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aaaaarg wrote

This is a bit like the "but would you eat meat if you were on a desert island?" question that vegans often get asked.

The sad thing is though for abolitionists, we are living on the desert island when it comes to having alternatives to the police. One of the things that makes it very easy for me to not call the police is that they are terrible at doing any of the things you think they will help you with.

If you hear your neighbor have a serious argument and you worry that someone might get hurt, chances are you'll have a better result just knocking on the door and being non-confrontational.

If your house has been burgled and you need to claim on your insurance, there's probably not much harm calling the police and getting your crime reference number because the police aren't actually going to catch anyone.

The important question is probably what can I do now so I don't need to call the police in the future?

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Quicksilver wrote

I suppose it's situational. There would probably be some situations where calling them would be appropriate, as unfortunately, there aren't a whole lot of options otherwise in the case where such services are needed. Though, calling them would still be a last recourse sort of deal. So...yes.

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subrosa wrote

Hm. Is there a difference between calling the police and calling the police on someone?

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CaptainACAB wrote

Insurance claims might need a police report, but, eh.

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existential1 wrote (edited )

Came here for this. With car theft, accidents (even if you're by yourself if damages someone elses property too), or like home breakins that happen while youre out insurance will need report.

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zoom_zip wrote

if someone kidnapped one of my kids

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ziq wrote (edited )

didn't you learn anything from mel gibson's Ransom? calling the cops just gets the kid killed. you need to go on live tv and put a bounty on the kidnapper

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zoom_zip wrote

that only works if you are a millionaire

they wouldn’t put me on tv for two match boxes and an apple

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ziq wrote

well no one is gonna ransom your kid if you're not worth at least a mil

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metocin wrote

I did once because a violent shitty person was banging on my door trying to fight me and I only did so to have a record of that in case I had to defend myself against him in the future, so that I wouldn't (hopefully) get arrested/charged myself. Other than it being a case of covering my own ass, I wouldn't ever think of calling them.

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[deleted] wrote

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metocin wrote

In the heat of the moment I was just incredibly angry that this person was threatening me with my partner and our cat in the apartment as well. I should also mention I did not see this guy before and had no idea why he was pounding on both of my doors and threatening me. I was shouting back with a knife in my hand ready to defend myself. Afterwards though I was very unsettled because as far as I knew this guy was involved with the person who lived two floors below me so I was afraid he would come back. I also found out through a friend that this guy was violent, abusive and possibly armed so yeah I was ready to fight for my life for a couple days there until I figured he wasn't coming back around. I've since moved out of that shitty overpriced slum into a more quiet area (with lots of pretty trees) so I'm doing good now. Buying a gun soon also lol.

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veuzi wrote

The likelyhood of cops making a situation worse by being there in any given situation is high enough that I'll safely go with "no".

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ziq wrote

i'd just take care of them myself

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skyfaller wrote (edited )

The question is always, "Would cops showing up and randomly killing people improve the situation?"

There are rare circumstances where this may be desirable, mostly situations where someone is already killing people, so adding more killers is likely the best of several bad options. But in most cases random death is not what you want, and therefore the police should be abolished, not summoned.

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lettuceLeafer wrote

I think I would call EMS if someone was going to die which inadvertently calls the police. I would shout that cops are coming after I call tho.

I would never purposefully call the police unless it was in a really tragic scenario where I need to cover myself from liability i.e. someone gets shot in front of my apartment and I find them after waking up.

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a_zed_9 wrote

No, I also extend this to all "Emergency Services". I've been robbed and haven't called, asked if I've seen missing people and refused to answer, and have told people I won't call EMS for them.

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[deleted] wrote

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a_zed_9 wrote

No. I am personally not a fan of those who are insincere in these sorts of online discussions.

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[deleted] wrote

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a_zed_9 wrote

No I would never call EMS for anyone. And while i wouldn't report a missing person for the same reason I said I didn't answer questions about a missing person. But the reason for both is I don't think one should talk to cops.

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[deleted] wrote

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a_zed_9 wrote

I would not take them to a hospital no, nor call the EMS or anyone else to take them.

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[deleted] wrote

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a_zed_9 wrote

I am opposed to the state, and to civilized medicine and I do not want to rely on/reproduce these institutions in my lifestyle.

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[deleted] wrote

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a_zed_9 wrote

Medicine produced by civilization. Perlman discusses this a bit at the end of Against His-Story Against Leviathan, as well his other critiques of the specialization of labor are applicable. But yes I would.

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[deleted] wrote

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aaaaarg wrote

I initially liked this idea because it's very funny but I don't think it would foster a healthy community!

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d4rk wrote

Not if someone's life depended on it

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Bezotcovschina wrote

Never really had to. Or, more precisely, I had to once - I was young, I was heavily beaten, I woke up in a hospital ward and there were cops, I was frustrated and ill-informed, so, yeah, I filed an official report. I've regretted it shortly after, because I have no desire to collaborate with cops, and they started to threaten me with making me being prosecuted as an initiator of the fight if I wouldn't collaborate with them. It have ended relatively well with no one being prosecuted.

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