Phone call while on a Jog.

[Bennies]

I had a little episode this evening that was slightly comical and a little embarrassing.

It all started when my Wife and I decided to take our kids on a jog. We strapped them into the jogging stroller and proceeded down our block to warm up. When we began our stretching I could hear my phone ring from where I had left it in the stroller. I always carry the phone in the stroller just in case of an emergency. I answered the phone and it was my alarm company calling to notify me that the alarm had been activated. I informed them that I was just around the corner from my house and asked them to stay on the line while I ran back over to check things out.

I happened to run past a gentleman I was not familiar with on the way back to the house so my suspicions were raised. In most cases i recognize everyone in my neighborhood so it was definitely something that I i made note of (turns out it was just another jogger). Arriving at the house the front door was wide open. I thought, OK the wind is very strong tonight but I thought i remember locking the door...... My next thought was very sobering. I am outside, all my guns are inside! I decided for whatever reason not to take my Glock with me in this evening. Usually I secure it in a bag in the stroller for easy access. Not a very good feeling and a stupid move on my part.

I asked the alarm company representative to please send a unit to my house immediately as I was not sure if there was someone in the house at this point. Let me stop here and be clear. Regardless if I was armed or not, I would never have went into the house with out the Police clearing it in the first. My family was with me outside, everything else is inconsequential. My immediate concern turned to the safety of my family. I had my wife and kids go over to the neighbor and advise him of the situation. He retrieved his firearm and kept it concealed and out of site just in case some one were to come out of the house and jeopardize my family in any way. That right there is a good neighbor!

Still under no circumstances was anyone allowed to approach or go into the house till the police gave us the green light. 20 minutes later the Constable showed up. I informed him what had happened. At this point I was pretty much sure I had not secured the front door like i had thought and it was the strong winds we were having that blew it wide open. I told the officer this but told him i was not completely sure and that is why I requested them to respond.

This is where it gets embarrassing. I travel for a living and my wife had been stuck at home with a 6 week old and a 2 year old for 5 days with no help. Lets just say our house was super messy. The officer cleared the house and gave us the green light. Now I was sure I forgot to properly secure the door. Its funny how you can be sure you did something but you really just thought about doing the task and never take action. I apologized to him again as I was super embarrassed that my house looked like an episode of "Hoarders", and thanked him for coming out to check things out.

This is what I learned:

1. Always ensure that all windows and doors are absolutely locked before you leave the house. That was just plain dumb and an oversight on my part.

2. I usually am very good at carrying my ccw most of the time. For some reason I did not this evening. It was not a good feeling at all to be unarmed during this whole scene. If there was really a bad guy in the house and they would have been coming out the door when I ran up what would have I defended my self with? that could have gotten ugly quick.

3. Always keep the house somewhat representable. This is more funny than anything but My wife and I were a little embarrassed by our house being so cluttered while the officer was trying to clear it.

4. Response time was 20 minutes. If the situation would have escalated and became life threatening then I would have been in a bad way. We can not rely on the police to be there the second we need them. I know they do their best but We are responsible for our own safety. Which brings me back to point # 2. Always carry. I know this. This whole thing just drives the point home.

[Beiruty]

conore is not small town nor you are living in the boonies, I am surprised it took 20min for LEO to be on the scene. Did the LEO went in with drawn gun ?

[Bennies]

Yes, He did go in with gun drawn. He called for a unit before he went in but i guess they were slammed and one wasn't able to come. Before he entered since he didn't have back up he told us if we hear him yelling to start running. I was very dishearten by the response time since we just got a $15 hike in our MUD bill stating it was for us to have a LEO in our neighborhood at all times.

[Middle Age Russ]

It may have been a bit embarrassing, but overall, I think you acted reasonably to secure the safety of yourself and your family. As you said, you would not have cleared the house if you had your Glock, so no difference in dealing with a threat inside the house. Threats outside the house, though... Lesson learned I take it. I am glad everyone is safe.

[Katygunnut]

Do you or your neighbor have any dogs?

I had a somewhat similar experience with my neighbor's house where his door was open and he wasn't home. His dog had gotten out, so I caught her and then let her back in the house to see if anyone was there. Waited a few minutes, no barking, then I went up to the window, looked inside, saw the dog laying down, and when she saw me, she started barking. Based on this, I felt that it was probably safe, but I also texted my neighbor to let him know what had happened.

[drjoker]

I decided for whatever reason not to take my Glock with me in this evening.

