Neighborhood Security watch!!!

Having lived in my current neighborhood since 1974 I decided to join the Citizen Patrol unit and then I asked who had a 'concealed handgun license' and then I got this bs:

"texasmr2 -- I am posting on a seperate thread the next upcoming training classes for our newly forming Citizens Patrol. It is a one hour training which I hope you will consider even though you will not be able to utilize your full peace officer skills in this capacity. They teach us that our full function is to OBSERVE and REPORT. From the training manual: "Volunteers may not be in possession of any type of weapon, either on his or her person or in the patrolling vehicle. This rule applies to volunteers licensed to carry a handgun in the state of Texas as well." We are organizing this team of volunteers to be extra sets of eyes and ears to aide our paid security service and to provide extra security visibility. You would not be able to use your peace officer credentials in this capacity as we are not allowed to approach or attempt to apprehend anyone, but your keen observational training could definitely be useful."

Needless to say I will not be joining their merry band of 'Barney Fife' goofballs, they have no f'ing idea what security means!!!!!!!!!!!! How the hell is some neighborhood watch going to try to impede upon my 2nd Amendment Rights when all they do is complain. They are also trying to discredit my good standing as a certified peace officer for the state of Texas.

I told them in not so many words to piss off and I will not be apart of their Barney Fife antics.


Nothing pisses me off more than people complaining about security and not doing anything about it and then trying, and I emphasize 'trying', to step on my constitutional rights.

 

What is stopping you from just riding around and helping out security on your own, WITH your weapon? Then you are still free to "observe and report", but you can still use your weapon should the need arise.

Or if you really want to show them, start your own volunteer "armed citizen patrol". I predict your group will be far more popular, not to mention more effective.

 

How big is your neighborhood?

 

We had a rash of car break ins stealing radios, iPods etc. out of unlocked cars. It was pretty clear that they were coming on foot from a trailer park not too far away into the neighborhood and that they were teens to early 20's. The local busy bodies called up a meeting and two cops who live in the neighborhood, who are quite high ranking in their jurisdictions attended. The ideas tabled were all passive measures; motion lights, linking fences, posting a neighborhood watch sign etc. These things don't exactly strike terror in the mind of teen thugs.

So my neighbors and I tabled the idea that we take active measures. We each chip in a few bucks and go buy a motion triggered video camera with infrared lighting and install it in a vehicle and leave on the seat an item of value greater than the threshold for grand larceny (busted laptop). Then get a nice neat video of them entering the car, taking the item and leaving. We then would have video and stills to take to police, if they are local and known they could be IDd right away. If not already familiar to the cops then print flyers with a reward and send them into the high school, 17 year olds know 18 year olds, 18 year olds know 19 year olds and so forth. You would have an ID by the end of the day.

Then the discussion went like this;

Cop1: Well, what if they aren't local
Me: What if they are?
Cop2: You see wanted posters all the time but they don't always work
Me: But what if someone did ID them?
Cop1: I don't know if the school officials could ID the person
Me: Students would and for next to nothing, then we have a photo and name for the cops
Cop2: What if they don't know any students?
Me: It is a small town, 2 convenience stores, I bet a clerk would love an extra $300
Cop1: Well.........
Me: If I ever decide to become I criminal I am doing it where you two work


After which I put on my jacket and left the hens to cluck about lights and signs.

 

For the record any actions can't appear to undermine the cops. Both the above examples illustrate that. Sometimes you just have to take it upon yourself to get results.

 

I'm never without my weapon and always on the lookout for suspicious activity while driving through the neighborhood. Our security patrol are TCLEOSE (Texas Commision on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education) certified and are armed and have arrest authority so I do not want to intrude on their authorized armed patrol.

Such a patrol would need to authorized by the neighborhood association and I doubt it would fly since they do not want licensed CHL holders patroling. A CHL holder can only use their weapon when they feel they are in a life/death situation or protecting someone else from life threatening harm. Then comes the whole legal issues with detaining/restraining someone until security or the police show up.


