Charlotte Metro 911 (crime, home, transfer)

[BigJon3475]

Let me start off I don't want to bash anything so please real stories or events and just your opinion of those events. I want to know if the kinda service I have seen from the telecommunication center is normal? 3 times I have called recently one time they were great and were in here <5 minutes the other two times now have been less than desirable and one time I had to actually call them back to tell them not to worry about coming. In the past I had called for a woman that was almost car jacked in a car wash. She was in the auto wash and a man came from around the corner and threw a brick through her window. She slammed on the gas and pulled out there like crazy I called 911 right then because I had seen the suspicious man but didn't put two and two together till I heard squealing tires. 25 minutes later they showed up after the man was way more than long gone....of course no one had a description except medium height African American in military camo. I stayed with the woman till they got there and told them everything I saw.



This most recent time....about 20 minutes ago:
So I walk to the store to get a drink. While I'm in the store a bum walks in a stumbles over to me and ask me to get him some chips while basically falling on me. I then tell him to "get off me man your in my space" and walk away to go pay for my drinks. I walk outside and he's down the street and starts following me. He starts telling me that's my last chance to talk to him like that. I tried to ignore him till he started coming up close to me and then I basically warned him don't get near me I don't need your crap. He follows continues to follow me (6'3" probably 250+ drunk homeless man). So I speed up and cut down the street towards the new sub station and immediately call 911 to report a man threatening me. The operators exact response:

Is he still there with you?

Me: No I ducted away because he was following like 4 feet behind me I walked down the sub street.

So can you still see him?

Me: "Of course I can't if I could would I be able to be talking to you? (I'm at a loss @ this point)......"

Well if he's not there with you then I will transfer you to 311 and you can file a report.

I asked so how in the world can I call 911 if I have to be directly insight of a person I'm calling on?

Hold on sir I'm transferring you.

I hung up.


Is this the kinda emergency service they provide? Is this the kinda service you guys have received when calling 911? I have seen the 45 minute wait time when I was on Harris Blvd. If he would have attacked me I would have then be able to call 911 while he was attacking or after I'm hurt. That's great to know.



By the way my Father worked for Guilford County Telecommunications for 20 years and was a trainer and administrator in his career.

Thoughts? Are they so over whelmed they ignore little charges and can only deal with murder, burglaries and what not?


I don't like bothering people if that's what it's come down to.

I'll just go get a concealed carry permit if the crime has to have been committed to get a immediate response. I'll be long gone before they arrive and I won't be there to give them directions when they can't find it. I'm perfectly fine standing ground at home but out in the wilderness your suppose to call the police first right?

[brokensky]

I don't know. I guess you should have said - there is a guy stalking me and threatening me who is drunk and has already pushed me. Who knows if that would have gotten a better response. I would have done what you did - tried to distance myself and ducked in somewhere hoping to get away and out of his sight.

I know I would have been quite frustrated - with both situations. Have you asked your dad how this would have been handled in another jurisdiction? I would have thought they would have said -we are dispatching a patrol car - and someone would have been there quickly.

Sorry you had this encounter. I honestly don't know that there was something better you should have done. You never know when someone will have a weapon or what they are capable of doing.

[BigJon3475]

My whole thing is this guy stays around here constantly at one of the different stores. So it's not like I'll never see him again and I said that to operator.

I did it the way my father explained is best when you have an opportunity like that. I can defend myself without weapons but with someone about 100 lbs heavier and they had one I would have some difficulties with unless so intoxicated.

It is frustrating. I guess the citizens loose again I'm suppose to just cower in my own neighborhood where I live and pay taxes to folks that don't contribute a thing. And this is the homeless situation disregarded.....that's a different story. Only criminals threaten other people when they don't get what they want.....so being homeless takes his situation out of the question.

I always suspect the worst can happen so I'm best prepared in a situation like this. Maybe I should have called 311.....last time i tried that was 2 months ago and I'm still waiting on my 4th recycle bin....so needless to say the confidence isn't there.

[BigJon3475]

Well this is more reassuring. Been up a couple hours and no complaints. Maybe it's just the shear number of times I have had to call.