You can expect to prevail against cowards who know they are in the wrong

If you expect these people, get secondary forms of communication. Get a CB, get a ham radio. Use firecrackers and signals to inform neighbors. Use semiphore or smoke signals if you have to. Put a light in a window. One if by land, two if by sea and so forth. Get a megaphone. Get a low tech bell type fire alarm that you can hear a long way away.

You probably already know that Mary and Kelly and other family, friends and acquaintances were assassinated in knife attacks.

Sandy had a CB and would have been able to call neighbors if only these people had not been able to get into her home.

You can also say, "I want to talk to the police" or "I want more police here so you won't be tempted to use strong arm tactics."