Neighbor harassment using police

[nukeemusn]

Aloha!

My neighbor has been living next to us for about a year now. Every few weeks, she calls the police and makes a noise complaint against us. Every time, the police show up, and don't find any problems (because, honestly, THERE ARE NONE). Tonight it happened again. We told the police that we were tired of this and that we are going to hire a lawyer and talk to our housing authority. They said when they told our neighbor this, she said "Well I guess I'll stop calling then."

I'm wondering if we have a legal leg to stand on regarding a harassment suit against our neighbor. We really aren't trying to get any money from them, we just want to make it clear that we will not stand for this kind of behavior! (Note, the one time I tried to discuss this issue with our neighbor to AVOID taking it to court, she called the cops and said I was harassing her. She also played up the story, inserting words and threats that I MOST CERTAINLY DID NOT MAKE.)

The way I see it, it is entirely possible to harass someone else using the law enforcement system. And I'm assuming that the PD will have records of each call, and the resulting lack of apparent problem.

Any advice? :dunno:

 

[CdwJava]

While it is theoretically possible to use the police to harass someone, courts are very reluctant to tell people they cannot call. Unless the calls were completely without merit (i.e. you were all sitting inside quiet as church mice and they made the whole thing up) it is entirely probable that a court may see that their call was with some (even if limited) merit.

An attorney might be expensive. Maybe you can talk to the police department and see what they suggest.


- Carl

 

[gborges]

hey bud, my neighbor next door moved in around 1997 and has called the police on me since day one and ive never been charged with any crime. last month she filed an RO to get me kicked off my own property.. i won in court..

best thing to do is when the cops come over, in my case, is now on i ask them if im under arrest? search warrant?
bye bye. and get off my lawn.. they use this whacko as an excuse to pester me cause they have nothing better to do.. small town.. gettin nasty with the cops isnt what im suggesting, but in my case, i feel its appropriate to let them know im not the least happy with them at my front door all the time.. ive registered email to the chief and sargents letthing them know im sick of it.. it isnt against the law not to talk to them before or after detainment..
'educating' them at your front door is foolish.. they are only there BECAUSE they have no proof of a crime.. your not obligated to talk to them. in my case they already know my name age and address.. the rest is academic...

Neighbor harassment using police does exist, and your the first person ive seen actually use the same language describing what ive been going thru for 10 years. you gotta stick to your 'guns' so to speak and dont let into the bullshit. all these years theyve been called about me, yet not one time have i been charged with anything... hmmm...

not advice im giving, just some insight....
good luck..

 

[nukeemusn]

Update:

In case anyone still cares (It's been a long time), the neighbor issues have been resolved, since, well, they got transferred across the country.

Our new neighbors are the exact opposite. We get along absolutely great. When I first met them, we got to talking, and they asked my why I was so shy and quiet. I explained my habit of walking on eggshells because my old neighbor used to call the cops all the time for no reason. Their response:

"We won't call the cops on you if you don't call the cops on us when we occasionally have a bunch of drunk sailors in the back yard".

My response:

"If you have a bunch of drunk sailors in the backyard, you'd better have a beer for me."


And we all lived happily ever after :nuts