The Cops Acted Stupidly... Not

Angels outfielder Torii Hunter takes a pass on creating a racial incident and having a beer summit:

LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles Angels right fielder Torii Hunter had a frightening encounter with police at his Newport Coast home Wednesday afternoon, when two Newport Beach officers entered the house and escorted him upstairs -- with guns drawn -- so he could show them identification.

The incident began when Hunter accidentally triggered his home's alarm upon entering. A dispatcher called his wife's cell phone, but she was in Texas and didn't answer the call.

Hunter said he was lying on the couch watching TV when he saw two officers in his backyard approaching the back door.

"I saw the cops and turned around and they had their guns out, saying, 'Show me your hands!' " Hunter said. "I'm like, 'All right, I'm cool.' I had a pistol upstairs. I'm a licensed gun owner. I'm glad I didn't get it because I could have been shot. What would have happened if I went out there?"

Eventually they sorted out the ID and Mr. Hunter took to Twitter:

"I'm not upset that the cops did their job today. I'm actually glad they were protecting home," Hunter wrote.

The former Twins outfielder later added, "The cops that were here today had there guns drawn but pointed downward in for safety. Those guys handled the situation like trained cops."

And Mr. Hunter handled it like a trained public speaker.  Did he go to Harvard?  Guess not.

Comments

[NK]

HeyTom-- what do you do when the cops approach the Maguire Manse saying "put down the keyboard and cease blogging..."

[NK]

PS TomM: serious question-- I don't own an alarm system (bah-- there's nothing worth stealing), when the cops approach the Hunter manse, do they know from the alarm company database that it's the Hunter house? Shouldn't that reduce the confusion?

[matt]

A couple of years ago, Nicholas Cage found a naked man in his walk in closet trying on some of his clothes.

We have had some very weird incidents in town, and our cops are pretty cool. Dennis Rodman used to pull all sorts of shenanigans.

NBPD cops are in a position where they never know who they might be dealing with and so are usually very polite.

[Extraneus]

Just rolling up the windows after the drive-by.

CNN Enhances Zimmerman 911 Call Again — And Reporter Now Doubts Racial Slur Used

“Now it does sound less like that racial slur. … From listening in this room, and this is a state-of-the-art room, it doesn’t sound like that slur anymore. It sounds like … we‘re hearing the swear word at first and then the word ’cold.’ And the reason some say that would be relevant, is because it was unseasonably cold in Florida that night and raining.”

[NK]

Matt-- do the NBPD know who owns the house they are responding to when the private alarm company contacts them?

[Jane]

NK,

I don;t the answer to your question but I doubt it unless the cops have been there many times before.

[Ignatz]

--A couple of years ago, Nicholas Cage found a naked man in his walk in closet trying on some of his clothes.--

From the sounds of it he may find a clothed repo man in it this year repossessing his clothes.
BTW he used to own the most beautiful medium blue Lamborghini Miura SV. Too bad if he had to sell it.

[NK]

Thanks Jane- so if you own a fancy house and alarm system, if you trip your own alarm, cops come to your house guns drawm. Hmm-- I'm glad I don't have a fancy house or alarm.

[narciso]

But I thought, Sunnis and Shia don't work together;

http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/al-qaeda-s-network-iran_634428.html

[NK]

Ig-- I said hello to Cage on lexington Ave once (he was mildly amused, but very polite--much more so than Sean Connery.) Cage is a very handsome man, surprising tall, but he has a perfectly circular shaved bald spot on the back of his head, which I assume is where they glue the hair pieces he wears in movies.

[Extraneus]

Thanks Jane- so if you own a fancy house and alarm system, if you trip your own alarm, cops come to your house guns drawm.

When I had such a thing, the way it works is this:

1. Since you know the code, so you can turn it off yourself.

2. If that doesn't happen, the alarm company tries to call you to see if everything's ok. If you give them two numbers, they'll call both.

3. If you don't answer, they assume the worst and call the cops.

[clarice feldman]

That's my experience, too, Ext..And you must shut it off quickly or respond quickly to the following phone call or else cops with drawn guns appear on your property,

[rse]

A couple of years ago my alarms were tripped. Back door turned out to be unlocked, alarm was on, someone saw me leave and came through back door until alarm sound made them flee.

I was notified by cell and left meeting to come home. Walked in and there was a man inside. Scared me to death. Cop had come in house via back door and was waiting for someone to come home. I was not expecting a stranger in the house at that point.

Yikes. Eldest was quite sure they were after his toys. Bought a seriously heavy safe that night.

[NK]

Ex-- does the alarm company give the cops the owner/customer's name?

[Barbara]

do they know from the alarm company database that it's the Hunter house? Shouldn't that reduce the confusion?

They may know that it's the Hunter house, but they do not know who may be in that house or whether anyone there has a right to be in that residence.

They know that a silent alarm has been sent - a dangerous situation to be sure. They don't know if anyone is hurt inside, so they approach prepared for the worst.

It happened to me one Sunday years ago. I was in a hurry to go see my father who was ill, so I wasn't paying too much attention to what I was doing. All of a sudden the alarm started to blare. I turned it off and checked to see that everything was okay. The alarm company didn't call, so grabbed my handbag, reset the alarm and headed out the door. As I pulled out of the garage, I saw police cars all over the street. It occurred to me that they might be there in response to my alarm, so I stopped the car, got out and politely went up to an officer, asked if that was the case and explained about the alarm going off unexpectedly. They didn't look happy, and why should they? They didn't know who I was or what I was doing at that house or whether I even belonged there.

They asked for my ID and for permission to go through the house. I said yes to both. After they went through the house, I thanked them and went on my way. Latter on I learned that when I tossed a tube of lipstick in my purse, I must have hit the silent alarm button on my key chain.

All in all it turned out fine. It was a bit unsettling, though. I remember noting that as I went up to the freeway, a police car followed me - just doing their duty. Oh, and the silent alarm key chain is no longer at the bottom of my handbag.

[Extraneus]

Don't think I ever made it to level 3, NK. Probably.

[NK]

Barbara-- interesting story, sounds like it must happen alot. I'm glad I don't have an alarm system, the cops would have plugged me by now.

[Barbara]

"Later on" with one "t"

---------------------

Added note: It was sort of funny at one point, though I doubt the police thought so. When I unlocked the door for them to enter the house, they asked me to stay outside on the front porch. However, the alarm was blaring again, so I had to go in and turn the thing off. Then I went outside to stand on the porch with an officer until the search was over.

[sbw]

Ex, that's three instructions. Baseball players can only handle two:

1)Bunt, 2) Swing away
or
2)Steal, 2) Wait for a hit

[Ignatz]

My alarm only works when I'm home, but then it's a blast.

[Jimmy the Saint]

But I have been repeatedly informed by the media and politicians that policemen automatically shoot black men whenever the chance presents itself. Obviously, these two individuals were clever thieves who were merely *impersonating* police in order to case the house for a future robbery/

[Sandy Daze]

Well, as far as home alarms go, I am particularly fond of the B&T.

On guard 24 hours a day,happy to see you when you come home

and a companion that will be happy to go play.

When the SHTF and it comes to TEOTWAWKI,I want airedales beside my family and me.

OS~ABO~OMG,
Sandy

[Sandy Daze]

My particular alarm system is named Grace. She looks a lot like this B&T:

She follows Harry, Sally, George (Harry's son), and Carlotta. Magnificent beasts !

OMG~OS~ABO,
Sandy

[NK]

Interesting-- my border collies would gladly let burglars take anything-- as long as the burglars played frisbee and ball catch with them. I guess they consider themselves free agents.