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Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in Ask a cop's LiveJournal:

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    Sunday, July 5th, 2009
    3:04 pm
    [stormchild03]
    juveniles vandalizing my car
     cross posted to law_questions

    About 12 hours ago I filed a complaint against some juvenile neighborhood kids who vandalized my car.
    What, if any, reports am I allowed to have copies of for my insurance claim?
    The officer told me that he would turn the report over to the juvenile authorities, would I have to contact JA to get copies or the local PD?
    What, if anything, will be done to the kids and their parent?
    There were four kids and their mother always says her boys would never do anything wrong and of course the kids denied doing it. I didn’t see them do the actual damage but we caught them shooting the fireworks into our driveway and yard.

    Current Mood: annoyed
    Current Music: fan
    Thursday, July 2nd, 2009
    9:03 am
    [soulphox]
    Handgun qualification question
     Next Monday, I'll be taking possession of my first handgun, and I've been looking for a goal to practice...

    I'm just a citizen, I live in California, and I was wondering what is required for an officer to qualify with their firearm. It seems like a good, practical goal to attempt to attain - I really don't see myself being a perfect bulls-eye target shooter or anything, but I'd like at least a practical functionality.

    Thank you for your time, both on and off the clock!

    Current Music: last.fm station - "Candlemass Radio"
    9:01 am
    [snuck]

    Preface: I'm not a cop.... But I thought you guys might like this:

    In Western Australia the police have a new law they are already enforcing - if you are driving without a licence your vehicle (even if it's not yours, but someone else's) is automatically impounded for 28days.

    Here you can also have your licence suspended for non-payment of fines (including parking fines in WA)....

    They are getting super tough now. 

    http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=77&ContentID=152331
    Wednesday, July 1st, 2009
    12:17 pm
    [satyrblade]
    Airport Security and Suspected Terrorists
     Quick question:

    How would European airport security handle a pack of suspected terrorists who are sitting in an airport lounge, waiting for their plane to depart?

    In writing specifically about Glasgow International AIrport, where four mass-murderers are awaiting departure. They think no one's on to them. They're wrong. How would the authorities approach them without endangering innocent passengers?

    Also, how would the guards be equipped? I know that many European airport guards carry submachine guns, Tasers and sidearms. What kind of guards would be dispatched, and how might they handle the situation before it inevitably goes to hell? 

    Thanks in advance to all answers!   

    Current Mood: curious
    Current Music: The Outlaws - "Green Grass and High Tides"
    Sunday, June 14th, 2009
    1:52 pm
    [lonetread]
    Fiction question.
     Hey, all. I'm writing a fic, and my character's just encountered a police officer and left me with a question.

    What the cop knows is this: He was writing a parking ticket, looked up, and his police car was in pieces. He sees a homeless man (Dante, my main character) running away from the scene. The cop gives chase.

    My question is, what happens next, when Dante stops and the cop catches up to him? Does he just start asking him questions, or does he read him his rights and so on? And would it make a difference whether a bystander on the street had seen something and put the blame on Dante?

    Thanks.
    Thursday, June 11th, 2009
    5:55 pm
    [pineapplejoker3]
    A few questions about Illegal Aliens.
     1.  If an American citizen is married to an illegal alien and someone reports him to the authorities is it possible for the American citizen to get into trouble?  Also, if she reports him herself could she get in trouble with the authorities?

    2.  Are there any rewards for reporting illegal aliens to the authorities at the moment?

    I'm located in Myrtle Beach SC if that has any effect on local laws and regulations. 

    Thanks
    Thursday, June 4th, 2009
    7:53 am
    [a7x_weirdo]
    IMPORTANT! PLEASE RESPOND ASAP.
     Okay, I have a few stupid questions:

    1) Are the walkie-talkies in cop cars called walkie-talkies?
    2) Is there another name for them when they're on speaker, like if cops are trying to tell someone to pull over or something?
    3) Do unmarked squad cars have them, too?

    Thanks for helping me with my idiocy!
    Monday, May 11th, 2009
    10:41 am
    [alimsiemanym]
    Fiction question: transferring departments
     I'm writing a novel and have a question about the process by which a police officer would transfer departments.

    The character is question is a homicide detective with the NYPD working out of Brooklyn. He then moves to another city (either Baltimore or Miami) and joins the local department. My question is -- would his rank transfer? Would he immediately be able to work as a detective, without having to do patrol first? Would he be able to transfer to, say, bomb squad if he has the previous training and experience (in NY) to do the job?

    Thank you very much in advance!
    Wednesday, May 6th, 2009
    4:28 pm
    [snowdropcookie]
    Is this harassment?
     I live in [edited:] MA in a three-family apt building on the second floor. Our landlord just put in a new front door. Apparently a lot of people leave it unlocked, and this greatly pisses off the downstairs neighbors. It's not us - my husband and I are borderline ocd on locking them, because we got fed up of people in our last building doing the same thing (but we never yelled about it).

