Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke Jr. has a message for residents: learn how to use a gun.

With budget cutbacks putting a strain on law enforcement, simply calling 911 might not cut it in a life-or-death or situation, Clarke said in a new radio ad this month. Safety is “no longer a spectator sport,” he says. “I need you in the game.”

“With officers laid off and furloughed, simply calling 911 and waiting is no longer your best option,” Clark adds. “You can beg for mercy from a violent criminal, hide under the bed, or you can fight back. But are you prepared?”

Japan's mafia among the first to organise and deliver aid

The Daily Beast news website said that hours after the first shock waves hit, two of the largest crime groups went into action, opening their offices to those stranded in Tokyo and shipping food, water and blankets to the devastated areas.

The website reported that the day after the earthquake, the Inagawa-kai (the third-largest organised crime group in Japan) sent 25 trucks filled with paper diapers, instant ramen, batteries, torches, drinks and other essentials to the Tohoku region.