When to Call the Cops on your Neighbors
A controversially titled blog, Gentrifying Richmond: Transitional Neighborhood Lowdown, posted an entry in December giving suggestions on when/if a neighbor should call the police on another neighbor. However, now that the sun is starting to warm things up, people are coming out of their homes and laying eyes on each other in the full light of day, like it or not. And nocturnal party behavior has begun to spill out into the public sphere of porches, yards, and streets sometimes into the wee hours, like it or not. If ever there was an occasion to talk about the etiquette surrounding neighborhood conflict resolution, this is as good a time as any.
“The “rule” my husband and I have set for ourselves is that we will not call the po po on our neighbors (our street only) unless the situation REALLY warrants doing so.”
If you’ve ever peered out the window with the phone in your hand, you’ll know what they’re talking about. Or, maybe you’ve seen your neighbors peering at you from behind their curtains, because they think you look sketchy. Aside from the previously mentioned gentrification blogger’s rule of thumb about not calling the police (and tongue-in-cheek comments lampooning the vernacular of her neighbors), she goes on to prescribe several lessons for anyone hoping to reform their neighborhood (ostensibly in an upscale direction). Is this concept exciting? Offensive? Take a peek and chime in here or there with your reaction. The blogger basically outlines their desire to live in peace with their neighborhood, and acknowledges the distrust that results from most calls to police. Also, there is the issue of disproportionate reactions from police and repercussions from the criminal justice system, both treatments generally reserved for lower income people of color. So, it’s probably a good idea to consider your concept of “justice” before dialing 9-1-1.
One lesson from the gentrification blog piece is that there are ways to solve problems that promote cohesion in a community rather than sowing seeds of division and suspicion. With Richmond’s high degree of segregation and history always looming, it’s worthwhile to put energy into finding commonality with your neighbors. However, the blog seems to be written with an ‘us vs them’ attitude, advocating for those who move into a neighborhood with the goal of changing it. You might not like this idea or you might wholeheartedly identify with the plight. Regardless, communities are always changing, no matter where the impetus is coming from. Byrd Park is no different.
PS: This story requires you to read the blog that is linked in the first paragraph AND to read the comments that will hopefully unfold here and include a diversity of perspectives.
Unless someone is beating/raping/murdering and you can not stop it calling the police is fucked up. They are just a government sanctioned gang of bullies. Introduce conflict resolution to your neighborhood, talk to people, don’t be a wimpy yuppie. Seriously. I give all my neighbors my phone number so they can call me if they have a problem. Hopefully that works.
Calling the cops on your neighbors is probably one of the top things you could possibly do to prevent community from building.
That gentrification blog is totally ridiculous. I don’t even think she knows what gentrification means. And her tongue in cheek vernacular might also come across as prejudice/classist/racist.
it is not ok to want to gentrify an area. It is not ok to call the cops because someone is being loud. Nowdays that could get them six months in jail. If she doesn’t like the neighborhood she should move out. Go somewhere quiet and sterile so her delicate sensibilities are not offended and prompted to call in the fascists to up the level of oppression in that area. You call the cops you are just as culpable for the police brutality, degradment, cruelty, and loss of job etc. That might result.
And yea, I’m having a bad day. Ill play nice later.
PS: This story requires you to read the blog that is linked in the first paragraph AND to read the comments, which will hopefully include a diversity of perspectives.
I’m not sure what you mean here. I did read the blog article linked to (as REQUIRED???), but there are only two comments. One of them is one word long, and one of them is the link to this post.
FWIW, I live adjacent to Byrd Park but not in the actual BP neighborhood, and the trouble I’ve had with neighbors doesn’t really have much to do with gentrification. I’ve been tempted many times to call the cops on people living in apartments across from me (I’m in a duplex apartment myself) who have a lot of late-night parties on their porches and often spilling out into the street as well. I’m willing to be very tolerant of Friday/Saturday night parties as long as the outside noise ends by 1am or so, but it’s not at all cool to be woken up at 3am on a Tuesday by drunken woo-hoos from people who apparently think that being on their porch/balcony is like being inside noise-wise.
