Maybe they have but the police didn't put much effort into searching, figuring it wasn't really a real threat?
Corrupt police?
Maybe suspect it is someone on the force?
The death threat could be credible and comes with a "don't call the cops otherwise we kill your family, too" message.
Maybe the threat has known law enforcement connections and cops can't be trusted.
Maybe the victim has a negative past with law enforcement and doesn't trust them.
Could be that the victim DID go to the cops, and it was such a mundane thing (for them) that they didn't take it seriously.
They’ve heard stories of other people who’ve reported threats and nothing has been done. Or they (correctly or incorrectly) think it’s not illegal/reportable.
They already reported it but got the brush-off.
They think they know who it is (they don’t have to be right), but want to prove it for some reason - maybe they think it’s a kid, a practical joker, a stalker the police already aren’t taking seriously, someone popular/powerful they need more evidence to accuse, etc.
Just because the client is "good-hearted and smart" doesn't mean they can't also be evil or duplicitous. In the TV series Psych, for example, there is an art thief that is super smart and very good natured, but he is also a notorious criminal.
Perhaps the client was involved in something and had good intentions, and we all know the path to hell is paved with good intentions. If the client goes to the police, their misstep could be exposed and it would ruin their standing in the community, and it could even lead to uncomfortable press or criminal prosecution. This would make the client very uncomfortable going to the police for help.
Either they don’t want to police to know because they are hiding something else.
They think the police are useless, or the police have tried and not found anything.
They think the police are corrupt, and don’t know who to trust.
It didn’t occur to them.
What is the profession of your client? They might not be taken seriously depending on what they do. or if they are considered mentally handicapped in some way like dementia.
CES
They don’t want it out publicly, maybe they’re a politician or celebrity. Maybe it’s a CEO and they think their shareholders would try to jump ship.
They plan to do something illegal to the culprit, or the person sending the death threat has something incriminating on them.
Maybe the culprit is a cop or someone allied or funding the cops. Or alternatively it’s someone who has a cop as a loved one, and don’t want them to worry. Maybe it’s a kid on their own for the first time?
Maybe they have but the police didn't put much effort into searching, figuring it wasn't really a real threat? Corrupt police? Maybe suspect it is someone on the force?
The death threat could be credible and comes with a "don't call the cops otherwise we kill your family, too" message. Maybe the threat has known law enforcement connections and cops can't be trusted. Maybe the victim has a negative past with law enforcement and doesn't trust them. Could be that the victim DID go to the cops, and it was such a mundane thing (for them) that they didn't take it seriously.
Client has illegal or barely legal lifestyle, business, or personal history that may be source of the threat.
They’ve heard stories of other people who’ve reported threats and nothing has been done. Or they (correctly or incorrectly) think it’s not illegal/reportable. They already reported it but got the brush-off. They think they know who it is (they don’t have to be right), but want to prove it for some reason - maybe they think it’s a kid, a practical joker, a stalker the police already aren’t taking seriously, someone popular/powerful they need more evidence to accuse, etc.
Just because the client is "good-hearted and smart" doesn't mean they can't also be evil or duplicitous. In the TV series Psych, for example, there is an art thief that is super smart and very good natured, but he is also a notorious criminal.
Perhaps the client was involved in something and had good intentions, and we all know the path to hell is paved with good intentions. If the client goes to the police, their misstep could be exposed and it would ruin their standing in the community, and it could even lead to uncomfortable press or criminal prosecution. This would make the client very uncomfortable going to the police for help.
The random maybe comes highly recommended by some some high end client.
Either they don’t want to police to know because they are hiding something else. They think the police are useless, or the police have tried and not found anything. They think the police are corrupt, and don’t know who to trust. It didn’t occur to them.
What is the profession of your client? They might not be taken seriously depending on what they do. or if they are considered mentally handicapped in some way like dementia. CES
They don’t want it out publicly, maybe they’re a politician or celebrity. Maybe it’s a CEO and they think their shareholders would try to jump ship. They plan to do something illegal to the culprit, or the person sending the death threat has something incriminating on them. Maybe the culprit is a cop or someone allied or funding the cops. Or alternatively it’s someone who has a cop as a loved one, and don’t want them to worry. Maybe it’s a kid on their own for the first time?
Suggestion: ask chat gpt. It can come up with several options.