I feel it is just better for me to let them live in their world of denial and I'll protect my home and property with deadly force if need be. I'll still help but from the sidelines so to speak.

It is very very small compared to some these days, this map should give you an idea. The map depicts my section of the neighborhood as there are two devided by a bayou but the other side is the same size. In total it is no more than 1 square mile.
http://www.briarvillage.com/main.cfm?link=5

 

I got tired of my teenagers ****bird friends soaping my fountain and forking the lawn, so I installed a 450.00 8 camera system from ebay. caught the little ****er's smiling faces the second week. Burned a copy of the video to disc and headed to the school where the pricipal was more than happy to help me instill the fear of God into them and their parents.

 

You tha man!!!

 

Props for this.

 

I still do this at the water works here in town. On my way home I drop by, do a little soaping, and off I go. The next morning I get a good laugh on the way to work.

 

I may be wrong on this, but if Gregg is a Peace Officer isn't he a Peace Officer 24/7? On duty or off duty? You would want him on your Citizens Patrol.........and armed!

 

I know!!!!

My concern is not stepping on anyones toes. I want to respect those who volunteer their free time aswell as my neighbors, heck I'm always armed but a certain amount of discretion also comes with being a LEO. I never try too hide the fact that I am not with a dept at this time yet my state certification is valid and I was sworn to uphold the laws of Texas, it is a narrow line I must balance on though.

Just two weeks ago I witnessed someone bullying someone in a way I knew was 'fishy' and when I said something I was called out for a badge number, he said yeh I overheard you saying you are a police officer earlier so I gave him my state certification number and a telephone number for verification, problem solved. In reality though I can only do so much but I do what I can.

 

Calling your neighbors 'Barney Fife goofballs' doesn't really make sense because Barney Fife was a police officer who always carried a gun on the Andy Griffith Show.

His boss, Sheriff Andy Taylor (played by Andy Griffith), did not. He would go back and grab a rifle if he needed to.

Details here if you are curious:

http://ingunowners.com/forums/general_firearms_discussion/78673-why_didnt_sheriff_andy_taylor_carry_a_gun.html

 

Here's my .02. I've been a cop in a suburb just outside Chicago for 18 years (this year). I think it's great you want to help out your community and keep your home safe. However, you need to realize working with your neighbors will not be fun. You see that already. You have a long career ahead of you. My advice is to work at work and enjoy life at home. You are already a public servant while you work. When you hang up your gun belt, go home and open a cold one and relax. You've got many years of stress ahead of you with your normal police work. Don't double your work time and stress load with this. Once your neighbors realize you're an officer, trust me, they will let you know who-what-when-where-and how the problems are!

I'm not saying to close your eyes and not handle a situation. I am saying, when you're off duty take that time and enjoy life outside of police work.

 

I grewup watching the show fyi and I only used the 'Barney Fife' terminology here, I did not blatantly call them that on our neighborhoods forum. Our neighborhood watch is great and I have met the man in person who started it and he is a great guy and he agree's with my opinion about not being armed.

My main concern is if someone is witnessing a felony in progress in our neighborhood (which allows a citizens arrest in my state) why bring a knife too a gun fight? We once had 24hr security via the local Constable precinct but that was deemed too expensive so now we only have a 8-5pm security patrol (armed with arrest authority I should add and a great guy aswell a Vet) and we all know that most burglaries happen when people are at work.

I did not mean to sound ignorant or 'Dirty Harry', I just have concerns about our little community which I have been apart of since 1974.

I agree 110% and it is nice to finally get another LEO's insight. I learned very quickly that we cannot save or protect everyone and cannot let the 'job' consume our life. Thank you brother.

 

My wife still looks at me like I have two heads whenever I bring up firearms and the necessity for them.

She doesn't understand in the slightest why anyone would need a firearm in their home, "when we can just call the police." Oui. If we lived next to a LEO, I might agree with her, but we don't.

