Reply #12: Is it reasonable to expect the police to protect you when you have a restraining order? [View All]

[spin]

If so, we would have to hire a lot more police.

My daughter had a restraining order against a stalker who persisted in violating it numerous times. Each time he did, she filed a report with the police. We even took video of his driving by our home which was well within the restricted zone. The police did occasionally stake out our home hoping to catch him, but of course he never appeared while they were watching. Eventually we managed to get enough witnesses to a violation (I was one) and he was arrested and sentenced to spend several weekends in jail. This appears to have worked as we haven't had any further problems for a year.

I don't fault the police for the fact that he wasn't arrested earlier. The small town I live in can't afford to provide 24/7 protection for a citizen who has a restraining order.

Fortunately, my daughter had a concealed weapons permit before the stalking began. The stalker did have a record of alcohol abuse and also resisting arrest, so my daughter did have a reason to be somewhat concerned about him. She had no desire to shoot him, but she would have if he would have attempted to physically attack her. He probably was more interested in playing physiological games with her as he appears to get satisfaction from scaring women. He was also stalking one of my daughter's close friends at the same time and she was terrified of him.

My daughter might have suffered from the same fear as her friend had she not been able to legally carry a firearm. The stalker irritated the hell out of her but she wasn't living in fear as he hoped. Because she had the right to carry, she was able to take responsibility for her own safety.

I agree that if the police department in your home town is not doing their job it's wise to elect new officials. Still, we can't ask them to do the nearly impossible unless we are willing to pay much higher taxes.