Dispatchers Statements are Not Orders

Here’s a prime example of why.

A Denver 911 operator was mistaken when he told a motorist to return to the area where he and his companions had been threatened in a road-rage incident — moments before a fatal shooting, the head of the city’s emergency phone system acknowledged Monday.

The men who called 911 didn’t want to return to the area of the road rage incident but eventually gave in to the “authority” of the dispatcher.  The dispatcher has no authority.  Get this through you head.  Despite what everyone is saying, even with some other recent incidents, just because a dispatcher says do X doesn’t mean you have to.  You are free to make the decision yourself and if you feel it to be bad advice you do not need to follow it.

Secondly, the police are under no obligation to protect you.  The police officers are not going to be dinged for not being there when this man was shot.  The dispatcher, despite his facilitation, will not be charged with murder.  You are responsible for your own defense and most assuredly if for some crazy reason you feel like heading back into a hot AO, carry your damn gun.  Because, most likely, you’re going to need it if people were already threatening you.  And if you’re heading to someplace where you think you’re going to need a gun, you’re breaking the first rule of survival, avoidance.  You carry for the unexpected, when trouble finds you, don’t go looking for trouble.

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About TMM

TMM is the owner, editor, and principal author at The Minuteman, a competitive shooter, and staff member for Boomershoot. Even in his free time he’s merging his love and knowledge of computers and technology with his love of firearms. Many know his private name and information however due to the current political climate, many are distancing themselves due to the abandonment of Due Process.

One Response to Dispatchers Statements are Not Orders

  1. Linoge says:

     The first step should be forcibly reminding those dispatchers that they, in fact, have no authority and should be giving absolutely no one orders.  The second step is never going to happen, but we need to teach people how to think for themselves again.  The military operated off the notion that the on-scene commander always has a better grasp on the immediate situation than the head honcho decks / miles away, and the premise is no different here.