Frankly, social justice isn’t an issue with these people. They’re just college student or similar age people who are under the delusion that they’re living on Harrison Street instead of 1.5 miles away from VCU in an otherwise-quiet neighborhood. But still, I hate calling the police because it seems ridiculous. I’ve only done it once in two years. I wish there were a way for me to communicate with them, but I’m not brave enough to approach them in person, and anything I wrote to them would just get me on passiveaggressivenotes.com. :\
Elizabeth:
This is an interesting scenario. The parties are a problem, not just because they’re inconsiderate, but because they’re out of place, the kind of thing you’d expect closer to VCU. Plenty of people feel the same way about the Shields and Idlewood intersection in my neighborhood. Drugs, drinking, and occasional gunfire is concentrated in this area and it’s unsettling to say the least for those of us on Rosewood or Maplewood. And yet, I’m sure few people feel confident about who they should talk to about this other than the police. And when the police are called, little changes. That’s just an analogy, but it begs the questions: Do we have the right to ask others to change their behavior and if so, can it be come with respect and in a spirit of cooperation?
Gentrify Richmond gives four suggestions: (greater detail and examples in her blog post)
Do any of these apply to either of those two situations? Does a coalition have more authority than an individual? More legitimacy than those who’re offending others’ sensibilities? Where do the new noise ordinance penalties fit into all this? What do you all think? (these are basically discussion prompts. take whatever approach to your comment that you see fit)
I’ve called the cops to my block when there were folks working the corners selling either drugs or sex, but these people weren’t my neighbors.
I’ve called the cops on my neighbors when they’ve mistreated animals (dog tied to tree with a 3-foot lease all day, another dog howling with a hurt leg left out back). I’ve also called the cops on my neighbor when he drunkenly “played” their saxophone through the day and into the early hours after midnight, day after day.
An observation is that the addresses on my block generating the vast majority police calls are to the rental houses (or what used to be the boarding house).
None of this was in Byrd Park, but is an area where so-called gentrification is happening in bits and pieces. To my knowledge, none of the (for lack of better word) traditional area residents called on the animal abuse or sound complaint, but did repeatedly call about the drug dealing and the prostitution.
The problem I have with folks calling the cops is when they do it as their sole response to neighborhood issues.
If you’re not getting to know your neighbors, not going to civic assn meetings, then not only will it be an ineffective long-term solution to eradicating neighborhood problems, but it also won’t help build community.
Sometimes situations are dangerous enough that cops must be called- particularly as John M points out when neighbors aren’t the ones causing the issues. But calling the cops should be a small part of a larger effort to get involved in creating a healthy neighborhood and community.
Nice Post..I have called the cops of my drug dealing neighbors several times. I don’t care about parties, drunk saxophone players, anything that I have done in my previous life. However people who don’t care what happens do our neighbor really matters. Remember how Mayor Giuliani made NYC safe again (i am a democrat) by believing
the broken window theory.
The “Broken Windows” theory of policing first appeared in the March 1982 edition of the Atlantic Monthly in an article by James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling. In essence, Broken Windows theory states that major crime will be reduced by enforcing laws on minor offenses because, A.) The rigorous enforcement of standard of living crimes such as vandalism creates an environment that is hostile to the individuals that are likely to commit more serious crimes, and B.) Individuals who commit smaller offenses are more likely to also commit more serious crimes.
The being said call the cops, you run Byrd Park not them
Here is the non-emergency number store it your cells 646-5100
Sal: I share your skepticism about the efficacy of calling the cops on every little thing and I’d like to see that issue discussed in more depth by you and people who might respond to you. However, there are some typos in your post that make your argument a little unclear (happens to me all the time). Feel free to repost and I’ll be glad to swap it.
Is there a rule of thumb coming out here that renters or neighborhood visitors tend to get police treatment while homeowners get face to face engagement and discussion? Is that fair? Just asking. Not pointing fingers. Please continue.
From Twitter:
@KarriPeifer: We never call the police in our “transition” Southside ‘hood, ’cause they’re spread too thin & never make it. 4 cops per shift.
@MoKarnagexvx: never. Unless rape/murder/beatings are going down.
My experience is that people don’t call the police often enough. They have a concern, see something out of place, hear things, but don’t call because
a. I don’t want to get involved.
b. It’s probably nothing. I don’t want to make a big deal.
c. I don’t want to be accused of bigotry, intolerance, etc.
This doesn’t mean to call the cops every 15 minutes or harass your neighbors, but the time to call is BEFORE “rape/murder/beatings” are going down, not after.
This is about duration more than status, I think. We had a lady that until last year had rented the same house for 20+ years, but for the most part rental properties in my area turn over every year (or more frequently) to new tenants.