There’s an intruder in your house. You can hear him downstairs.
You’re not sure, but there might be more than one. You’ve got your gun out and the phone to your ear, calling 911. What are you going to say?
Calling the police is absolutely the right call, but if not done right…
This 1 phone call could send you to prison. Find out how as Jeff explains some 9-1-1 things you might not know.
Someone breaks into your house and attacks you… you shoot him in self-defense… and like a good civilian, you call the cops to report the incident.
What happens next?
Well hopefully, Officer Smiley shows up alongside an ambulance… they remove the garbage from your living room floor… and you show up on the next day’s news as the “hero of the day”.
But too often, the story doesn’t turn out this way and just one simple mistake on your part can drastically change how your night – and the rest of your life – plays out.
You see, the cops don’t have to remind you that anything you say can and will be used against you UNTIL you’re under arrest.
Yes, even if you were justified… even if you feared for your life… even if you were in your own home. In fact…
The Call That Can Save Your Life Can ALSO Put You In Prison!
Ok, think about it…
When you’re sitting their in court – forced to justify your actions – you can damn well bet that your 911 call is the first piece of evidence that will be presented in court.
You want it to work in your favor. Here’s how you do that…
1. 911 Calls Are Recorded (EVEN When You’re On Hold!)
I’m not suggesting you’re going to call 911 and say you murdered someone.
Here’s what might happen, though:
You call… you report what happened… the operator puts you on hold… you turn to your kids and say…
“It’s okay. Daddy made sure he’ll never hurt anyone again.”
Reasonable thing to say.
You’re reassuring your kids they’re safe, right?
But believe me, the prosecution will take those words and twist them to imply that you weren’t just trying to stop an attack on your family… but were actually on a “kill mission” the second you grabbed your gun – ready to save the world from the criminal thugs of our society.
Every word out of your mouth on that 911 call needs to be the facts and nothing but the facts.
State where you are… what your name is… and what kind of help you’re requesting (an ambulance and the police). And remember…
2. The 911 Operator is Trained to Keep You Talking
This isn’t being “sneaky” on the operator’s part.
They’re dealing with crimes for most of the night, and it’s in their best interest (and the police’s best interest) to get as much information as they possibly can from you before you have time to stop and think about what you’re saying.
In cases where someone is trying to cover up a crime, this is an extremely useful tactic.
It’s good that 911 operators use it.
But you still don’t want to get trapped into saying something that can be used against you later in court.
If you’ve just shot someone, you’ll be stressed.
You won’t be thinking clearly – and you’ll have a tendency to rattle off at the mouth.
“Loose lips sink ships”, right?
3. You’re Not Required to Stay On the Line
Once you’ve delivered the important information, you aren’t required to stay on the line.
The operator will tell you to stay, but you are not legally required to do it, and hanging up will not have ramifications later on in court.
Hanging up is, in fact, the best thing you can do.
Tell them who you are, where you are, and what help you need.
Do not claim responsibility – say, “There was a shooting” rather than “I shot someone.”
And hang up.
Hang up and don’t look back.
Spend that time consoling your family while waiting for the police to arrive.
But the danger isn’t over yet…
Once the police arrive, you’re going to need to stay on your game.
There are any number of little “accidents” you could make that will result in time behind bars – even if you were completely justified in shooting.
It’s not that police are looking to put the screws to you… but it’s their job to collect the facts and so few gun-owners really understand the legal “requirements” of their self-defense claim.
I believe every responsibly-armed American shouldn’t have to worry about going to jail just for protecting their family.
Sadly, it happens far more than you realize.
