Sometimes you just have to wonder . . .

One of my favorites is the warning label on each one of the opaque sun shades for aircraft windows that says "Please remove before flight".

Straycat1911

 

 

Gamera

Personally favorite: Warning on automotive fan belt. 'Do not change belt with engine running.'

 

 

 

 

Unless you have the speed of a marsupial. 

 

How about the warning on the bottle of sunscreen "not for internal use"

Gamera

Personally favorite: Warning on automotive fan belt. 'Do not change belt with engine running.'

 

Unless you have the speed of a marsupial. 

Out here, usually the first plea item on the table is the automatic 5 for felon/firearm.  And as fast as they aquire another, I tend to think the one they're caught with is put with their personal effects and returned on their release.

Eaglecash867

A little more detail came in on the local one.  Looks like 3 of them were convicted felons in possession of firearms, and the 4th was arrested on drug charges.  Beyond that though, I agree...difficult to prove intent.

Yes I had read that. In the end, most likely the charges will boil down to that easy mark, ex-con with a gun.

Eaglecash867

For what I have going on here, my goal is to provide what I can, and then stay the hell out of their way while they get to the bottom of things.  All I have is a suspicion, and I understand that it takes more than that for them to be able to take action.  Just want to make sure that I don't cross some line and screw things up for them.

and that is what most agencies want, citizens who will take a stand and say something. The trick is knowing what can and cannot be done. Concerned citizens are not constrained by case law or department policies, only the local and federal statute laws.

stikpusher

Personally I'm curious to see how such cases play out in court, because unless one can prove intent of the room occupant, it's a big conflict against 2nd Ammendment rights

A little more detail came in on the local one.  Looks like 3 of them were convicted felons in possession of firearms, and the 4th was arrested on drug charges.  Beyond that though, I agree...difficult to prove intent.

For what I have going on here, my goal is to provide what I can, and then stay the hell out of their way while they get to the bottom of things.  All I have is a suspicion, and I understand that it takes more than that for them to be able to take action.  Just want to make sure that I don't cross some line and screw things up for them.  

Eaglecash867

Speaking of that, it came into play on Friday night in Denver when a hotel employee in Denver reported suspicious activity with 4 guests in a room there.  Its very likely that simple action prevented another Vegas-style mass shooting at Coors Field judging by what was found in the room.

Hotels are a unique search and seizure situation- 4th Ammendment stuff. To search a premises, an officer needs a warrant, consent, or exigent circumstances. Otherwise an individual has a reasonable expectation of privacy while in control of the premises. A hotel is a unique situation in that the manager or owner of the property can give consent for a search of the premises under case law. 
In the wake of the Vegas shooting, many guest establishments have taken on the   policy of calling Law Enforcement if one of their staff sees something suspicious, especially in regards to firearms. There was a similar incident in Chicago a few days ago where hotel cleaning staff saw a firearm and ammunition while cleaning the room, police were called, and the occupant of the room subsequently arrested. Personally I'm curious to see how such cases play out in court, because unless one can prove intent of the room occupant, it's a big conflict against 2nd Ammendment rights

Thanks for the detailed explanation, Stik.  I realize the priority may be low, but I also feel like I need to say something to try and make a difference.  I live in Denver, CO, so I'm pretty sure they're not going to be dealing pot...you can buy that at a shop on just about every street corner here.  Just wanting to go with the "See something weird, say something" philosophy.  Speaking of that, it came into play on Friday night in Denver when a hotel employee in Denver reported suspicious activity with 4 guests in a room there.  Its very likely that simple action prevented another Vegas-style mass shooting at Coors Field judging by what was found in the room.

Well, narcotics enforcement is a field in flux. You don't have down on your profile where you live in your profile, but laws vary by state. Is joe the candyman, slinging weed, meth, coke, heroin, or something stronger? The laws and DA filing policies vary by jurisdiction. The next consideration is what is the work level of that stuff in your jurisdiction. Resources are finite, and most narco details like to go after the bigger fish as opposed to the small ones. Next is what is the level of support that the local LEO gets from the general public, their city council or county officials, as well as the local courthouse. Who is voted into office as officials and judges makes a difference. Are they spinning their wheels when they make a bust and putting bad guys into a catch and release system, or do the bad guys actually get hard cases filed, found guilty, and put into prison for some serious time? Or do the DAs plea bargain everything down to the lowest chargeable offense to maintain their conviction rates? How is the jury pool, are they supportive of the cops or adversarial and believing the defense attorneys who use the ACAB paintbrush? What other sorts of crime are happening that are related to the narco activity? Burglaries and robberies by users to support their habits? Shootings by dealers and suppliers to control their territory and competition? It's a whole big web of tangentially related crimes. All that comes into play when you say, "you guys might want to look at this". Yes, it's a big deal to you and your neighbors in your corner of your locale. But when compared with everything else in the jurisdiction needing attention, it may be low on the priorities list for resources available. 

goldhammer

As long as the activity is taking place in public, you shouldn't have any problem with videoing.  If you can get two or three episodes on tape, then go down and tell the local LEO's, I have something you might want to look at and do something about.  I'm pretty sure he's running on a schedule, and toss that in.  They can then set up their own op to deal with it.

stikpusher

Good luck with that. In my 30+ years as a street cop, most of the Feds that I crossed paths with are not good at catching street criminals. They have college degrees and minimal street smarts/experience. As agencies they do not impress me. Most "couldn't find a criminal in San Quentin", as my T.O. would say.

