A simple question:

Why is it that almost every time I and other local landlords in our LL association call the police for help on a serious issue, they tell us they "don't intervene in civil matters," but when one of our troublesome tenants calls them for help of almost ANY kind, they not only quickly respond, they seem to automatically take the tenants side?

Thank you

I somewhat agree! I have actually found an automatically prosecutory attitude on their part at times.

Maybe they are trained to act this way?

I’ve only had one time when I thought police were overstepping their bounds on the side of the tenant. I turned the playbook and told them the particular issue was a civil matter and they backed off in a hurry.

My husband had to deal with Tenants behind on rent who blocked the sewer with clothing and called the Health Dept.

When he went w contractor to work on sewer, tenants blocked both doors with furniture. He went to Health Dept and the sanitarian came to house, saw what was happening, and ordered them to go into unit.

My hubby got in through a window(tenants had left) moved the offending washer away from the door, and the three men went down to basement. Sanitarian noted it was t-shirts coming out of sewer and left hubby and contractor alone.

Female tenant came home with her brother and called police to report hubby as trespasser. Police came and took tenant's side, but hubby had lease with him and had sanitarian called to confirm it was an emergency. Police still made him leave with tenant taunting him from front porch and asking to have him arrested.

I filed for emergency possession next day with trial the day after and was granted emergency possession. Tenants told by judge to clear out before sun set same day.

I made hubby go to house to make sure they were getting out and male tenant called me some very bad names as he did not do so well against me in court. My hubby told him to come down here and say it and they faced off in yard. I told my hubby, "Don't worry sweetie, he only beats women." This i knew as a doctor in a small town. Tenant's mother and sister were begging me for mercy for their poor boy. Sister had lied and pretended to be his Landlady and gave a good reference to us. I reminded her of that. She and mom were also my patients. Also told them if he was in my house at sunset. I would call police on all of them for trespassing as I had an Immediate writ of possession. Neighbors called police and we left. Cops pulled us over a few blocks away and I showed them writ. They were both my patients as well. So was the judge. They told us to let them handle it and come back in AM. The house was empty in AM. That was the most angry I have ever been as a Landlord. When the female tenant tried to talk cop into arresting my husband.

So in that case we had police both against and for us. When I have police calls to my properties and they are serious, the officer is usually very willing to talk to me, so more of my experiences are positive. I go to police department for full reports whenever I know they have been called to one of my places. I have made sure police have my phone number if they ever need to talk with me about my places or tenants.

So far, my interactions with police have been positive - I purposely try to make it that way before I "need" them.

I believe it is like any profession: some are more skilled/caring/professional, etc. than others.

In my LL dealings, I have only had a negative experience with the local LEOs one time. All other experiences have been positive and helpful.

I present myself as a professional. Calm, cool, collected. I present only the facts and ask for a decision based on facts.