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Oldgringo wrote:

carlson1 wrote:You did good. Only thing I might change is saying, "I have called the police to help you."

That's much much better than, "you don't want what I can give you".

JakeTheSnake wrote:I would never go up to a strangers house at midnight if I needed a jump. I would think that anyone who would was looking for trouble. Either to get trouble or give it.
Even homeless people have cell phones, I would think one of three people in a car would.

I would also add that if they are in the neighborhood and needing a jump that means that they have been somewhere nearby when their car battery died. Wherever they had been I guess that no one had jumper cables, or that no one else had a car that could give them a ride somewhere...

There are so many other options, and knocking on a stranger's door at midnight should have to be a last resort option unless it's you that they are trying to jump.

I'm not going to criticize what he called out to the "three gentlemen" because I can relate to having to go into warrior mode. However, prosecutors feast on that kind of remark when grand juries are convened.

apostate wrote:Did the police jump start their vehicle?

Good point here. If the police did not give them a jump, or stand by while a AAA-type service came to help, that tells me that they didn't really need a jump and they were up to no good. Well done, OP.

I get the critique on the verbiage. Noted for any future occurrences. It was just my mindset of trying to scare off the persons, but words matter & choosing wisely is important.

I thought it strange as well that all three aglommorated near my front door. But then I also think of how uneducated I was prior on recognizing threats and how ignorant I was on how to not portray myself as a threat, especially at an officer.

The car started right up without the cop providing a jump. I have it on camera. Honestly I was a little peeved that no ID was requested by the officer.

Texas_Blaze wrote:I get the critique on the verbiage. Noted for any future occurrences. It was just my mindset of trying to scare off the persons, but words matter & choosing wisely is important.

I thought it strange as well that all three aglommorated near my front door. But then I also think of how uneducated I was prior on recognizing threats and how ignorant I was on how to not portray myself as a threat, especially at an officer.

The car started right up without the cop providing a jump. I have it on camera. Honestly I was a little peeved that no ID was requested by the officer.

I'm sure that the LP was noted, and documented, also, as you stated, they may have been known to the officer(s). I don't know what jurisdiction you're in, but officers (at least in my experience) very seldom make a call, without documenting who they met with, just for future reference.

You mean you're not supposed to just open fire when people knock on your door after midnight? And then say, "You don't look that bad", as you finish them off?

Texas_Blaze wrote:I get the critique on the verbiage. Noted for any future occurrences. It was just my mindset of trying to scare off the persons, but words matter & choosing wisely is important.

I thought it strange as well that all three aglommorated near my front door. But then I also think of how uneducated I was prior on recognizing threats and how ignorant I was on how to not portray myself as a threat, especially at an officer.

The car started right up without the cop providing a jump. I have it on camera. Honestly I was a little peeved that no ID was requested by the officer.

It's easy for us to critique you because we were not in the situation at that time. You can go to sleep tonight knowing what you did saved your family. There are plenty of people that will just open the door with no hesitation no matter what time of day.

One thing to also note, if the officer pulled up behind the car he has more information that you think. He's got a detailed description of the 3 people that knocked on the door as well as their license plate number.

Texas_Blaze wrote: I thought it strange as well that all three aglommorated near my front door.

Yep. No need for all three to be at the front door like some home invasion.

Texas_Blaze wrote:The car started right up without the cop providing a jump. I have it on camera. Honestly I was a little peeved that no ID was requested by the officer.

The car starting right up pretty much says it all. They didn't need a jump. I'd like to think the officer at least ran the vehicles plates and documented the incident.

I believe your choice of words were the right ones. You let them know you were not an easy target and that you were ready for them. I'm sure they were up to no good. Good job.

Texas_Blaze wrote:I get the critique on the verbiage. Noted for any future occurrences.

Of note, please don't think that we were all piling on. That wasn't my intent. I think that many of us just had the same thought and typed it. My main thought was a deescalation in case they were drunk. Drunk, testosterone monkeys don't take to challenges well sometimes.

as vjallen75 said:

vjallen75 wrote: You can go to sleep tonight knowing what you did saved your family.

I'd give you a 99% passing grade plus 10% bonus for being as level headed as you were considering time of day and number of suspicious critters outside.

If the car started up without any assistance, I'd sure be following up with the PD to find out why no ID was checked. That's a question that needs to be answered.

I never open my door if they aren't invited. Saw the video of UPS knocking on a door and bad guys following him.

That could have turned out much worse. The car started? Midnight? Not sure how that would have turned out at my place, but I think you did good.

KC5AV wrote:If the car started up without any assistance, I'd sure be following up with the PD to find out why no ID was checked. That's a question that needs to be answered.

I agree. Something doesn't pass the smell test.

Nearly identical circumstances, but at 3:00 am, the same thing happened to someone in my neighborhood.......young men, knocking on the door in the middle of the night, saying they wanted to jumpstart their car. Homeowner is a cop.

Police are called, and the young men are let go, because......no crime had been committed......yet.

The Annoyed Man wrote:Nearly identical circumstances, but at 3:00 am, the same thing happened to someone in my neighborhood.......young men, knocking on the door in the middle of the night, saying they wanted to jumpstart their car. Homeowner is a cop.

Police are called, and the young men are let go, because......no crime had been committed......yet.

maybe they were "scared straight"?