As I said again, I wasn't going to be asking them to do anything directly, just was going to ask them what I need to do to get the process started.  I would think that my personal and business relationship with a couple of them would end up complicating things, so I will just be asking for advice.  I look at it sort of like going out to lunch with one of my FAA buddies...its all cool unless I pay for lunch...then it gets complcated.  

As for the incident I described, I was told that the one guy was being charged with destruction of property...and that was it.

As long as the activity is taking place in public, you shouldn't have any problem with videoing.  If you can get two or three episodes on tape, then go down and tell the local LEO's, I have something you might want to look at and do something about.  I'm pretty sure he's running on a schedule, and toss that in.  They can then set up their own op to deal with it.

Eaglecash867

That's why I'm going to ask my Fed buddies how I need to approach it and what I can legally do about it.

Good luck with that. In my 30+ years as a street cop, most of the Feds that I crossed paths with are not good at catching street criminals. They have college degrees and minimal street smarts/experience. As agencies they do not impress me. Most "couldn't find a criminal in San Quentin", as my T.O. would say.

I won't dive deep into your incident with the local Sheriffs. But it sure sounds like one can infer that they got the bad guys, victim, and had almost all that they needed without your additional statement. There's a lot unsaid between the lines that leads me to that conclusion.

armornut

    Interesting thread, but lets not forget, it was posted above that the Arizona sold for more than the e-bay troll was asking. Hate to say it but "I told ya so" LOL.

 

Yup, you called it.  Just like you said with your quote of PT Barnum...there's a sucker born every minute.  Its like the conversation between the two guys who dig up the bomb in Sum Of All Fears.

"But, how can we sell it now?"

"Don't worry.  There is always someone who will buy this crap."

    Interesting thread, but lets not forget, it was posted above that the Arizona sold for more than the e-bay troll was asking. Hate to say it but "I told ya so" LOL.

stikpusher

 

 

HooYah Deep Sea

Video the goings on, and then turn it over to the Sheriff's dept. It's then called 'probable cause', and then they can do something about it.

 

 

 

 

I sure hope that your videos show transactions of money for contraband. Clearly. That is probable cause. Otherwise, in a best case scenario, it's a helpful hint leading towards reasonable suspicion that can lead to a detention and search. That a cop needs to observe firsthand as it happens.

 

That's why I'm going to ask my Fed buddies how I need to approach it and what I can legally do about it.  Even in this day and age of everybody using their phone cameras on each other, I'm pretty sure illegal surveillance is still a thing.  Seriously though, I don't have a whole lot of faith in the local Sheriff's Department after how they handled a previous incident in that same area a few years ago.  I called 911 at around 1:30AM to report what sounded like a woman being raped.  The 911 operator told me he had several other people on the line reporting the same thing.  As I was waiting for the Sheriff to show up, things sounded like they were getting really bad, so I went outside to see if I could do something if I had to.  I visually verified my suspicions the best I could and then decided it was time to intervene...not physically...just by yelling "HEY!  I've called the police and they're on their way!".  One of the guys (there were two of them) came running toward my voice and tore down the wobbly wood fence that separates their complex from mine to come after me.  I backed into my apartment, locked the door, and chambered a round in my .40.  Things got suddenly quiet, so I looked out the window and saw flashlights and a couple of Sheriff's deputies out there...they had the guy who just came after me on the ground.  I went outside to talk to them, the idiot who came after me points to me and says, "He knows me, sir.  He can tell you I live here.".  The only thing the deputy said to me was "Get back in your apartment please, sir!".  I said "OK.  Come talk to me when you're done though.  I've never seen this guy in my life."  I waited up a couple more hours, while occasionally looking out the window, to see a bunch of them milling around out there, taking pictures, etc.  Know what they wanted to talk to me about when they finally contacted me?  They called me on the phone, and wanted to know if I was the property owner and how much I thought it was going to cost to repair the fence.  I told them I was just a tenant there, had no idea how much the fence cost, and then said "Do you really think I called 911 because somebody knocked a fence down?  I stopped that guy and one other guy from raping somebody!  That guy tore down the fence to GET TO ME!"  He pretty much completely ignored me and said "So, you don't own the property and don't know how much the fence costs to repair.  OK.  Thank you."  Sent an e-mail to the Sheriff himself the next day to tell him about the whole thing.  He wrote back and apologized for "the inconvenience" and told me he would look into it.  That was the last I heard.  Apparently none of them understood that if they had showed up just 10 seconds later, they very likely would have had a shooting inside my apartment if the guy had come through my door.  Not to mention what might have happened to the victim if somebody hadn't intervened.  They seem to be pretty toothless and brainless around here.

