Local Crime

[bachman1961]

I'm not real well read in the gun publications but have always been interested in the 'armed citizen' stories. I'm wondering how many cities have a web-link to their local Police as we do in Colorado. The Police Blotter offers public information in summarized format of all local police calls and response and it is pretty amazing how much does not hit the local paper. If you have this option, you should check it out and get a real-world feel for what is going on in your city.. ... it's kind of spooky. The crimes are briefly described and the address or part of town is mentioned as well. If you haven't used this option, you will be better informed. Just focusing on the car jacking, armed robbery at ATM's, armed home invasions etc... it seems like alot of major crime for a town that makes CCW Permits a streamline process. The proportion of BG's getting caught or subdued just doesn't seem in line.

 

[brerrabbit]

In my old home town, all crimes reported were printed in the paper with a map and an associated number so you could tell what happened where. The also printed the misdemeaner and felony reports every week.

Lot more happens in towns than ever hits the front pages.

 

[IlikeSA]

You'd be shocked what really happens in a town. Most people dont realize what goes on, and I used to be one of them. I am now a police officer but I remember when I first started working looking at the offense book and seeing page after page of what happened the day before (theft by taking, battery, assault etc etc) I think that the media in general does not want to scare the sheeple about what really goes on out in the world, and its easy to deny it if it doesnt happen on "your side" of town and you never see it or come into contact with it. However...criminals have cars, and they have guns(lots) and the houses on the "nice" side of town have a giant bullseye painted on them. My local paper recently printed an article titled "How safe are we?" It is a reflection of the signs that the local PBA put up titled the same thing, and talking about our shortage of police officers (which is true in every town and city) Statistically looking, the city government says we are 29 officers short, and the same size we were in the mid-1980's for a town that has grown 10-20%, depending on where you are reading. However, what they dont tell you is in actuality we are 50-something short because the city government chose to "cut" some jobs to make the shortage look better. Anyway, enough of a rant; I encourage everyone to take a look at the offense books and the locations, it will give you a much better idea of what really happens in your town/city.

 

[GigaBuist]

Try a police scanner... it's a bit unnerving at times what goes on around you that's never reported.

The day I picked mine up I put it on scan and while driving home from Radio Shack heard an address, and shots fired. I didn't catch the street, just the number (my mind is weird that way) and did a quick bit of math: that's about a quarter mile west of where I live. I was wondering if they'd again call out the street, so I could figure out just how far away it was, when I crested the hill coming up to my place.

Quarter mile down the road, there's a bunch of cop cars, lights a-goin'. That answered my question!

 

[Standing Wolf]

[SARCASM] Hey, not in my neighborhood! All the lawns are neatly mown and leaves promptly raked and sidewalks shovelled. [/SARCASM]

 

[Andrew Rothman]

Try a police scanner... it's a bit unnerving at times what goes on around you that's never reported.

I'd love to. I have an old one, but many PDs in my metro area have gone to a digital trunked system. The scanners that can pick up those broadcasts start at $550!

Remember that in some states, it's illegal to carry a police scanner in your car (although an exception is often made for Ham radio licensees).

 

[bachman1961]

scanners.. ..

The newer scanners ($400 and up), that cover the digitized systems are indeed nice when you have the time and inclination to monitor. I find the Police Blotter offers a way to review the archived text of calls and it's easier for me to sift through the calls. BTW; Lots of DUI fatalities showing up.