The reason is that the Glock is big and heavy. You were jogging with kids. Already weighed down, you didn't want the additional burden of the Glock, so you went unarmed.

If you want to be armed at all times, then might I suggest one of the following mouse guns;
1. sig P238 if you like 1911 style single action autos.
2. ruger lcp or kel-tec p3at if you like double action autos.
3. naa 22wmr or 22lr revolver if you like revolvers.

These aren't great guns, but any gun is better than no gun.

Katygunnut is right. You should also get a dog. My dog is trained to "clear" a house by going room to room and bark at an occupied room that contains a stranger. If the house is unoccupied, then the dog will come back to me outside the house and sit.

[Excaliber]

I had a little episode this evening that was slightly comical and a little embarrassing.

It all started when my Wife and I decided to take our kids on a jog. We strapped them into the jogging stroller and proceeded down our block to warm up. When we began our stretching I could hear my phone ring from where I had left it in the stroller. I always carry the phone in the stroller just in case of an emergency. I answered the phone and it was my alarm company calling to notify me that the alarm had been activated. I informed them that I was just around the corner from my house and asked them to stay on the line while I ran back over to check things out.

I happened to run past a gentleman I was not familiar with on the way back to the house so my suspicions were raised. In most cases i recognize everyone in my neighborhood so it was definitely something that I i made note of (turns out it was just another jogger). Arriving at the house the front door was wide open. I thought, OK the wind is very strong tonight but I thought i remember locking the door...... My next thought was very sobering. I am outside, all my guns are inside! I decided for whatever reason not to take my Glock with me in this evening. Usually I secure it in a bag in the stroller for easy access. Not a very good feeling and a stupid move on my part.

I asked the alarm company representative to please send a unit to my house immediately as I was not sure if there was someone in the house at this point. Let me stop here and be clear. Regardless if I was armed or not, I would never have went into the house with out the Police clearing it in the first. My family was with me outside, everything else is inconsequential. My immediate concern turned to the safety of my family. I had my wife and kids go over to the neighbor and advise him of the situation. He retrieved his firearm and kept it concealed and out of site just in case some one were to come out of the house and jeopardize my family in any way. That right there is a good neighbor!

Still under no circumstances was anyone allowed to approach or go into the house till the police gave us the green light. 20 minutes later the Constable showed up. I informed him what had happened. At this point I was pretty much sure I had not secured the front door like i had thought and it was the strong winds we were having that blew it wide open. I told the officer this but told him i was not completely sure and that is why I requested them to respond.

This is where it gets embarrassing. I travel for a living and my wife had been stuck at home with a 6 week old and a 2 year old for 5 days with no help. Lets just say our house was super messy. The officer cleared the house and gave us the green light. Now I was sure I forgot to properly secure the door. Its funny how you can be sure you did something but you really just thought about doing the task and never take action. I apologized to him again as I was super embarrassed that my house looked like an episode of "Hoarders", and thanked him for coming out to check things out.

This is what I learned:

1. Always ensure that all windows and doors are absolutely locked before you leave the house. That was just plain dumb and an oversight on my part.

2. I usually am very good at carrying my ccw most of the time. For some reason I did not this evening. It was not a good feeling at all to be unarmed during this whole scene. If there was really a bad guy in the house and they would have been coming out the door when I ran up what would have I defended my self with? that could have gotten ugly quick.

3. Always keep the house somewhat representable. This is more funny than anything but My wife and I were a little embarrassed by our house being so cluttered while the officer was trying to clear it.

4. Response time was 20 minutes. If the situation would have escalated and became life threatening then I would have been in a bad way. We can not rely on the police to be there the second we need them. I know they do their best but We are responsible for our own safety. Which brings me back to point # 2. Always carry. I know this. This whole thing just drives the point home.

Once the situation was set by leaving the house not fully secured and without your gun, you made good judgments and did very well with the options you had left.

Police response time is a variable. It might be quick if nothing 's going on, but if the units in the 2 or 3 nearest sectors are already working a major incident, travel time from the next nearest sector is going to take a bit. 20 minutes isn't bad under these circumstances.

This was a good unplanned exercise, and you're doing exactly the right thing by thinking it through in after action review mode and making decisions and taking steps to close the holes for next time, which might be the real thing.

[Excaliber]

I decided for whatever reason not to take my Glock with me in this evening.

The reason is that the Glock is big and heavy. You were jogging with kids. Already weighed down, you didn't want the additional burden of the Glock, so you went unarmed.

