report what happened to you. Please remember you were only a child, so don't ever feel guilty for not reporting it.
My sister was an adult and she didn't report it till months later. It was & is one of the hardest things for her to do even as an adult. He will meet his maker one day to face what he has done & that's if he hasn't already had to face the court of law by now for the same crime. I hope he burns in :curses:!

:hug:'s from an :angel: to you!

 

[Egoslayer]

Egoslayer My heart goes out to you that you had go through something so truamatic at such a young age. :hug: :blowkiss:
Even those who are an adult have difficulty reporting this type of crime.

I can understand why you didn't report what happened to you. Please remember you were only a child, so don't ever feel guilty for not reporting it.
My sister was an adult and she didn't report it till months later. It was & is one of the hardest things for her to do even as an adult. He will meet his maker one day to face what he has done & that's if he hasn't already had to face the court of law by now for the same crime. I hope he burns in :curses:!

:hug:'s from an :angel: to you!

Thank you :hug:s.

The hardest part when you're a kid is that you always think your parents are gonna be really mad at you. My parents were very conservative about sexuality, and I told my mom *hypothetically* about it, and she was very negative and mean about it. I knew then I couldn't tell ANYONE.

It took lots of years but I have come to terms with it, and I actually watch over this guy now, as wierd as it sounds. He has personality issues. I call him every now and then to make sure he hasn't hurt anyone or himself.

If anything were to happen, as an adult now I would testify against him if it helped the case. I do believe in justice, but also in forgiveness and second chances.

 

[LaLaw2000]

Of course I would call LE or 911 right away, ALWAYS. I would refuse any and all interviews except with LE.

:clap::clap::clap: --- For your Dad, Angel!

 

[Angel Who Cares]

I found these videos & found it interesting that it is about the subject of this thread!

February 3, 2008
See Something? Call 911: Video
Stg. Mike Pontillo explains the safest way to respond if you witness violence
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=4379144

12/28/08
The Making Of 'What Would You Do?': Video
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=4345162

February 11, 2008
Reacting To An Interracial Couple Arguging: Video
Does Race Play In a Factor In a Passerby's Decision To Intervene Or Keep Walking?
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=4428489

2/26/08
Pushing The Humiliation Threshold: Video
Hidden Cameras Catch Bystander Reactions To Cruel Teenagers Girls' Behavior
ttp://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=4345162

12/31/07
Would You Stop A Drunk Driver?
How Will People Respond To An Intoxicated Stranger Attempting To Drive?
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=4002825

12/31/2007
Private Battles In Public Places: Video
When A Couple Fights In A Public And It Borders On Abuse, What Will People Do?
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=4002050

12/31/2007
A Surprising Angel On Abuse: Video
How Would You React To Abuse When The Aggressor Is A Women, Her Victim A Man?
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=4002111

02/02/2009
Would You Help This Baby?: Video
Passerbys Must Decide What To Do After Seeing A Baby Trapped In A Hot Car.
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=6774249

 

[Clock's Tickin]

I wasn't looking at the RK point of view, I was thinking we were talking about reporting your own child missing. I have and will continue to be legal witness to anything LE would need me for! It is our responsibility to stand up and stand strong against crime. However, from the KC standpoint-if my child were abducted, and the kidnapper threatened his/her life, I might just be terrified enough to comply in hopes of a positive outcome-pay the ransom, sign over my life savings, follow them around until I could get a clear shot, whatever...as long as I felt I had not lost the any edge I might delude myself into believing I had. I am NOT the person to depend on in a panic situation as my panic button compels me to react in exactly the opposite way from any advised manner.

 

[nursebeeme]

the term for those who look the other way is called bystander apathy and it is more common than you would think. I for one, would never look the other way!

 

[bunnyphoenix1]

the term for those who look the other way is called bystander apathy and it is more common than you would think. I for one, would never look the other way!

I'm not being at all critical, and I think it is admirable that you take that position, but what I'd like to ask everyone that says they'd certainly call is this....

What if the person you knew you were reporting was gang affiliated and your family would be at risk if you reported them? Or that person was a psychopath and there was not a strong case against them and they could walk and come after you?

 

[mommyto4]

I haven't read the entire thread but I will be honest.

If I lived in a state like Florida, then most likely not. Sorry to anyone that finds that selfish but I would not want my life, my familes lives, and my friends lives torn apart like the people in this case. My own family has to come first and I wouldn't be willing to risk their safety and security.

 

[passionflower]

After seeing what RK has gone through, I changed my mind.
I might report it from a pay phone and never give a name............
IMO, I would not want to go through all of this nonsense.
I would want to go back to healing and my regular life.