I put my foot down hard about very few things in our relationship, but having firearms for the protection of my family is one of those things.

 

A firearm in the home of a civilian generally just gives a false sense of security and will more likely be accidentally or intentionally used to harm someone other than a thief.

Every case is different, but ask yourself where the gun is and where you could use it shoud someone break into your bedroom in the middle of the night.

 

I can safely assume you have no firearm for home protection right?

I disagree and I think you would be surprised how rare that sort of accident is in relation to homeowners being seriously injured if not killed because they did not have a firearm. I also believe that as citizens of this great country more and more of them are arming themselves as the 'overall crime rate' continues to escalate (actually this is backed up by statistics). I want to add that 90+% of these citizens are rational people who take the training they need via a CHL class. I live across the street from George Bush Park and there is a gun range there and I can hear all the gun fire on any particular day of the week from my front yard and it makes me happy.

In my neighborhood crime is up a huge percentage compared to even 5yrs ago and this entails armed robberies of our two local convience stores aswell as people getting robbed or carjacked in their own driveways.

I also have concerns with people who have a firearm for home protection not keeping them at arms reach. I keep mine on my nighstand fully loaded (safety on of course) but then again I have dogs, I'm a light sleeper and also being a LEO I have alot more training and just overall gun experience than most have, thats why I have one of the highest range scores in my academys history. I am by no means a gun nut either I'm just very comfortable being around them and using them.

If someone breaks into my house I seriously doubt they would make it to my bedroom in the middle of the night. I'll calmly call it in with my LEO ID# and ask for assistance and inform them that they might aswell contact the local Justice of the Peace also (a deceased body must always be examined first by a local 'Justice of the Peace' before it can be released to the medical examiner).

In summary what the Houston Police Dept is doing by telling the citizens who have a CHL is infringing upon their rights and yes I understand it is most likely to protect that person from any liability. I tried contacting the two officers that run the Citizens Patrol Program in our area and never recieved a call back or even a phone call and to me that shows a serious sign of indifference on their part. I also know for a fact that by state law they cannot tell me 'personaly' that I cannot carry my firearm as my CHL and LEO license supercedes the 'local' whatever they want to call it.

 

While I patiently wait for the 'new guy' at Stafford PD to get caught up (going well just slow) I applied and was called back for an interview with the security company who handles my neighborhood. A few positions I'm interested in simply to get me out of the house and pay for ammunition, the range across the street is very persuasive.

All positions are armed.

 

DING,DING,DING^
A police officer.
Thinks about his actions, He reacts when it is necessary, His reaction was right if he and everyone else gets to go home. When he is home (if possible) he knows to first call the guy on duty.

Down time becomes a very precious commodity the older you get. You get to grow older by using it wisely.

 

Gregg, Neil, others...

In light of the Trayvon Martin case, happening about 15 miles north of me, have your opinions changed about armed neighborhood watch volunteers?

I'm of the opinion that police officers go thru extensive training and psychological testing to determine if candidate has the temperament to be carrying a weapon. Neighborhood Watch volunteers do not.

How about the season finale of Southland? Aside from "Cops," best police show on TV!

KevFla

 

i'm saddened by this recent shooting. seems senseless. the family has been so stoic. how can they do this?

 

My initial concern/complaint was not intended to mean that 'neighborhood watch volunteers' should be armed it is the fact that they are trying to circumvent/infringe upon a persons rights to carry a firearm when the state has given them that right. Also I may not be with a dept at this time but I am a "certified police officer in good standing with the state of Texas" so that was one of my concerns, nothing more and nothing less.

The liability concerns are the issue so I am not disagreeing with you. During my interview with the owner of the security company that patrols our neighborhood (armed, state certified w/arrest authority) we talked about this subject as he follows our neighborhood forum and attends the monthly meetings. We agreed that it would be in my best interest that I stay away, too close to the fire so to speak.

Southland ROCKS and the season finale was excellent.