If you want to be armed at all times, then might I suggest one of the following mouse guns;
1. sig P238 if you like 1911 style single action autos.
2. ruger lcp or kel-tec p3at if you like double action autos.
3. naa 22wmr or 22lr revolver if you like revolvers.

These aren't great guns, but any gun is better than no gun.

Katygunnut is right. You should also get a dog. My dog is trained to "clear" a house by going room to room and bark at an occupied room that contains a stranger. If the house is unoccupied, then the dog will come back to me outside the house and sit.

Stick with the Glock.

Carrying a mouse gun is like keeping a tricycle around for the case where you might have to take a family member on an emergency run to the hospital. It might eventually do what you need done, but it almost certainly won't be in time to meet your needs.

[The Annoyed Man]

I decided for whatever reason not to take my Glock with me in this evening.

The reason is that the Glock is big and heavy. You were jogging with kids. Already weighed down, you didn't want the additional burden of the Glock, so you went unarmed....

My next thought was very sobering. I am outside, all my guns are inside! I decided for whatever reason not to take my Glock with me in this evening. Usually I secure it in a bag in the stroller for easy access.....

I don't think he didn't want to be weighed down, as he doesn't usually carry it on his person anyway when jogging with his kids. Like he said, "For whatever reason" he didn't bring it with him; but I don't think it was the weight issue, since he usually carries the gun in the stroller rather than on his person.

[lonewolf]

Excellent after action evaluation. IMHO, you did just right. You kept your family safe, you didn't escalate by reentering, you allowed LEO to do his job, you remained calm, cool, and collected throughout. No one hurt, and lesson learned.

The part about the clutter brings back memories....three toddlers at once, two still in diapers......lots of clutter. There were times a would be BG would have killed himself just trying to navigate through the darkened house......

My brothers and I were visiting my grandmother once (very early in our youth) and after she had done our laundry found a hole in a pair of underwear (they do wear out, you know...) As a result, we got the speech about always wearing nice, clean, white undies in case we had to go to the emergence room. Just in case, you know..... Being the sassy little cuss I was, I asked if they would just send me home if I was going "commando" that day......My older brother had to explain to her what that was.....

[sjfcontrol]

Being the sassy little cuss I was, I asked if they would just send me home if I was going "commando" that day......My older brother had to explain to her what that was.....

OH! You WERE a little rascal, weren't you!

[lonewolf]

Wascally Wabbit!!!!

I admit to having problems at times with my alligator mouth overloading my hummingbird tail.........

[Bennies]

I decided for whatever reason not to take my Glock with me in this evening.

The reason is that the Glock is big and heavy. You were jogging with kids. Already weighed down, you didn't want the additional burden of the Glock, so you went unarmed....

My next thought was very sobering. I am outside, all my guns are inside! I decided for whatever reason not to take my Glock with me in this evening. Usually I secure it in a bag in the stroller for easy access.....

I don't think he didn't want to be weighed down, as he doesn't usually carry it on his person anyway when jogging with his kids. Like he said, "For whatever reason" he didn't bring it with him; but I don't think it was the weight issue, since he usually carries the gun in the stroller rather than on his person.

You are correct weight wasn't the issue. I guess I just did not feel like slipping the glock into the small bag I usually carry it with and then stick it in the stroller. I just became sloppy that night. I am probably going to buy one of those jogging fanny packs that I asked about on a previous thread soon.

[PeteCamp]

I think you did well. I cannot think of anything I would have done differently - except that I always carry a weapon, and usually a backup as well. Personally, unless a family member is inside and time is of the essence, I will (as you did) let the on-duty officers clear the house. I would probably have called 911 directly to let them know first hand what was going on and to have a recording should something go south. However, I'm at the age where jogging would definitely land me in intensive care.

On mouse guns. Generally I agree that a small pistol is nowhere near as effective as a larger one. But there are times when the only option is either something very small and light, or nothing at all. On those occasions I carry either a Ruger LCP or a Kel Tec PF-9. Both have lots of rounds through them and are carefully maintained. The PF-9 has plenty of power and digests everything except 147gr loads. The LCP gets Gold Dots in the weapon, one spare mag of Gold Dots and one spare mag of FMJ. Even with two reloads, it is a pretty small and light package. However, I still feel much better having a Glock on my belt. And of course the old law still applies: Two guns is one; one gun is none.

BTW....We all may have to expect slower LE response times as cities tighten their belts. Of course, the best political ploy for them is to cut Police/Fire/EMS service. That gets the voters more in a mood for tax hikes.

[medalguy]

Remember, the police are only moments away when seconds count!