Question for you police officers out there?

Question

A friend of mine was blind sided a few nights ago with a beer bottle at a bar. The person was thrown out that did it, the police were not called by the bar etc. My friend went home and the next day was in obvious distress. She didnt call the police or go to the hospital becaues she thought the pain would just go away. Well, today, 3 days later, she called the police and they said basically there is nothng they can do because she didnt call them right when it happened and this is absolute BS in my opinion. Its assault for God sake. She is at the hospital right now as we speak getting checked out. If this is a common practice with law enforcement, I will be writing a letter to the proper people about this. Its things like this that make people not respect the police in general

She does know who did it. Well, the dj at the bar does, so basically, that wont be an issue as far as finding out a name. I think its ridiculous because I was arrested in 2004 for something that occured in 2000 and this is only been a few days and they cant do anything! I guess you can get away with alot more then i thought!

Answer 1

With a three day lag in reporting the assault, most police departments would not pursue this. Her mistake was in not notifying the police right away to take the complaint. Sorry if this runs counter to what you feel, but it's a fact.

Answer 2

The best way your friend should have handled this was by calling the Police when the incident happened. When you wait, or hold an incident, there are several factors that get in the way. For example: If you don't know the suspect, finding them again is going to be sometime difficult. Second if there was any evidence at all, the more you wait the more contaminated it gets and it is harder to use. In some cases, if you wait, all your evidence could be lost. Your best bet, tell your friend not to wait the next time something like this happens.

Answer 3

I realize you are angry and rightly so. ANYONE can file a police report if a crime has occurred. As a law officer, I have never heard of that happening. Many times crimes are delayed in being reported. Were you the one who called? Did they actually tell you they absolutely refuse to file a report? The longer that goes by, the more likely that evidence will disappear. In this case witnesses would help. Most hospitals are required to call the police if someone comes in with injuries and they say they were injured by someone else. Sounds like half a story to me.

Answer 4

The Police Officers were wrong. They have to take your complaint and follow through on the assault. Do not write a letter it will take to long. Contact their Sergeant or Lieutenant via phone at the district station and make a complainant. If she is admitted to the hospital, they will send the police there. Usually the hospital will call the police because they are mandated to do so. GOOD LUCK

Answer 5

I know how hard it is, but had your friend had eyewitnesses, the case would have been different. Police can not do anything if there are no evidences. Being your friend hospitalized in itself is not an evidence, nor can here words be taken as the truth. Next time, I hope there will be no next time, ask your friend to report the incident immediately.

I am curious.. What did she tell the hospital about the injury.. self-inflected, or what?!

Answer 6

Does she know who did it ? she can file civil damages against them for any injury.

It is commom practice not to take calls from several days ago on minor injury serious. Often it is done just to try and get someone in trouble and are almost impossible to investigate, at the time it happened was when they needed to call.