I lived in a big Liberal city, where I was a coordinator of a neighborhood watch. We worked very closely with the police. I would report to, and receive training from the police; and I would act as a liaison to share information between members of the watch team, and the police. The gang members knew me well. One night a gang from another community came to get them. Some of them came frantically knocking at my door, begging me to help them; as screaming a shots echoed through the neighborhood. I told them to crouch down in my bushes; and that they would be safe here. I called 911, and told them who I was, and what was happening. Time elapsed, and no action. I called again. They said that help was on the way. More time elapsed. No action. I got on the phone with fellow members of the watch team; and told them to express the urgency of the situation. I didn't want to be distracted from watching over the guys in my bushes.They made numerous calls. Over an hour later, the screaming and shooting had stopped; then the police showed up.
I talked to two co-workers about this the next day. Both of them has parents who were LEOs. They both told me not to expect the police to go rushing into a gun fight. That they want to go home after their shifts; that they'll wait until the shooting is over, and clean up the mess.
Through the President of the Community association, I called a public meeting with the police, to discuss crime and response time.
During the meeting, the commander asked me to step outside with him. I did. He read me the riot act about embarrassing him in public. I respectfully explained to him that I put myself in danger, that I had become a target for gang members, by doing what I do; and that when I make a call, I expect a response; and that waiting over an hour is unacceptable. I mentioned that the guys in my bushes finally panicked and ran off. I told him that I would have taken them into my home for protection; but I knew who they were. He said, "No! don't take them into your home." I said that I would have brought my shotgun out on the lawn to protect them; but with shots being fired, and 911 called; I didn't want to be mistaken for the bad guy, and shot by police. He said that he didn't know whether or not I would have been shot; but I would have definitely gone to jail. I asked, "are you telling me that I can't defend innocent life on my own property?" He said that I couldn't have a loaded gun outside of my house, on my property, in that city, for any reason.
I finished my term of office, and and soon thereafter I moved out of the city. Later, I decided that it was better just to leave the state, and the backwards thinking that went along with it, behind me.