Raindogblue

Sand Before the Sun: Boy

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guest Post form Augen Z: The Broken Window Theory

 

Imagine a building, such as a house or a neighborhood store. It has a broken window. It might have been an accident, but no one fixes it. Maybe nobody cares: someone would repair the window if they did. Eventually another window gets broken, vandalism this time, the building was an easy target because no one was taking care of it. Pretty soon the building has graffiti on the walls, and trash begins to pile up. Someone breaks in and finds the building unoccupied. Transients start squatting. People don't park their cars near the building, and they try not to walk by it at night.

 

It's not just the building that deteriorates though, the area around it begins to get worse. The way the neighborhood looks sends the message that the community can't or won't protect itself. Over time the decay spreads and criminals enter the area, causing residents to avoid communal spaces. They feel disconnected, and families may start to move away. People don't know their neighbors anymore. Transients sleep on the sidewalks. People are drunk in public, sell drugs in the open, and violence goes up. Small crimes lead to big crimes.

 

That's the idea behind the "Broken Windows" theory. 

 

Clearly, it's important to fix that first window. A neighborhood where people take ownership of their community, get to know one another, and monitor public order is less at risk of minor crimes escalating into serious ones. By dealing with things as they come, like repairing vandalized property, picking up litter, or getting the homeless and the mentally ill the help they need, communities can protect themselves from deteriorating.

 

 

 

Augen Z received his Masters Degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice from a west coast university in 2014

 

 

Guest Post from Slam Dunk: Free-Range Kids

Happy Anniversary RD, and thanks for allowing me time on your blog. RD is masterful at creating concise written pearls of wisdom. Sadly, he has not taught me that skill...

 

Recently, stories involving the police and "free-range kids" have been in the national spotlight. 

 

The parents of free-range children argue that they encourage independence and self-confidence by allowing their young sons and daughters to go places in the community unattended: walking or biking to school, swimming at community pools, walking to area parks without parental supervision, etc.

 

Writers like Chris Freind at NewsMax  have chastised law enforcement for trying to infringe upon the rights of parents by examining these cases as possible neglect. 

 

I agree that parents should be allowed to raise kids as they see fit (and I reserve the right to call "bad parenting" when I observe it), but do we really want to discourage officers from investigating children seemingly unattended?

 

I hope not as police intervention can stop potentially dangerous situations, as in this example from Arizona (start the following video at 1232).  

 

And, some of the arguments used to defend free-range parenting bother me, especially this one: Parents should be confident that the community will band together to ensure child safety.

 

Mother Laura Beyer describes it as: "...if those of us who care for others would simply 'keep an eye on' children as we drive to and fro, they would be safe nonetheless. If you see a child walking and he or she is being approached by what seems to be a stranger, pull to the side of the road and ask if he or she is OK."

 

Who is a "stranger?" A disheveled guy foaming at the mouth hiding in the bushes? Do all strangers look menacing?

 

Danielle Metiv, a mother being investigated in Maryland for allowing her 6 and 10 year old to walk alone to and from a park a mile from their home, added: "I have no problem with people looking out for our kids. That's actually what people always did, look out for each other." Both quotes are from here. 

 

Wow, good luck with that one. Ever hear of the bystander effect?

It explains why citizens do not take action, and has been repeatedly supported. The following test was conducted in NY and illustrates how folks presented with an emergency repeatedly fail to act--even when the perception is that of a child being endangered. 

 

Ask any police officer today, and they will discuss how difficult it is to find even witnesses who want to cooperate in an investigation--most people don't want to get involved. It is simply how contemporary society is. 

 

And this reality is not something free-range parenting advocates want to hear. 

 

For a dose of reality, I'd suggest ride-alongs with a patrol officer on the overnight shift. They would then see some local "community members" in all their glory. The good, the bad, and plenty of the real ugly too.

 

So, do we need to be helicopter parents, hovering 24-7, and put kneepads and helmets on kids before playing at the park?

 

Of course not. 

 

But the FBI estimates about 100 child stranger abductions occur annually in the US--100 more than I am comfortable with. I don't want to depend on "Joe the Mechanic" or "Molly the Postal Clerk" to drop what he/she is doing and rush to aid my young children in an emergency; something happening a mile away from my house as I chill in front of the television or am mesmerized by the "cutest kitty photos ever" posted to Facebook. 

 

No thanks. I want to be there for the kids if that rare yet possible event occurs. 

 

Still, I am glad there are those who choose to intercede in an emergency--as these two brave teenagers did to stop a toddler abduction from a park in Lincoln County (WA) last week.

 

Question: Do you think a 7-year old walking alone to a park is: a) not an issue, B) should be illegal, or C) just an example of naive parenting?
 

 

For More on SD, try his blog…….

 

 

Guest Post from Hercule: No Big Deal

 

Hercule is a former reporter and U.S. Marine from Belgium. He has been working for the department for over 2 1/2 years. His submission is honor of the 7th anniversary of the blog.

Shortly after midnight on a Monday, a glorious Friday for me, my partner and I are counting the minutes until the weekend when we get dispatched to a domestic violence call.  

We arrive at a historic 1915 apartment building and the caller leads us up the staircase. Two floors below and we already hear the sounds of a dispute. The noise gets louder as we approach and we have no problem finding the correct apartment. As I tell dispatch our exact location, I hear an object slamming against the wall and the sound of glass breaking. I take a half-step back to kick the door in as my partner knocks, announces, and demands someone opens the door. 