    Over the past few weeks, the downstairs neighbors have been opening their doors, yelling, "LOCK THE FUCKING DOOR!!!" and slamming it shut so hard the building shakes. We usually call down (politely) that it wasn't us, and that we hadn't left the house all day (we both work online and I study online). This continues.

    Yesterday, they left this rather charming note on the front door for EVERYONE to see:
    ( (cut for length and a photo) )


    Current Mood: stressed
    Sunday, May 3rd, 2009
    10:03 am
    [dagonell]
    Citizen's Arrest
     A recent webcomic used the punchline, "read how to make a citizen's arrest before you try one again".

    For those who don't want to follow the link: 
    Luna is an under-age girl.  Steve is a convicted pedophile, he' s not supposed to be near her.
    Ace caught Steve in Luna's apartment building and threw him out.
    Steve broke into Ace's house to threaten him, Ace beat him up and threw him to the curb.
    Luna got injured in an unrelated event.  Ace went to visit her in the hospital and found Steve in her room.
    The last panel shows Ace in jail. 
    In the next strip the officer tells Ace all charges have been dropped and Steve's back in jail.
    She gives the line "read how to make a citizen's arrest before you try one again".

    So, how DOES one make a citizen's arrest??

    Wednesday, April 8th, 2009
    3:22 pm
    [_apprentice_]
    Carrer change...
     I live in a fair sized  town and I'm thinking of applying for a job with the local P.D, but I'd like to know what a day in the life is like for the new guy for the first few years.  Also what skills have folks found that help while working? 
    Wednesday, March 18th, 2009
    11:37 am
    [garybaldy]
    Opinions
     I posted the following to my journal. Several of my friends have told me i should not have dropped it. So i am considering reinstating the complaint. Was just wondering what some of your thoughts may be. This happened this morning. The state is Georgia.

    "So i am out on my porch about 3am having a death stick. When i notice a tow truck prowling the complex. I think to myself it is probably a repo. However just in case it is not i will be a concerned neighbor and go check it out. Yes most people would probably call the cops at that point. Not me, i know i am an intimidating looking fellow. (yes i know probably get my self shot this way some day) anyway. I go outside following the sound of the engine noise the tow truck makes. I see the truck hooking up to a vehicle. At this point i am standing about a hundred feet away just watching. The driver starts to lift the vehicle which sets off the car alarm. So i slowly approach the tow truck. The driver notices me and asks 'how can i help you'. I answer with 'i am just a concerned neighbor, would like to ask if you could show proof that you are authorized to take this vehicle' Which he immediately gets confrontational "YOU COME ANY CLOSER YOU ARE GOING TO JAIL" As the driver gets into the truck. I walk around to drivers side, keeping my distance with the previous threat in mind. I am like "Hey man i am not here to cause any shit just asking out of concern. He starts turning the truck which brings it closer to me. Again he threatens me with the going to jail thing. At this point i am like wtf he is threatening me with going to jail if i come any closer to his truck as HE drives it closer to me. He jumps out of his truck and starts threatening me with physical violence. I take a step back again requesting the before mentioned information. He ignores me and gets back into the truck at which point i walk just close enough to see what the company name is on the side of the truck. Threatening me again as he drives off.

    I go back into my apartment and look up the non emergency police number. They inform me that yes a repo is happening in the complex tonight. I explain what happened and the officer asks if i want to file a complaint seeing as i was threatened. I think about it, sure why not. Anyway an officer calls me up about ten minutes later. Goes on about how they (the repo men/women) have a very stressful job and do not like ever being approached. Even with good intentions. He did mention the threats of going to jail are hollow threats. Just said as it does scare off some people. Goes on to tell me repossessers are required to inform the police department, which they did. If they do not they get a rather nasty fine.

    Suffice to say i dropped it."
    11:27 am
    [vanessagalore]
    ARMED PI / CAR AFTER ARREST
     I'm amazed that this community exists. I promise not to abuse the privilege by asking too many stupid questions!!

    For a silly story: #1. A licensed private investigator, with a permit to carry a concealed weapon, goes into a police station in a new town where he is not known. Does he leave his weapon in the car to prevent causing a problem in the police station?

    He has also given his companion a weapon; the companion is not a PI and isn't licensed to carry a weapon at all. I'm assuming the companion will definitely leave his weapon in the car, since he's doing something illegal.

    #2. Two people in a car are pulled over and are arrested on suspicion that they were involved in a vehicular homicide. What happens to their car? I assume it gets towed to an impound lot. Do the cops wait until the tow truck shows or just leave the car after calling it in?

    Thanks in advance. I really like getting the small details right (well, as right as possible without blowing my plot). If these questions are inappropriate and/or inane, feel free to delete this post.
    Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009
    5:33 pm
    [loupnoir]
    I'm writing a novel, like just about everyone else who posts here. Thank you, LEOs, for taking the time to answer our questions.

