Why do cops take so long to get to your house if something happens like a break in? Are they just lazy?

Answer 1

Calls for assistance are prioritized. The "crime in progress" gets a higher priority than one that has already occured and the subject(s) are gone. Many law enforcement agencies, including the one I worked for, are facing budget cuts, therefore fewer officers on the street to handle an ever-growing number of calls. Until people are willing to pay much higher taxes to pay for the services (are they aren't), there will be fewer and fewer police, fire, etc. to help people.

Answer 2

Depends if you want a real answer or a "political Answer". the truth is Police Departments have to prioritize calls. there could have been a more serious call or they were out of pocket meaning they were a ways away. most Police Departments now days do not have the staffing that they should have because of budget tightening. I am sure that they did what they could to get there as soon as they could. It also depends on if the break in was occurring at the time or if it it happened some time ago. happened a time ago and the thief was already gone. In Progress crimes and crimes involving people in danger are the highest priority. Cold Burglaries are low priorities

Answer 3

That can depend on a large variety of variables such as: distance from the police station; distance from a police officer from your location; other emergencies or calls occurring earlier or at the same time; time of day and traffic; accessibility and ease of finding your location; other emergencies that may arise prior to someone arriving at your location.

If someone has broken into your house and left and nobody is injured, and event like a car accident with injuries, a crime in progress, or other emergencies may take precedence over your emergency. Like patients arriving at a hospital, emergencies are often prioritized rather than answered in order received.

Answer 4

Depends on your neighborhood. Sounds like (though not for certain) that you are in one of the poorer neighborhoods. Sometimes (often) it is related to racism and sometimes it is laziness, and if you are in a poor neighborhood the likelihood that someone in that neighborhood would believe that complaining would work and therefore try it is rather small. So the police believe they can get away with it with little chance of consequences, which may or may not be true.

Answer 5

all police calls are given prioirty, if someone had broken into your home and are gone, then there is no priority, no one is injured, no crime is in process, no weapon is being used.

In atlanta GA for example, if your car gets broke into, they don't even come out, you merley do the report over the phone.

It is not uncommom in Atlanta to wait a couple hours to get someone to come out for a house being broke into to take a report.

Normally they have 3 to 6 calls on hold per officer at any one time.

Answer 6

it depends what neighborhood you live in

rich "white" neighborhood = quicker response time

poorer "minority" neighborhoods = slower response time

it also depends if its a big city where a lot of stuff is going down or if its a quiet town where the cops have nothing to do.

Answer 7

People don't like paying taxes; Most police forces are getting smaller.

Answer 8

calls are prioritized and it depends on how far away they are
besides it probably just seems like a long time because you are waiting
(just like waiting for water to boil, seems to take longer when you are watching it)

Answer 9

mabye they get stuck in traffic. Well, now, theres a law that they have to knock on a criminal's door instead of kicking it down.

Answer 10

Buy a dog if you are so worried about people breaking in.