Can the police do this?

[ljd08231963]

Jurisdiction

Pennsylvania

A while back our neighbor was shooting various guns on his property. In our township we are not allowed to shoot anything. Unless it is hunting season and you have a license. My husband as a courtesy went over and told him there was no shooting allowed. The neighbor got snippy with my husband. My husband started walking away to come back home and my neighbor said something else and my husband turned and said something like you don't won't to mess with me I have bigger guns then those pea shooters. Ever since our neighbor hasn't spoke to us, but tends to be always watching us, steering at us, etc. So we don't bother with them now.

Question is, they have a friend that is a police officer in our township. Two part question. 1) My husband see's the officer parked in the back of their house like 5 a.m. in the morning. There is no way where he is sitting he could see the road for speeders. We feel like the cop is watching us to see if my husband or son races out in the morning to go to work. It would be very dangerous if he did try to go from where he was sitting to chase a speeding car down, he would have to round the house, go over a dip in their driveway and cross the road. He use to sit beside the house where anyone could see him. Is it legal for him to sit there?

2) Again with this neighbor they put a shed up and never got a permit, this wasn't his first shed he didn't get a permit. In our township to report someone doing something maybe illegal you have to go to the township building and write out an official report and sign it. We never did that. I had spoke to the codes guy about work we were doing and mentioned about his shed and asked if we needed a permit for a shed that we have a cement slab that a shed use to be on and wanted to put another on and wanted to know if we need a shed since it was different from our neighbors shed as being a brand new one. At that time we were told that our neighbor did not have a permit and the code guy went to him and made them get a permit. We do not need one for the existing slab. I also wanted to ask about putting in a fire pit and he said we could. As long as we didn't use it to burn brush, yard waste. We had a get together and used our new fire pit and the neighbor called the fire company on us. Two fire trucks and a police office came. The fire chief said that we had a nice fire pit and it was well done. And to have a nice time. He also told us that a neighbor that had a shed problem reported us because we reported him for not having a permit. He said a police man told our neighbor that we were the ones that reported him. Is this policeman, who is suppose to be his friend allowed to say we reported him when we never officially went to the township and filled out a complaint. What kind of complaint can I make on this officer, he should be equally protecting all of the community and working together to bring us together not spreading rumors. Please help. This has already gone too far.

 

[d1amund]

As you're finding out, making threats, even if in jest, is never a good idea. Saying something such as "don't mess with me my gun is bigger" is not only childish but can be dangerous...or at least lead to the drama you're dealing with now. In short, the police do what they want. If they have permission to sit on his property then that's what they'll do.

I suggest your husband grows up and tries to work out his differences with the neighbor in a civilized manner...else, this malarkey will continue on until one of you moves, or expires.

 

[adjusterjack]

my husband turned and said something like you don't won't to mess with me I have bigger guns then those pea shooters.

Not only a stupid remark but potentially a criminal act for which your husband can be prosecuted.

1) My husband see's the officer parked in the back of their house like 5 a.m. in the morning. There is no way where he is sitting he could see the road for speeders. We feel like the cop is watching us to see if my husband or son races out in the morning to go to work

Could be that the cop is having morning coffee with his friend or keeping an eye out for a person who threatened another person with a firearm.

Is it legal for him to sit there?

Yes.

He said a police man told our neighbor that we were the ones that reported him. Is this policeman, who is suppose to be his friend allowed to say we reported him when we never officially went to the township and filled out a complaint.

But you did report him. That you never officially filed a complaint is irrelevant. You gave notice to the code enforcer and the neighbor got cited.

So, yes, the policeman had every right to "say" that YOU reported the neighbor because you DID report the neighbor. The results (permit requirement) speak to that.

What kind of complaint can I make on this officer,

None. He hasn't done anything wrong.

he should be equally protecting all of the community and working together to bring us together not spreading rumors.

He's not spreading rumors. He stated a fact.

This has already gone too far.

Then stop playing tit for tat and do nothing further in this quest for one-upmanship.