How to talk to police trying to do welfare check

[penguinl0v3s]

My understanding is that the police can't enter without a warrant or probable cause. So if you say you're not suicidal and don't answer the door would they be legally unable to enter or do anything further?

 

[froggirl9000]

Don't even say that.
Observe:
"Do you have a warrant?"
"No."
*slam door in face*
Time to tap the sign again.

 

[Dejected 55]

I can't claim to know what they legally can or can't do... nor could I say for sure that they wouldn't go beyond what they technically legally are supposed to do, by which I mean... just because they aren't supposed to be able to enter without a warrant or probable cause, doesn't mean it can't happen.

That said... Late last year I had two welfare checks on consecutive days. Apparently uncoordinated and independently two different people that I hadn't talked to in a while decided on those two consecutive days to call and have people sent out to me. In both instances I did not hear doorbells or knocking for a while due to watching TV on a different level of my home from which the main door exists.

In hindsight I wondered if I hadn't gone to the door, would they have knocked it down at some point? I can't say. In the first instance, they kept wanting to talk and called out paramedics and I had to talk to them for a while too. I mean, I don't know if I "had" to but I did. On the second instance no paramedics were called.

Randomly, on a day weeks later I ran into one of the police at a county office where I was paying a tax bill and he asked how I was doing and I told him he wouldn't really want to know.

In my case, though, I could completely honestly say in those moments that I was no danger to myself because at that time I was not. My "plan" all along has been to wait as long as I possibly could before other circumstances forced my hand... so until I get to that point, all the other thoughts are just possibilities. So they aren't going to "catch" me in a lie or anything because I have no immediate plans until such point as I do.

So, my experience might vary with others. But, I did find a certain irony to how if I wanted to talk to someone who didn't want to talk to me, they could probably report me for harassment or something... but when things are the other way around, they can apparently send police to check on me. Seems unfair. Although, on the flip side, having two cases of people sending out police and the police deeming I was fine might work in my favor at some point as all the "crying wolf" of others might make them hesitant to come out next time.

 

[NearlyIrrelevantCake]

What they legally can and can't do varies widely depending on the country or even city you live in. You need to look up the laws where you live.

 

[SovietSuicide]

Yeah depends on country.

UK they can kick your door in without a warrant but if you just let them in & be chill they will most likely just leave you alone/refer you to another organization.

 

[froggirl9000]

Yeah depends on country.

UK they can kick your door in without a warrant but if you just let them in & be chill they will most likely just leave you alone/refer you to another organization.

no they cant but theyll probably make you think they can, enjoy suing the shit out of them (and losing cuz the legal system is rigged)

 

[CatLvr]

What they legally can and can't do varies widely depending on the country or even city you live in. You need to look up the laws where you live.

This is the best answer here. I had a co-worker who committed suicide. Our supervisor called the police to conduct a welfare check. I do not know what happened that prompted her to call the city police department.

The officers who went out came by the office and told our super that they knew she was in a bad way, but without a warrant, or probable cause, they couldn't force entry and she (my co-worker) didn't "give them anything to work with". She killed herself that same day.

It is VERY much dependent on the laws and in some cases customs of wherever you live.

 

[Adûnâi]

So if you say you're not suicidal and don't answer the door would they be legally unable to enter or do anything further?

But, I did find a certain irony to how if I wanted to talk to someone who didn't want to talk to me, they could probably report me for harassment or something... but when things are the other way around, they can apparently send police to check on me. Seems unfair.

UK they can kick your door in without a warrant but if you just let them in & be chill they will most likely just leave you alone/refer you to another organization.

I just don't understand how it can even be expected? What if I'm not shaved and don't have proper clothing? And I would never ever respond to strangers banging on my door, I would either get a gun or try to kill myself immediately... Just wtf is wrong with America? I'm so utterly confused, and especially - by the people's responses to such abhorrent acts. Is it just considered as normal as naked kids washing each other in schools, and also circumcision? All of it sounds so impossibly horrifying.

And I'm not some completely clueless vegetable, I actually went to uni here in the Ukraine. And I was even assaulted twice by people in the street. But I have some semblance of privacy? Or am I just a sheltered virgin?

Here's one of the discussions on Reddit. It's so surprising because I heard English countries had the My Home My Castle doctrine, but apparently it's a totalitarian police state now?

 

[penguinl0v3s]

Yeah depends on country.

UK they can kick your door in without a warrant but if you just let them in & be chill they will most likely just leave you alone/refer you to another organization.

Wow the UK sounds like a formula for police brutality. Seems like the consensus on this thread is that police can disregard your rights with no consequences. Power hungry assholes.

 

[Phosphate mate]

Yeah depends on country.

UK they can kick your door in without a warrant but if you just let them in & be chill they will most likely just leave you alone/refer you to another organization.

I second this, in fact I'd act dumb and softly deny them.

They will go away - they might also try the "it's just me and you is there something you need to tell me you can't tell anyone else?" Approach.

You'll get put on a mental health at risk list thing - Don't admit anything of how you really feel as it's a bit of a slippery slope from what I've seen

If you genuinely want "help" via CAMHS or mental health services then might as well be up front and say it?

All this is to say - they serve to stop you offing yourself when it should be your choice.

 

[alwaysalone]

My understanding is that the police can't enter without a warrant or probable cause. So if you say you're not suicidal and don't answer the door would they be legally unable to enter or do anything further?

In the United States most of the time they can't enter a dwelling without some proof of eminent harm to yourself or others. Ex) if they saw you hanging through a window they can break your door down. If they saw someone threatening you with a weapon, heard screams etc... they can break the door down. There may be other instances as others have said depending on state or county.

 

[Bootleg Astolfo]

Loudly play songs by the band The Police to assert dominance.

 

[alwaysalone]

Loudly play songs by the band The Police to assert dominance.

"Every step you take....."

 

[Dejected 55]

"Every step you take....."

"King of Pain"