Who Do You Turn To When The Police Won't Do Anything?

Question

I was speaking to a friend of mine the other day, and she asked for my suggestions, but I didn't know what to tell her.

Apparently, one of her neighbors noticed sometime last month that someone had put an extra bag of garbage in his garbage can after he put it out on the curb the night before. It's really no big deal--we all do it in my neighborhood, as well. The only really noteworthy thing was that he noticed the whole bag was full of empty cold medicine boxes. On a whim, he checked the following week, and there was another bag. He put the word out in their neighborhood for people to watch for it, and apparently everyone has been getting a bag in their garbage; so far, people have brought him over 50 bags. He opened one, and it was full of Sudafed-type medicine boxes, all different brands, and the bag he opened had almost 150 empty packages in it.

They called the police, but the police won't do anything; they didn't even take the bags. Who should they call for help?

I guess I should explain something. One of the ingredients in the Sudafed type of medicines is used in the making of methamphetamine. There is a tremendous problem with people setting up meth labs in private homes in our community. The problem is so bad that stores stock it behind the pharmacy counter, and you are limited to buying 2 boxes at a time. My friend and her neighbors are very concerned that someone has set up a meth lab in their neighborhood.

We live in the same city, but about 4 miles apart, and my neighborhood is of higher average income level than hers. When we call the police, they jump and investigate, but they don't seem to be terribly interested in what's going on in her neighborhood. And no one ever needs that many boxes of Sudafed for their family. How can they get someone to pay attention to the problem?

Answer 1

Call the DEA.

Answer 2

Wow, I'm surprised. The cops usually want to bust the meth labs. Keep calling the police until they're sick of hearing from you, and are forced to come out there. Be persistent if you feel this is a threat to the neighborhood.

Call the sanitation dept. that picks up the garbage and tell them that you're concerned about what's happening. They might be able to offer help. Also, be careful. How would the cops know that it's not you building the meth lab if all that stuff is in your garbage?

You could also call the Public Health Dept. and report it as a public health concern.

Try all avenues and don't give up.

Answer 3

How do you know the police didn't do anything? It could be that they are watching during the night the trash is set out. How would you know? And, what would the police do with bags of medicine boxes? You should probably just tell them when there is a problem and let them, the professionals, decide how to handle it. You don't need an update from the police for them to be doing something.

Answer 4

More than likely the police already have an idea of where they are coming from. What would they do with the bags if they got them? I lived in East Oakland for one year and if you think the police care about people in the "hood" you are wrong. We had block parties at 3am that were so violent, we couldn't even sleep and the police never showed. We had two life threatening illnesses in my home, and the ambulance showed up over an hour later (both times). My sister would have died! (We had to throw her in the car and just pray that we got her there fast enough, and we did). Police showed up after she was already admitted in the hospital. I'm sorry that this is a shock to you, but it's a reason why the rich live with the rich and the poor are stuck with what's left over.

Answer 5

Hmm, a meth lab in the making? I'm not sure what burden of proof is required for that sort of search and seizure, but if the police fail to do anything, and have been contacted by more than one person, there's a few other optinos. If the person rents, consider reporting it to the their landlord. Your friend can disucss with the neighbors if they collectively want to bring it to the police. If it's a small town, consider reporting to the local media.

I hope this person is caught. Most of the time these people have children. Good luck to your friend.

Answer 6

I understand your concern, and your immediate problem, though I don't think YOU even understand your problem. You must by now know who is inserting the empty packages into your and your neighbor's trash, so I can't say alot here. In your question, you stated you are middle income in America, I would think you can afford a webcam or something to that affect? It's really not that hard to set one up. I have one, and I'm lower income. I work for a living at a restaurant. I know if anyone comes around my house. I have four web cams going at all times, and I have a web domain so I can watch my house from work. I'm not saying you should go through all that, but if you have a problem, then get a vid of it. So simple... Ron

Answer 7

In cases where you think drugs are being manufactured first if possible take and save one of these trash bags DO NOT TOUCH CONTENTS. Contents might contain finger prints of guilty party or parties who are dumping trash. Than call the Mayor or even your Governor since the police won't respond to your concerns let them know that this problem exist. And if you have the names of the Officers that these complaints were made to also have them handy to tell. Also there should also be a State D.E.A. number for you to contact. I wish you a lot of luck in solving your concerns for yourself and your neighbor. God Bless and Keep you Safe.....

Answer 8

What do you think the police could do with them? It's unlikely they can pull prints off of the things in there. People watch too many CSI shows. The truth is, fingerprints aren't easy to get off a lot of things.
If this would have been a discarded meth lab, they would have to come out and dispose of it safely for you.
I guess my advice to you is, if your friend wasn't satisfied with the response of the police, they should call and talk to a supervisor.

Answer 9

File a complaint with the police chief and go too the city council or county commissioners. Then to the media! remember the noisy wheel gets the oil!

Answer 10

someone is your hood is clearly setting up a meth lab.... i suggest that if the police don't want to comply you should contact a newspaper and let them know what the situation is...

this can perform two functions :
1)creating awareness and scraing off the potential meth labbers
2)using the press to shame the police into action if they don't want to appear impotent and soft on drugs

Answer 11

What exactly do you expect the police to do? Interview everyone in the neighbourhood? Try to lift fingerprints off the medicine bottles? I am not even sure that any crime has been committed. Surely, you people have bigger things to worry about than someone else's garbage?