Restaurant Owner Makes Alarming Request When He Dials 911 During Life and Death Situation

An Oregon restaurant owner dealing with a potentially life and death heroin overdose situation dialed 911 to summon authorities — but worried police when he included one simple request.

"We don't allow police in here so we can totally accommodate the fire department and other emergency personnel,” Red & Black Cafe co-owner John Langley told a 911 dispatcher, “Not police, though."

[sharequote align="center"]"We don't allow police in here..."[/sharequote]

“I'm required to send everybody," the dispatcher replied.

“OK, well, if the police try and come in here,” Langley countered, “There's gonna be another problem."

Langley, instead, stood outside his restaurant with his arms crossed as paramedics entered the cafe to treat the man an apparent overdose, KATU-TV reported. The impaired man was found by Langley in the bathroom, struggling to breathe.

"The person was slumped against the wall and I was scared that they were dying or dead maybe,” he said.

Paramedics went and treated the man, while police were perplexed how to respond to Langely's request.

"It actually generated more of a police response than it normally would have because you know, we're going to an unknown situation with a person potentially overdosing on heroin in a bathroom," Sgt. Pete Simpson, a spokesman for the Portland Police Bureau, said.

“So the officers talked with medical personnel and said really it's your call,” he added. “If you want us to come in with you, we will come in."

Simpson maintained that officers did have the right to enter the property. Langley has been know in the past to dislike police and is an anarchist, KATU reported.

—

Follow Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) on Twitter