SUMMARY - “Calling the Cops Made It Worse”
A woman calls 911 because her brother is having a mental health crisis, hoping for help - and police arrive with weapons drawn, escalate the situation, and her brother ends up injured or dead or in jail instead of in treatment, and she will never call again. A domestic violence victim reaches out for protection, and the responding officers arrest both parties, or dismiss her report, or leave her in more danger than before she called, and she tells other women not to bother. A man reports a burglary and finds himself questioned as a suspect, his presence in his own home treated as suspicious, and he decides that the cost of calling outweighs any benefit. A community member witnesses a crime and considers calling police, but remembers what happened last time - the long wait, the dismissive response, the sense that reporting accomplished nothing - and does not call. A teenager needs help and knows police can help but also knows that calling might bring violence into the situation, and chooses to handle things without official involvement. The phrase "calling the cops made it worse" captures something that policy discussions often miss: for many people in many situations, police involvement creates problems rather than solving them.
The Case for Taking "It Made It Worse" Seriously
Advocates argue that negative experiences with police are real, widespread, and consequential, that dismissing these experiences perpetuates harm, and that reform must address the conditions that make calling dangerous.
Negative experiences are not outliers. Research and testimony document patterns: mental health calls that end in violence, domestic violence responses that harm victims, encounters where the person seeking help becomes the target. These are not anomalies but predictable outcomes of how policing currently works.
Dismissing concerns perpetuates harm. When people report that calling police made things worse and are told their experience was exceptional or that they misunderstood, the harm is compounded. Recognition is first step toward change.
Consequences extend beyond individuals. When calling police is dangerous, entire communities stop calling. Crimes go unreported. Emergencies go unaddressed. The gap between those who can safely seek police help and those who cannot creates two-tiered system of safety.
From this perspective, addressing "it made it worse" requires: acknowledging the legitimacy of negative experiences; understanding patterns that produce harm; creating alternatives for situations police handle poorly; and transforming policing so that calling for help is not dangerous.
The Case for Contextualizing Concerns
Others argue that negative experiences, while real, should not define overall assessment of police, that most calls are handled appropriately, and that fear of calling creates its own problems.
Most calls do not make things worse. Millions of police calls annually are handled without incident. Focusing on negative experiences, however real, may create disproportionate fear. Context matters for understanding frequency and typicality.
Not calling has costs. When people avoid calling police because of fear, they may remain in dangerous situations. Crimes against them go unaddressed. Fear of calling may cause more harm than calling would.
Police can improve. Training, policy reform, and accountability can address the problems that produce negative outcomes. The goal should be making police safe to call, not abandoning police as option.
From this perspective, response should: acknowledge problems while maintaining perspective on overall police performance; encourage reporting while working on improvements; recognize that alternatives to calling also carry risks; and not let fear prevent people from seeking help when help is available.
The Mental Health Question
What happens when police respond to mental health crises?
From one view, police are wrong responders for mental health situations. They are trained for enforcement, not treatment. Weapons and uniforms escalate situations that require calm. Too many mental health calls end in death. Other responders are needed.
From another view, mental health situations can be dangerous. Some require security presence. Police with crisis training can help. The solution is better-trained police, not no police.
How mental health calls are handled shapes whether calling for help helps.
The Domestic Violence Question
Does calling police help domestic violence victims?
From one perspective, many victims report that police response was harmful - not being believed, being arrested themselves, facing retaliation afterward with no protection. Mandatory arrest policies and poor training create outcomes that discourage future reporting.
From another perspective, police intervention saves lives. Arrest can provide safety window. Documentation creates record. Imperfect response is better than no response for victims in immediate danger.
Whether calling helps victims shapes whether victims call.
The Alternatives Question
What alternatives exist when calling police is dangerous?
From one view, communities need non-police options - crisis responders, community intervention programs, mutual aid networks. When police cannot be safely called, alternatives must be built.
From another view, alternatives may not provide safety police can. Crisis responders cannot arrest dangerous people. Community programs have limits. Alternatives are supplement, not replacement.
What alternatives exist shapes options when calling police is not safe.
The Question
When someone in crisis calls for help and help makes things worse, what happened? When victims of crime cannot safely report, who are they victims of? If calling the cops is dangerous for some people, what safety do those people have? When fear of police prevents people from seeking protection, what are police for? What would policing where calling for help actually helped look like? And when we ask why some people do not call police, are we ready for the answer?