unruly neighbors Police look the other way!

[saboken]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? PA
I purchased my home about 1 1/2 years ago since moving out of a rental across the street since owning the house I have had nothing but issues with several neighbors actually 3. 2 are renters 1 owns their home, the first issue was with the homeowner next to me he believed it was ok to illegally park in the one lane alley next to my house because my home was vacant for quite some time, I have a Canoe in my yard and the easiest way to get it in and out of the yard is from the alley, I have asked him not to park there because I want free access to my canoe and to put it simple he told me he did not care if he got tickets when summer came and I was using the canoe often he continued to block access to my yard and I called the police each time and he got a ticket the last time the officer told him they would tow it the next time, since then I have had them park in the street across from my garage blocking me from getting in or out calling the police does nothing because they must have a scanner and move before they show up, one of their relatives backed into my house damaging my siding the police told me don't file a insurance claim because they are having a tough time? I have a security system with cameras around my home that see everything including the backing into my house!
The next neighbor who rents has a 5 year old son who antagonizes my wife ADA dog with sticks and has been caught throwing ice chunks at her I confronted the mother because calling the landlord did nothing! And she told me not to yell in front of her son when I was not yelling, so I called the police and they had the nerve to tell me he is only 5!!! never did anything about it the LT the only full time officer told me I had to prove the Animal was a ADA animal this is against Federal Law he told me Local law trumped federal law? We do not have an animal warden in my county the local police have to handle it,
The last one after over a year of having the cameras up a neighbors boyfriend starts yelling and go outside to see what's happening he has a issue with the cameras starts to threaten to burn down my house at this time I enter the silent distress code in my alarm keypad, the local police and a backup from a town next to us show up and this guy admits to the arson threat it turned out he gave the Police a fake name and his Girlfriend did not even know his real name until they found he had a warrant in another county! Then his real name was reviled and he was arrested for the warrant but never charged with the terroristic threats he made!!! later that evening his now ex was yelling out her windows the same threats I call the police but they told me she was just upset because her world was turned upside down and just let her cool off? we live in a small town called dale borough pa under 3000 people, I pay my taxes but the only time the police do anything is when something happens like a actual arson or a copper thief that stripped all the ground lines from homes and Telco poles then they come over looking for video evidence! Each time resulting in an arrest, I have no Idea what to do the Police won’t do their jobs when we are victims they think their law is above state and federal law. Any help or guidance in this matter is greatly appreciated but my wife and I are on SSDI we can't afford a Lawyer. this house fell into our laps when the rental unit was not being fixed and someone who we knew for 2 years offered one of his property's to us for $7500.00 and he held the mortgage we found out he did this because he had Terminal Cancer he kept it a secret for a while till he had only a few months to live, we now regret buying the house and thought about boarding it up and renting somewhere else but we still own his daughters 3 years in payments since they inherited the debt, we have yet find a rental because the owners don't understand why we want to rent if we own a house and the worse of it is Allstate our Homeowners says after 30 day the property would be considered abandoned and wont cover it even if we keep the Alarm and cameras up.

 

[saboken]

There was no issue at the rental

I am not the problem unless they wanted the house to remain empty as I said I was renting across the street for almost 2 years no issues this started when we purchased this house nothing has changed the Alarm and Cameras were on the rental also, so how I am the issue make no sense, this house was offered to one of the problems and a few others they all turned it down! all I did was move from 109 to 110 I gave up a lot of space this house is half the size of the rental, if the landlord would have fixed the roof on the rental I would have still been in there! part of the issue is the local council not caring and the area is getting infested with trash and run down homes that have been abandoned for years it's sad that there is no one to go to too put a fire under town councils rears they say they are broke but the police just got a new Dodge Charger and the trash guy got a new F550 paid for with my tax money!

