I would need to know what the police meant by "one more 911 call." Was this to say that she would be evicted if she called 911 for a genuine emergency, or if the neighbors called 911 on her?
I'm inclined to think it's probably the latter.

However, if she was worried about it, she could have simply not answered the door and called the police on their direct line.

I don't doubt that she believed that she would be evicted if she called 911, even if to report a car accident or a fire breaking out across the street from her home. But I don't believe that the police would have evicted her for that, and I don't believe they intended to communicate that.

Besides, slimy abusive boyfriend is a good enough reason to call the police and depending on how dangerous he is, calling 911.

Let them try to evict you, sue and win.

Just dryly tell them to go milk a wet telephone pole and go pirate a cow inside a car.

How about just calling the dispatcher at the non emergency number, the way George Zimmerman did?

Not too far off topic (the issues being raised are very valid indeed - making the landlord resposible for the tenants); but, why on earth didn't this woman get a protection order (or whatever it is called). Her boyfriend (why isn't he an "ex"boyfriend?) has a history of abuse, so she lets him move in anyway?

I suspect that there is more to this story and the issues being raised than the NY Times is letting on.

Such nuisance ordinances are not uncommon. Many cities all over the U.S. have them. Most include "domestic disturbances" as as disorderly behavior that can trigger enforcement of the law. Very few specifically exclude domestic violence.

It doesn't matter who called the police. It only matters that they were called to the property for some kind of disorderly behavior.

In Lakisha Briggs's case, she called the police the first time. The second time, when her boyfriend attacked her with a brick, and the third time, when he stabbed her in the neck, neighbors called the police.

The ACLU has sued Norristown, PA on her behalf.

http://www.aclu.org/womens-rights/briggs-v-borough-norristown-et-al

Charles, she might have had one. But in order to enforce a protection order, you have to call the cops.

Order of protection are great, when the prosecuters take you ex to trial for your murder

Okay, put on the thinking cap:

Move her in next to you.

Some people are just plain trouble magnets. Fault does not mean one thing to neighbors trying not to have their property trashed because you live next door.

Well, there should be some sort of penalty or limit in regards to public resources. Lakisha's story is a variation on the story of the Tragedy Of The Commons.

Because she makes poor life choices, the police (a common, shared resource) expend more time on her than on other citizens. This increases taxes on, or restricts service to, other citizens. If Lakisha had made better choices, like finding a nice, boring man with a full-time job, marrying him and creating a stable environment for her child, then she wouldn't need the state (the husband replacement for lower-middle class women) to come in and remove the broke, jobless, but undoubtedly exciting boyfriend from her apartment.

Excuse me while I play the world's tiniest violin for a woman who has to lie in the bed she made. The rest of us have no interest in making it for her.

Thank you, lujlp, thank you. You said what I was trying to articulate. I don't want to live next to this woman. I like peace and quiet. I do not want to hear noise, shouting, screaming, cursing, the noise of crockery being thrown, sirens, gunshots or loud music.

Her inability to pick a boyfriend who isn't emotionally volatile has nothing to do with me whatsoever. If she's impinging on my peace and quiet I'm not going to be too concerned about why, especially if it happens more than once.

We had a family like this two doors down as neighbors a few years ago. Cops were constantly being called. Disturbances. Arguments.
Petty crime. Vandalism. They finally left, thankfully.

Not every case has to do with domestic violence.

The second time, when her boyfriend attacked her with a brick, and the third time, when he stabbed her in the neck, neighbors called the police.

Mssrs. Smith & Wesson make any manner of perfectly serviceable protection orders.

Radwaste wins. Putting a limit on nuisance calls is one way of imposing a real incentive on being less of a nuisance. Getting the ACLU on the case is just another way of saying NIMBY.

And no matter what you think of her, it is disgusting that you do not decry the police meddling in a person's housing situation. No, not just meddling -- forcing an eviction. -- Amy Alkon Author Profile Page at August 19, 2013 7:31 PM

The problem with your view is that you want to give a handout not a hand up.

If an alcoholic was banging on your door every third night would you want him taken away? Or would you want to give him treatment? What if he refused treatment and continued to bang on your door -- would you want him evicted?

This is the equivalent idea. I will support any woman (or man) that wants to get away from an abusive partner, up to and including housing them. But if I were living next door, I want my privacy, quiet, and peace.

If it is within my ability, I'd get her out, give her numbers to shelters. I'd even drive her to court to get a protection order and sleep on her couch with a firearm to protect her/him.

But if the person refuses the assistance -- then they can wallow in their own pig shit. I'm not going into the pig shit with them.

Oh. and another portion of the DV laws I disagree with is the suspension of Second Amendment rights for life upon conviction of the case.

I know a (then) 19 year old guy that got into a fistfight with his 17 rear old brother. He is not allowed to own a firearm over ten years later. He might be able to get remediation and his rights back, but it would be over $10K to do it.

What are the odds of him getting to a fistfight now with his brother?

"And no matter what you think of her, it is disgusting that you do not decry the police meddling in a person's housing situation. No, not just meddling -- forcing an eviction."

The police aren't meddling. This isn't a SWAT raid on raw foodies or a civil asset forfeiture. There's no indication in the story that the police are targeting her. They're just tired of dealing with her nonsense, just the same as I would be.

"....it is disgusting that you do not decry ..."

C'mon, Amy. You can do better, and do, most of the time. The commenter doesn't agree with you and you find them "disgusting"?
Any disagreement with you is disgusting?

I hope you'll reconsider your choice of words. It was beneath you.

I have to agree with Miss Alkon.

Whatever we think of her life choices, (which I agree are fucking aweful) the police should not have the standing to force the eviction of a resident from their home.

For the record however, I do NOT for one solitary goddamn mother fucking second believe she 'lacked the means' to escape her abuser.

For fucks sake, he didn't live there, call the cops and haul his ass away.

You know he's getting out of fucking jail, why not get a goddamn protection order, buy a gun, and draw it on his stupid goddamn worthless piece of trash ass when he shows up demanding entry into a home that is not his?

To cowardly to defend yourself and to lazy to get an order of protection? Fuck, there are publicly available shelters aplenty...which she wouldn't need if she'd just take some goddamn responsibility for defending herself.

Tyler however...does make a valid point.

Tragedy of the commons, shit life choices result in a small number of people consuming an outsized proportion of the limited public resources.

I'm often mystified by some women. What in the hell makes them think...oh dear god I can't wait to spread my legs for that one...when they see a man that thinks sobriety is just the time between passing out and waking up before he can drink some more, that thinks jobs are for suckers and criminal behaviore is awesome, that thinks reading or hard work are not 'real', and that a woman is a poor man's punching bag?

I'm reminded of that woman who squatted out 6 kids by multiple different drug dealers (all of whom were in jail) before she was shot during a drug raid because of her NEW drug dealing boyfriend. The 'community' came out of the woodwork to say what a good mother she was.

Mother of god people can be goddamn stupid.

It was FIVE drug dealing daddies, six kids by five men

Ah. luj, that's the Tarika Wilson case.

But...

"Whatever we think of her life choices, (which I agree are fucking aweful) the police should not have the standing to force the eviction of a resident from their home."

Never heard of not paying taxes, huh?

It's the Sheriff's deputies that show up, and you can keep anything you can tote off.