Monday, November 03, 2008

Police

So after telling off the girl who cut in front of me in line Friday night, I spent the rest of my Halloween at the Coldplay concert -- which was very good -- and then eventually went home and went to sleep, gearing up for a big excursion to Ikea the next morning.

At about 3 am, I woke up when someone started pounding on my door.

Disoriented at first, I initially thought it was part of a particularly peculiar dream. But then they pounded again.

So I got up and went to the door -- without my glasses. I tried to look out the peephole, but I didn't see anyone, so I said, "Who is it?"

"Police."

I didn't want to open the door, especially since I couldn't see anything. So I said "What do you want?"

They asked for some girl named Emily Carroll. I told them that they must have the wrong apartment. They then said the right apartment number, and I told him that no one by that name lived there. So they left. I never even had to open the door.

I went back to sleep, annoyed and confused. Why would the police be knocking on my door at 3 am unless it was an emergency, and if so, why would they go away that easily? The whole thing makes no sense.


8 comments:

Justin S. said...

Two possibilities:

1) The police were at the wrong apartment, they realized it once you clarified it, they were embarrassed and wanted to get away as quickly as possible.

2) They weren't police at all, they were there for criminal purposes... but that doesn't seem likely to be since they gave a specific name.

dara said...

1) Yeah, but I could have been lying. If they had reasonable cause -- which, if it's important enough that they are knocking on the door at 3am, I'd think they probably had -- they should have made me open the door and give id.

2) I was thinking something along those lines -- debt collectors.

matt said...

I'm just happy this story doesn't end with you answering questions at gunpoint.

Third possibility:
3) Drunken Halloween reveler met Emily Carroll while dressed as a cop. Called her for late night hook up but was too intoxicated to understand her address and ended up at your place. Once he realized Emily wasn't there he high-tailed it out of there before you opened the door and called the real cops.

Fourth, albeit less likely, possibility:
4) Stewart Copeland was at your door to tell Emily Carroll that she had won a radio contest for a surprise live in-home performance. He had the wrong address.

DSL said...

It all sounds strange. If they hadn't left, I might have called the police to verify who they were or to report them. You certainly don't have to open the door unless they have a warrant, right?

dara said...

Matt: I've gotten mail for her before, so I think it's safe to assume that she really did live there. And the cop really didn't sound drunk or fake.

If it were Stewart Copeland, I'd have recognized him and let him in, even if I was in my pyjamas.

DSL: It was strange.

And yeah, I don't have to let them in without a warrant, but they are within their rights to request to see my ID, even without any cause. Of course, whether or not I have to comply with their request is an entirely different issue altogether, and that's where the 4th amendment kicks in.

Anonymous said...

Oh, I think Matt might be onto something. It just seems like if whatever Emily did warranted a 3am home visit; they would not just leave with you telling them they had the wrong address. Otherwise criminals would be doing this all over the place!

dara said...

Sara: I'm still pretty certain that they were not drunk. If it wasn't the police, then it was someone coming to repo something, or an angry ex-boyfriend (who would have left when he did not recognize the voice at the door) or something like that.

DSL said...

Oh, you did get mail for her. Sounds like my experience except they didn't wake me at 3 am.