Officer walks into my backyard

[burr2of4]

My dad (who lives with me) just told me that at about 1 o'clock today he was going into our back yard to get a bicycle. he was running late and was halfway jogging. when he got to the bike (about 50 feet from the gate) he grabbed it and turned to take it out the same way he just came in. as soon as he turned around he is greeted by a police offcer asking him "whats going on" my dad answered "nothing, whats going o with you?" as it turns out there had been a call about yelling and screaming from the house across the culdesac and the officer was at the wrong house.
My question is about the liability issues and if anyone else thinks this cop made a mistake. I have a big sign on my gate that says "Beware of Dog". My dog (who is the most loveable pitbull ever) is no longer living in that part of my yard and was behind another gate. My cousin used to live with me and he had 2 pitbulls of his own, one of wich was a savage killer. they are the dogs that used to live in that part of the yard. If those dogs had been in the yard at the time they would have started moving twards the officer, he would most likley have pulled out his pistol and shot them. if not they might have attacked him and then i would be dealing with paying for medical bills and lost wages. either way its not a good situation for me. does anyone else see a problem witht this.

[FLIGHT762]

My dad (who lives with me) just told me that at about 1 o'clock today he was going into our back yard to get a bicycle. he was running late and was halfway jogging. when he got to the bike (about 50 feet from the gate) he grabbed it and turned to take it out the same way he just came in. as soon as he turned around he is greeted by a police offcer asking him "whats going on" my dad answered "nothing, whats going o with you?" as it turns out there had been a call about yelling and screaming from the house across the culdesac and the officer was at the wrong house.
My question is about the liability issues and if anyone else thinks this cop made a mistake. I have a big sign on my gate that says "Beware of Dog". My dog (who is the most loveable pitbull ever) is no longer living in that part of my yard and was behind another gate. My cousin used to live with me and he had 2 pitbulls of his own, one of wich was a savage killer. they are the dogs that used to live in that part of the yard. If those dogs had been in the yard at the time they would have started moving twards the officer, he would most likley have pulled out his pistol and shot them. if not they might have attacked him and then i would be dealing with paying for medical bills and lost wages. either way its not a good situation for me. does anyone else see a problem witht this.

From your account, it looks like the Officer made a mistake as to what home the problem that he was responding to was at. It does occasionally happen. Seems like it was resolved by you Father without incident. The Officer didn't get bit by your Cousin's dogs (that were not there) and you have no liability issues. You can ponder all of the what if's, but nothing happened.

[burr2of4]

From your account, it looks like the Officer made a mistake as to what home the problem that he was responding to was at. It does occasionally happen. Seems like it was resolved by you Father without incident. The Officer didn't get bit by your Cousin's dogs (that were not there) and you have no liability issues. You can ponder all of the what if's, but nothing happened.

thats what makes me so mad. most officers look at situations lik this the same way you just did. "nothing happened so quit worrying about it" except its not so easy for me to quit worrying because its me who has to pay for his mistake. and im not even talking about having the wrong house. im talking about the mistake of walking past a beware of dog sign into a yard he knows nothing about. even if he had done somthing as harmless as let me dog out of the yard its still me who has to round him up and not the officer

[meangreen46]

Not to be a smart *****, but lock your gate and you won't have to worry. If I saw a beware of dog sign, I wouldn't go back there especially after seeing two pitbulls (which isn't the case now....but was before).

[Sniper3142]

Mistakes and Accidents happen. Often, due to no specific persons fault.

I think you might want to consider what might have happened if someone else accidentally walked into your yard, like a neighbor, or a child, or someone lost and looking for help. Those dogs should either be locked up or removed. They are an accident negligent event waiting to happen.

[burr2of4]

Not to be a smart *****, but lock your gate and you won't have to worry. If I saw a beware of dog sign, I wouldn't go back there especially after seeing two pitbulls.

my dad opend the gate to get a bike from the bac yard. he didnt lock it behind him because it only locks from the front yard. he was going to be going thru that same gate again in about 15 seconds.

[thrasherfox]

I figure if I dont want someone into something I own, I keep it locked.

Thats why my gates are always locked

thats why my cars are always locked

thats why my front door is always locked

thats why my wifes chasity belt is always locked

[burr2of4]

Mistakes and Accidents happen. Often, due to no specific persons fault.

I think you might want to consider what might have happened if someone else accidentally walked into your yard, like a neighbor, or a child, or someone lost and looking for help. Those dogs should either be locked up or removed. They are an accident negligent event waiting to happen.

I agree. I dont like vicious dogs and once i found out he was like that he got removed. that being said my dog is a huge teddy bear and my neighbors know this/him, but he looks scarry as hell and ide bet money if he came walking up to an officer in my yard under these circumstances that officer would draw his wepon, and in fresno a cop with his gun drawn is a scarry thing

[lavgrunt]

Am I missing something here? I don't get the point of this thread at all. Was the OP asking a question based on his scenario? If so, it seems he got his answer........

[Ron-Solo]

From your account, it looks like the Officer made a mistake as to what home the problem that he was responding to was at. It does occasionally happen. Seems like it was resolved by you Father without incident. The Officer didn't get bit by your Cousin's dogs (that were not there) and you have no liability issues. You can ponder all of the what if's, but nothing happened.

Flight 762 summed it up pretty accurately. I don't know what you want to hear posting in the LE forum. We (LE) are human and with all the stuff we have going on, sometimes we make mistakes.

By your reply to his answer, it looks like you're tying to provoke an argument instead of getting an honest answer from LE. Just my $0.02.

[burr2of4]

I figure if I dont want someone into something I own, I keep it locked.

Thats why my gates are always locked

thats why my cars are always locked

thats why my front door is always locked

thats why my wifes chasity belt is always locked

how do you get thru you gate if its always locked up? i bet throwing stuff over gets old huh?

[thrasherfox]

how do you get thru you gate if its always locked up? i bet throwing stuff over gets old huh?

Actually its good exercise

[burr2of4]

Flight 762 summed it up pretty accurately. I don't know what you want to hear posting in the LE forum. We (LE) are human and with all the stuff we have going on, sometimes we make mistakes.

By your reply to his answer, it looks like you're tying to provoke an argument instead of getting an honest answer from LE. Just my $0.02.

I guess your right i kinda was. thanks for pointing that out. honestly i just want to hear "that was dumb of him" and "liability laws in CA are crazy"

[tonelar]

so the officer saw your dad and followed him into the back yard? is your dad hard of hearing? might the officer have thought your dad was running into the backyard to evade him?

initially i got the impression your dad entered the back yard to find the officer there already

[retired]

I guess your right i kinda was. thanks for pointing that out. honestly i just want to hear "that was dumb of him" and "liability laws in CA are crazy"

Well, with this admission, there is no need for this thread to continue.