HooYah Deep Sea

Video the goings on, and then turn it over to the Sheriff's dept. It's then called 'probable cause', and then they can do something about it.

 

I sure hope that your videos show transactions of money for contraband. Clearly. That is probable cause. Otherwise, in a best case scenario, it's a helpful hint leading towards reasonable suspicion that can lead to a detention and search. That a cop needs to observe firsthand as it happens.

Video the goings on, and then turn it over to the Sheriff's dept. It's then called 'probable cause', and then they can do something about it.

Unfortunately, I don't have an RPG with me today...mine's in the shop.  But, the DEA has been a long-time customer of mine.  My buddies there who are agents will probably be able to advise me on how to report what's going on so something can be done about it.  Kinda tired of seeing it, because there are always little kids over there playing in that area when that stuff is going on.  But, if I have to rely on the local Sheriff's Department to get something done, I won't hold my breath.  They're a bunch of mouth breathers too.

Unfortunately, sometimes you just don't have an RPG handy when you need one .  .  .

'Felony Stupid' should be a legitimate charge on a citation or traffic ticket, and remember, there are four types of manslaughter; Vehicular, Involuntary, Voluntary, and Praiseworthy!

A great example of stupid human tricks just showed up outside my apartment, in the adjacent complex.  A 75 IQ oxygen thief who has a fairly late model Dodge Charger (don't even think its an R/T) pulls up, somehow supposedly listening to that subwoofer crap at such a high volume the sound pressure levels would have burst the capillaries in his lungs if he maintained it for more than a few seconds.  On top of that, he feels the need to rev the engine that he couldn't possibly hear.

Then there are the 3 or 4 people all standing around...none of them talking to each other...who all suddenly flock to that car when it shows up.  They all go to the window one by one for maybe 10 seconds, and then go off their seperate ways...and then Joe Subwoofer once again turns his crap back up, revs the engine he can't possibly hear a couple more times and leaves.  That happens several times a day, even during the week since I've been on vacation.  Gosh...I wonder if anything illegal is going on over there.  LOL.  Nothing dumber than a drug dealer who does everything in his power to draw attention to himself.

somebody must have been really desperate for that Revell Arizona model as went for US $535.00 (approx C $667.55).                                     

armornut

    Great story Rob, I laughed at her all the way through.  UNDERSTATEMENT OF THE MILLENIA

 

    YOU CAN'T FIX STUPID!

     or my old tag line " is it better to be the village idiot or know your the village idoit.

    Your co worker was probably talking as to keep the vaccum between her ears from imploding her face......do us all a favor Rob cork that hole ans save air for the rest of us " smart" folks.

I mostly believe that a lot of it is the way some people are brought up....

At least the aviator didn't try to 'warm up' the tank.

Bill

The line I used to use to tell someone that they were somewhat inadequate in their job was "well, after this just remember, the cheeseburger goes in the yellow wrapper."

AND, So there we were .  .  .

I had been aboard my first ship probably a month or so and we were finishing up a overhaul up at Puget Sound. Taking on lubricating oil, we had a large, probably 500 gallon, tank up in the hangar bay anf we were using gravity feed to run it down to the engineering spaces.

Well, some brain surgeon aviation type decided that it would go faster if he hooked up a 150psi air line to the tank and give the oil a little 'push'. Oh, and he didn't bother to tell anyone about it. So, at about 11:00 p.m. that night, the tank decides that 150 psi is a bit more than it can handle .  .  . (the tank was rated at about 10psi).

Because we were sending the oil to my space, #1 Auxiliary Machinery Room, Some guy comes on down to our berthing space and wakes me up (rudely) and tells me that the tank leaked and we had to go up and clean it all up. I head up to the hanger bay to find the now seriously abused tank split open and probably about a hundred gallons of oil allllll over the hangar bay! Then I find the air hose still connected. I tell the guy in charge that not only were we (as in 'my people') not responsible for the issue, but that 'we' were not going to help clean up. 

End result; after explaining things to the boss the next morning, I was very popular with 'my guys'.

GMorrison

Might be time to let that one mosey along...

    Great story Rob, I laughed at her all the way through.  UNDERSTATEMENT OF THE MILLENIA

    YOU CAN'T FIX STUPID!

     or my old tag line " is it better to be the village idiot or know your the village idoit.

    Your co worker was probably talking as to keep the vaccum between her ears from imploding her face......do us all a favor Rob cork that hole ans save air for the rest of us " smart" folks.

Sounds like Five Easy Pieces.