Free WiFi

[Richard]

So I'm at this internet cafe, it's my 2nd visit. Just now, like last time, a rent-a-cop comes in with clip board in hand. He walks directly to the counter to speak with the wait staff. As he does he's checking off boxes on his form. (His pen strokes aren't long enough to write notes so I assume he's checking off a form.)

In less than one minute he's out the door. I ask the staff what was that about and she said it's security for this outdoor mall. They check in with each merchant at least once, maybe twice per day. I guess this is a high crime area. (petty crimes of opportunity)

So I get to thinking, while this behavior is strange and unusual to me, is this something ya'll have experienced in the cities?

 

[sba55]

Never. But then again, I avoid big cities.

 

[mikea]

Yeah, it's routine to have "wellness visits" in stores and such.

In Chicago, - I lived next the Addison "L" station that serves Wrigley Field - the cops used to have to go into to the CTA "L" station and get the stamp from the transfer validation clock machine on some kind of log form.

There are also "watchmen stations" that have keys the guards turn in a "watchmen clock" to make a mark on the paper inside. It proves they made the rounds.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

Checking a box on a sheet of paper.
That should drive crime rates down.

 

[sba55]

Checking a box on a sheet of paper.
That should drive crime rates down.

Absolutely! It's like squiggling on a boarding bass.

 

[JesseD]

Checking a box on a sheet of paper.
That should drive crime rates down.

Actually it's a presence thing. The first thing I did when I started managing a failing station in college was go to the local precinct. There I talked to the duty Sgt. about how to handle some upcoming changes, and let him know I'd do my best to fix things there. Wouldn't you know it, I had cops stopping at random times for coffee, et al.

Drive-offs went down and crack wh*res found somewhere else to patronize.

Most informative job I ever had in dealing with cops was the gas station gig that put me through college.

 

[airguy]

Actually it's a presence thing. The first thing I did when I started managing a failing station in college was go to the local precinct. There I talked to the duty Sgt. about how to handle some upcoming changes, and let him know I'd do my best to fix things there. Wouldn't you know it, I had cops stopping at random times for coffee, et al.

Drive-offs went down and crack wh*res found somewhere else to patronize.

Most informative job I ever had in dealing with cops was the gas station gig that put me through college.

Back in my younger days I owned a drive-thru beer barn, as soon as I bought the place I called the SO and PD and told them I had a standing offer for free coffee and soft drinks for all law enforcement on duty. Had a lot of cops through there on a regular basis, had no trouble with "unfriendlies" while I owned the place. The one thing I did get was a complaint from the desk sergeant that I was making the PD look like a bunch of alcoholics because they were visiting my establishment frequently - but there was no policy ever put in place to discourage it.

 

[dmccormack]

Just before I came aboard as a Security Guard at Houghton College (F/T job while a student) they removed the requirement to wear these:

Each guard had to visit each station (some were WAY up at the top of clock towers accessible only by stairs) and put the key in the box into the clock at the time assigned by the rounds.

I guess someone figured out that the guards had a predictablee route, and there would be hour spans with no guard presence.

They had just purchased two way radios and a pager when I was hired. Whew.

(I still had to visit all those places, just not on a regular schedule)

 

[Jack Spectre]

I was a mall cop (yeah I know ) and we tried to visit as many stores as possible...but they didn't want us in the store TOO long, lest the customers get nervous.

But it was a big mall and if somebody wanted to steal from a store, it was easy enough for them to just wait until we were at the other end.

I also had to use one of those stupid Detex clock thingies. It was in a huge match factory and the keys were spread all over. I was pinch hitting for the regular guy so after awhile I just gave up trying to find the keys and just patrolled the plant the best I could.