A woman opens the door. Next to the door are a shoe and a broken picture frame. I grab the man and take him in the hallway for an interview. He barely speaks English so I have him write his name in my notebook. Nothing happened, he says. I ask him where he’s from. He’s lived in a couple of countries, most recently in my hometown, in my sister’s neighborhood, Halfway across the world.

We switch languages and the story comes out.

He grabbed her, against her will. He even shows me how.

"Had to control her," he says. 

"No big deal," he explains. 

I consult with my partner to get her side of the story and I arrest him. 

"No big deal," I explain.

 

Roll Call: 2015

The Cast: Officers

 

Andriod - Former Marine Captain, now working street crimes.

 

Argo - Former Wagon EMT, now working downtown at West. 

 

Beach Boy - Aka The Midnight Man is still Working on the Eastside Utility for West Afternoons. He's the officer under me for shift seniority. We try to eat dinner together twice a week. Tuesday is Taco Night.

 

Casbah - Prankster, Marine, and King of the SW Hills for West Afternoons.

 

Conquistador - Former Californian, former army, hit by two EFPs in his humvee,  now working utility at West. Every time I work a call with him, we seem ending up using force. 

 

Chicago Mike - Working utility in the West Hills on Afternoons.

 

C3K. Former journalist, now downtown district officer. 

 

D-Fresh. Working the SW Hills on Afternoons. He's been an officer in Atlanta and New York. 

 

Dan-O - Long time South Officer, now a Criminalist. 

 

Decibel - Former Army Tanker working utilty in afternoons. He is an excellent shot and knows more about guns than most people.  

 

DMS- Now working West Days utility.

 

Double S. Another refugee for South Precinct, now working nights on the east side of West. He is a training officer. 

 

Dutch - Former Nights District Officer for The Villages, now working West Days.

 

Edge - Still a Sergeant at North, former K9 Officer, and long time South Precinct Officer.

 

Fulio -  Former South Precinct officer, is working in the Chief's Office.

 

G. - One of the district officers in the West Hills Afternoons for West.

The "old man" of the shift and has a month more of senority than I do.

A long time ago, I went to the Advanced Academy with G. 

He can retire at any time he likes. 

 

Grim.

 

Grumpy - My former Wingman in The Villages. He retired after finishing his career on Nights. I hear his working in the middle east and playing video games in the middle of the night.

 

Hands aka Grevious - Working eastside utility at West. He is sly with a humorous photo text. 

 

Hercule- A former reporter and U.S. Marine from Belgium. He has been working for the department for over 2 1/2 years. He works downtown Afternoons at West .

 

Hull - Former Utility Officer Working weekends on the Eastside for West Afternoons, long time South Precinct Officer, now working in the Family Services Unit.

 

IC - Was the person with the least seniority in the entire department, now off probation. 

 

Kappy - Resigned from the Department, living across the country.

 

'Kato - Transfered to North, wishing he was back at West

 

Kenny - The old dog on the shift at West. He spend his days in the SW Hills and working on shotguns in the armory. He is also a training officer.

 

Kiefer. - A utility officer at West wishing to be a criminalist. 

 

K2 -  Working the eastern fringe for North Afternoons.

 

L-C. The current Nights car for the Villages. He spends part of his time investigating frauds.  

 

Loch. -Military man, OT seeker, and downtown bicycle officer. 

 

The Mayor- Legendary Officer at the Old North, Retired as a Sgt, now working at a local university.  The Mayor is still a Reserve.

 

Marquee- A Traffic Officer retiring after a long career with multiple agencies. 

 

Photo -  Marine and one of the last of the old guard from South still working the shift at West. He's a 18 year veteran.

 

Sam - A female officer long retired. 

 

Skins- Eastside utility officer at West Afternoons.

 

Snake Handler - Long time West Hills officer, now retired. His old district number has been retired in his honor. He is working as an armed, private patrol for the dow town businesses. One of his snake was in a recent Hollywood movie.

 

Stewie - The District Officer for Beggar's Bridge working on Afternoons for West.

 

Straight Pipe aka Li aka The Tortoise. - The District Officer for the zone north of The Villages. He's the master of finding the dumped stolen car. According to Li, everyday is Ground Hog's Day.

 

Wash -My former Wingman in the Villages.

 

Z. - Was working the Anti-Graffiti for NRT, now working on the east side of West for NRT.  

 

2Bs - Now working West Nights. 

 

Blogiversary

 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

Raindogblue is celebrating it's seventh Anniversary. To celebrate, I have gathered a handful of guests to  write post this week. Enjoy!

 

Cheers,

RD

 

 

Sand before the Sun

 

 

A Question of Color

 

A man walks up to Kiefer and me and points 
to a woman with Mallard Green hair.

He says, "isn't it illegal 
to have hair colored like that?"

It's the city. 
You're require to have hair like that. 

The only question for you sir is what color you'll pick: 
green, pink, or purple?

 

 

 

Sick

 

Wife: "So you are staying home sick from work today?"

 

Me: "No, I am fine. I am going to work."

 

Wife: "Come here."

 

Me: "Okay."

 

Wife: "Stand and see if you can not sway."

 

Me: "No problem."

 

I shift left, then right.

 

Wife: "See."

 

Me: "Fine.

I'm calling work."

 

 

 

Mist in the Wood II