No, I wasn't robbed, mugged or shot last night. That's pretty much because I'm around honest people, not because there was a police officer stationed in my yard. But there were crimes committed

in other areas. A guy in a neighboring city was shot by a perp when he came outside to confront someone who was stealing gas from his car. There were police in that town, too, but they only showed up, AFTER, the man was shot. A person bent on committing a crime is not deterred by possible police presence. How many episodes of COPS have you seen where the officer himself is a victim? Openly wearing a firearm is not enough to deter some bad guys.

Sorry Glenn, you were posting while I was typing. Your words are true, protect yourself, don't wait for someone else to do it for you.

Well I tell you what. I have been on COPS 3 times, and all 3 times I was buying cocaine. I do know, for a fact, that some of the people I arrested for selling or buy crack cocaine, and other drugs, from me prevented them from burglarizing your home to support their habit.  I've done deals where the perp showed up with no money, just duct tape, guns and flexcuffs.  Obviously he had something very bad in mind.  I guess we prevented him from killing someone else.  

But yes a lot of crime goes undetected until after the fact.  I guess we need more than 2 cops per 100,000 people to help patrol.  You might have been a victim once.  But you'll never know who many

times you were almost a victim and never knew it because of certain events that occurred preventing it.

BassnBlvd,

I think you are unnecessarily taking this personally, the police can't prevent it all...

I agree wholeheartedly that people have to be prepared/able to protect themselves because often times the police are reactive. They have to be most of the time... our town of 20,000 has only 5-6 officers on patrol on any give shift. Much crime is random so it's not predictable.... if it was, no burgler would invade an occupied home with an armed occupant.

There was a random rash of car vandalism 2 nights ago on our street... both my truck and the wife's suv were hit... I could have prevented it by sitting out there all night with my shotgun, but weighing the risks and benefits of no sleep, insurance, etc... it's not practical to be "on duty" all the time.

Flechero,

Trust me, I'm not taking it personal.  I was just pointing out something that Moby Bass said. I don't like making long posts so I try to keep them short which sometimes makes me sound a little  >.

I believe Glenn summarized pretty well though.

Bassn, please don't misunderstand.  I support the police 1000%.  If it weren't for you guys there would be anarchy.  I'm sure police have prevented many crimes, so I didn't mean to infer that you don't.  But as has been pointed out, 5 or 6 officers for 20,000 or 30,000 people means you obviously can't be everywhere.   Like Glenn said, we have to be prepared.  God bless you for the work you do!  Sorry if I offended you.

Glenn's point is correct, I call that street smarts where I come from.

Whats scary is that crime will get worse.

We need to make it where people are too afraid to commit a crime.

The nut jobs will never go away :

We need to make it where people are too afraid to commit a crime.

The nut jobs will never go away :

I agree.  The nut jobs will never go away and there will always be a percentage of people who will commit crimes, regardless.  But we can make it very uncomfortable for people while they are in the commission of a crime and afterwards-unlike what the situation is like currently.

In Thailand,if you steal they just cut your hands off.....  

I'd bet that will discourage people from stealing.  ;D