Not impressed - police response

[Upthehillanddownagain]

So at about 12.30 am there was a lot of thumping and banging outside. It stopped and we ignored it. Then at 1.45 there was a very insistent ringing of our doorbell. It was a man we don't know from Adam, said he was looking for the Salvation Army hostel but he couldn't find it and could he sleep at our house for the night! (He even offered to pay us - what with, I'm not sure.)

Clearly we weren't going to let him in, and we didn't want him roaming our little road - there are two elderly ladies (80+) on here, and both of them live alone. So being a good little MNer, I rang 101. Their response? That the SA hostel is locked down anyway so he wouldn't get in, and they couldn't come and pick him up because of CV. All they offered was 'keep your door locked'.

I was Not Happy.

DP was the one talking to him (through the door) and after a while decided that actually the guy seemed genuine. So to keep him in one place we gave him a blanket, a cup of tea and some biscuits, and he's spent the night on our front doorstep. We haven't been to bed, as I felt it wasn't necessarily safe. It's now quite light and I think I'm going to risk it - I'm knackered. (He's still there.)

I know this isn't AIBU (I put it in CV because that's the root of the problem) - but AIBU to think that the police response really wasn't acceptable?

@XDownwiththissortofthingX - So, you would be understanding if the police refused to move a homeless drug addict from the grounds of your child’s nursery, would you? If your nursery was advised to contact the Samaritans in case the homeless drug addict needed ‘support’?

Grow up.

Oh dear. Sadly unsurprised at your update OP. When ‘service users’ refuse to comply by the rules of the services they use then it is really easy for people to fall through the cracks. He’ll only be picked up by the police if things escalate. Which they probably will

Fingers crossed he leaves you & your husband out of it though.

It might not feel like you’ve done any good during your interactions with this man. But just showing the kindness of strangers is a good thing in itself, in the long run.