When "just give them what they want" doesn't work

Ask most any cop or politician what to do when mugged or otherwise attacked, and you'll most likely hear some derivative of "Just do what they say, give them what they want and you won't get hurt." Tell that to the Boston area man who was robbed then shot:

Approached by a masked gunman who demanded his gold chain early yesterday on River Street, a 27-year-old Hyde Park man handed over the jewelry only to get shot in the right foot and thigh.

While the victim was being treated at Brigham and Women's Hospital, police combed the crime scene and recovered two cell phones, a spent shell casing and an envelope. Here's hoping they catch up to the trigger-happy bandit as soon as possible.

He handed over exactly what his attacker wanted and still got shot for his trouble. Notice the stellar job the police did after the fact. Lest anyone think otherwise, the only person responsible for your safety and the only person who can truly come to your defense in a timely fashion is you. The cops are primarily report-takers and investigators, not crime-preventers.