 

[FarmerJ]

fed law always trumps local unless local law is stronger, better example if your state had a min wage that was higher than fed min wage then the higher state min is what prevails . SO if you can prove local police officers have done a lousy job or are making decisions that do not have a basis in law then your free to complain to mayor , city council, local tv consumer affairs. the person that hit your home, your free to sue them for the cost of the repair. a neighbors child being cruel to animals know the law, your self as in have copy of it on hand when you call police and offer it to them ask them to show you where the child exemption is in the law. If your town is not enforcing its own or state building codes then this is a political issue go to media make noise run for office doing your own campaign etc. If a party has made terroristic threat and local pd has not answered you satisfactorily with info about it complain to your states atty generals office , stink w media etc. Neighbor who blocks access to your property if its public right of way being blocked keep up the police calls.

 

[CdwJava]

calling the police does nothing because they must have a scanner and move before they show up

Great! Then the problem is solved when you call!

one of their relatives backed into my house damaging my siding the police told me don't file a insurance claim because they are having a tough time?

An accident is not a crime. Not much the police can do - it's a civil matter.

so I called the police and they had the nerve to tell me he is only 5!!!

At age 5, about all they can do is talk to the child or mom. At the age of 5 the child is essentially - and as a matter of law - incapable of forming the requisite intent required for a criminal act.

As for it being a service dog, animal cruelty is animal cruelty. And a child who is too young to be charged with a crime ... well, not much the police can do about it except talk to the child and the parents. If there is damage, you can sue the parents for any injury or damages.

Then his real name was reviled and he was arrested for the warrant but never charged with the terroristic threats he made!!!

It could also be that the nature of the threat did not rise to the level of a crime. All because he made such a threat does NOT mean it is a crime. People make idle and stupid threats every day ... the mere fact that the threat is made does not mean it is a crime. You are certainly free to ask the administration of the police department for clarification.

 

[saboken]

Local police

Great! Then the problem is solved when you call!


An accident is not a crime. Not much the police can do - it's a civil matter.


At age 5, about all they can do is talk to the child or mom. At the age of 5 the child is essentially - and as a matter of law - incapable of forming the requisite intent required for a criminal act.

As for it being a service dog, animal cruelty is animal cruelty. And a child who is too young to be charged with a crime ... well, not much the police can do about it except talk to the child and the parents. If there is damage, you can sue the parents for any injury or damages.


It could also be that the nature of the threat did not rise to the level of a crime. All because he made such a threat does NOT mean it is a crime. People make idle and stupid threats every day ... the mere fact that the threat is made does not mean it is a crime. You are certainly free to ask the administration of the police department for clarification.

I wish there was someone higher than the officer I spoke too LT is the highest ranking officer and the only full-time officer, the rest moonlight from other departments to take up slack. I wish this little town surrounded by a city would just hand the keys to town hall to the city it sits in the center of! It's a strange area how a city grew around it took me a year to find out who the mayor was I don't even think they hold elections if they do it's not public knowledge! And being a Commonwealth state = strange laws.

 

[FarmerJ]

all info about things in your city is public information , who the mayor is , who is the head of street depts , who the chief of police , who owns what real estate, its all public info. no one could have kept it hidden!

 

[CdwJava]

I wish there was someone higher than the officer I spoke too LT is the highest ranking officer and the only full-time officer, the rest moonlight from other departments to take up slack. I wish this little town surrounded by a city would just hand the keys to town hall to the city it sits in the center of! It's a strange area how a city grew around it took me a year to find out who the mayor was I don't even think they hold elections if they do it's not public knowledge! And being a Commonwealth state = strange laws.

Unfortunately, you may be out of luck. You can try to take your story to the local state police, the mayor, or even the local prosecutor, but I suspect there is not a lot that can be done, criminally, with what you have written thus far. MAYBE some statute MIGHT cover the threats he made ... maybe.

 

[saboken]

5 year old / Accident

Great! Then the problem is solved when you call!



An accident is not a crime. Not much the police can do - it's a civil matter.



At age 5, about all they can do is talk to the child or mom. At the age of 5 the child is essentially - and as a matter of law - incapable of forming the requisite intent required for a criminal act.



As for it being a service dog, animal cruelty is animal cruelty. And a child who is too young to be charged with a crime ... well, not much the police can do about it except talk to the child and the parents. If there is damage, you can sue the parents for any injury or damages.