    If a cellphone is found at a murder scene, would the police contact the people listed in the phone as part of the investigation? If they do, do they call at any hour?

    If the victim is not a citizen, is the consulate contacted?

    This takes in San Francisco, if that makes a difference. The victim was a Russian Federation citizen.

    Current Mood: curious
    Tuesday, February 17th, 2009
    9:46 am
    [juxtaposefantsy]
    Fiction question: Discovery/Investigation of a Body in an Isolated Community
     My novel is set in the Colorado Rockies, in the Estes Valley to be exact. I've tried emailing the Estes Police but they didn't respond so I'm hoping someone here can be of assistance.

    My scenario is that a heavy snow storm has cut off a small community of people in the mountains (think around 25 people). A body is found at the edges of a lake there. The locals who find it think it looks like a drowning, though it later proves to be otherwise. They call the officer assigned to their particular zone of the valley to report the body. My questions are:

    1). Because heavy snow has closed off the road (it's unpaved, and carved out by the inhabitants), how would the police respond to the call? Is it unlikely that they'd use snowmobiles? Or would they call in a plow company to try to clear out the road? Keep in mind this is in heavily wooded mountains.

    2). The Estes agency is pretty small. The town itself has about 5,000 residents. Is it likely they'd have detectives who could respond or would uniformed officers do the work of investigating the crime scene and interviewing suspects? If it's the latter, would it be assigned to a higher ranking officer and if so, what rank?

    3). Do small agencies like that have ME's? How soon would the autopsy be performed on the body? I'm guessing it might have to be shipped to a lab in Denver. How quickly would the results come back?

    Thanks very much!!
    Sunday, February 15th, 2009
    11:57 pm
    [g0shawk]
    Fiction question: hostages
     I'm writing a short story for my creative writing class, and my professor has a problem with one of the things that happens in it.  All I know about police procedure is what I've seen in shows and read (and I was an explorer for a while).  Anyway, here's what happens:

    There are 2 cops (partners) who work for the narcotics division in Miami.  The police get ahold of a bunch of drugs that a certain drug ring wants back.  The bad guys take cop #1 hostage, saying they'll free him in exchange for the drugs.  Cop #2 tells his superior that he needs a photo of #1 (he's found the general area where he is, but doesn't know which building it is.  He's hoping the photo will give him a clue).  One of the bad guys takes a pic with his cell phone and sends it to the police.  The superior then sends the photo to cop #2.  The owner of the buildings tells cop #2 that only one building has the walls painted the color of the wall in the background of the pic.  And that's how they find cop #1.

    Here's the problem my professor has: he says that the police wouldn't ask the bad guys for anything, and the bad guys wouldn't give the police anything (because the bad guys have the upper hand).  But if the police wanted proof that the bad guys really had cop #1 (alive), wouldn't the bad guys give them proof because otherwise they wouldn't get anything?  Or would they maybe be more likely to let cop #1 talk to cop #2 over the phone, rather than sending a photo?

    I would really appreciate any input!  Thank you!
    Sunday, February 8th, 2009
    5:26 pm
    [kayim]
    Fiction Question: Internal Investigations
     I'm working on a novel in which the main character is a beat cop who is suspended on suspicion of taking bribes.

    a) Is this a likely scenario?
    b) I'm assuming that suspension would involve unpaid leave? What kind of time period would he be looking at?
    c) I'm also assuming that his service weapon would be taken from him. Is this right?

    If it makes a difference, this is a fictional town in a not-yet specified US state :)

    Thanks in advance.
    Thursday, January 22nd, 2009
    3:08 am
    [tani858]
    hi. in 2005 i got arrested for DUI. i was 19 at the time & had blood test that showed meth (i assume because thats what i was on)

    i went to court and they said my name wasn't on the list and year went by no charges filed by the da.

    My criminal record dosent show this arrest BUT are those records - mug shot, blood test results, etc are able to found somehow?
    Saturday, January 10th, 2009
    12:13 pm
    [necrophilia]
    Friday, January 2nd, 2009
    7:27 pm
    [sixdemonhag]
    How long to investigate an assault?
     My son (aged 22) was punched in the face by an acquaintance on September 30. His nose was broken and he ended up having to have surgery. It was a sucker punch and he did not have a chance to defend himself or hit back, there are 2 witnesses to this. He went to the sheriff's station on October 1st to press charges. As of yet, neither of the witnesses have been spoken to, nor have medical records been requested. I checked with the DA's office and they haven't gotten anything yet. We've left 3 messages with the deputy who took the complaint (over the course of a couple months) and never heard back, so we have no idea if the guy is going to be charged, or when, or anything about it. We live in a small town in Kern County, California, so we don't have tons of crime. I am wondering if over 3 months is a reasonable amount of time to investigate a simple punch to the face. Thanks in advance for your help.
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