It could also be that the nature of the threat did not rise to the level of a crime. All because he made such a threat does NOT mean it is a crime. People make idle and stupid threats every day ... the mere fact that the threat is made does not mean it is a crime. You are certainly free to ask the administration of the police department for clarification.

"A Accident is a crime when you are driving without insurance! even more so if I was asked by a Police officer not to file a claim because he may know the people"

" Your right the child is not responsible for his actions But the parent is when she was aware he was antagonizing a ADA animal for over a year throwing the huge ice spears that fell from their house is what prompted the confrontation with his mother is she was asked to keep him away from our fence multiple time for over a year, the Ice incident was caught on camera and turned over to the police showing that he moved/ trespassed on another persons property when he could no longer hit the animal because she hide to protect herself by moving to gain access to hit her again shows he was well aware of what he was doing especially when he ran as soon as I opened the door. OK he's 5 exempt from being held accountable for his actions his mother is not exempt she is a adult and allowed her son to do this she was sitting there watching him!

 

[saboken]

Public Info!

all info about things in your city is public information , who the mayor is , who is the head of street depts , who the chief of police , who owns what real estate, its all public info. no one could have kept it hidden!

Yes it is supposed to be public info But when the woman at town hall slash our volunteer fire department a question she has to make calls and get back to you, you have to ask for permission to attend meetings and call every month to find out when and what time they are, there is no public notice to anything the town does, I was going to just rent a house somewhere else but our Homeowners (Allstate Your in good hands) will not insure the property if I move out to finish a remodel/repair to prep it for sale if it is vacant more than 30 days even if the security system remains active, so I am stuck in it unless I can find a way to do what I need to with all my furniture in the way, this was something I was going to do over a few years. there is no Police Chief the highest is a LT they operate out of a modular office like the ones used at construction sites, you have to call a 800# for Non Emergency at the 911 call center to contact them unless there is a urgent need I only have to enter a silent distress code in my alarm panel it's faster than 911 no questions to answer. and when I found out who the mayor was he was never available because he had a full time job and no office? his wife collects taxes out of a make shift office on her back porch she never said her husband was mayor we found out when he passed, this town is like a bad episode of the twilight zone were I am in 2013 but the town is in the 60's 70's I have no other way to explain it!

 

[saboken]

Being sold this house was a cruel joke

Unfortunately, you may be out of luck. You can try to take your story to the local state police, the mayor, or even the local prosecutor, but I suspect there is not a lot that can be done, criminally, with what you have written thus far. MAYBE some statute MIGHT cover the threats he made ... maybe.

I would have evidence if I was allowed to use the audio on my security system but in the CommonWealth of PA it's a serious crime to record audio inside or outside your home it has to remain disabled the Alarm Co cant even listen in if the alarm is tripped! I asked the DA about it I can listen with my ears but not though any electronic device I can't do it just to hear what some one that may be in my basement even if it's not admissible in court The police are not allowed to record audio only video unless they ask for permission first? the Laws here are so out dated. I have to ask a intruder if I can record his/her voice a sign in not enough you need verbal permission. it falls under some anti wire taping law that includes public places.

 

[CdwJava]

"A Accident is a crime when you are driving without insurance! even more so if I was asked by a Police officer not to file a claim because he may know the people"

His request is not at all binding on you. You can file a claim anyway .... provided there was damage.

" Your right the child is not responsible for his actions But the parent is when she was aware he was antagonizing a ADA animal

Civilly, sure. IF there are damages. If the dog was harmed (and it does not matter if it is a service dog or not), then you can sue for the cost of the damage.

A 5-year-old cannot be CRIMINALLY liable in most instances, and a parent is generally not going to be criminally liable for the actions of their children. If you called the police and the police did not feel that the parent committed a crime, there's nothing you can do to force the police to take a report or send it to the state's attorney.

 

[CdwJava]

The police are not allowed to record audio only video unless they ask for permission first?

That's not true. There is no expectation of privacy in a contact with the police. It might be agency policy not to allow it, but it's not the law.