The "lost arts" thread

[Kieth M.]

DAL and I were talking about another subject via PM and it gave me an idea.

What do the TENURED sworn cop members of O.com see as having become the 'lost arts of policing'? What best practices were routine, 20-30 years ago and have (sadly) fallen by the wayside?

Don't give anything which might compramise officer safety, please...and keep it legal.

If you can, please let these younger kids know what might enhance their officer-safety, investigative skills, etc.

My post has to do with the term 'GOYA AKOD'. It's not Arabic, or Hebrew, it's an acronym standing for 'Get off your @55 and knock on doors!' The burglary victim's neighbors need to be contacted. Did they see anything. The burg victim claims to have lost a 60" flat screen TV, a sound system...has a neighbor ever seen such objects in the vict's home.

Going back the next day to see which street people are hanging around a crime scene...where they there the previous day? Who's missing? Who just came into a lot of money?

DAL, you're up next!

[jswwjw]

Pay at the pump, but I never said that.

[just joe]

I agree with basic follow-up and just knocking on doors to talk to neighbors.

[DAL]

Separate occupants/suspects as soon as it is safe to do so, so as to check their stories for consistency. Avoid talking in the meantime.

[ChiTownDet]

The days when the tac and beat guys knew every swingin' d!c% on their beat. We get a job in an area and ask the beat guys about certain spots on their beat and get blank stares and "we don't go over there," for answers.

As others said, talking to people. Now, if it can't be accessed in some data base, it's as if it doesn't exist.

When coppers shared info. Det's with P/O's, Tac with Det's etc. Everyone wants to keep everything close to the vest, so they can get the arrest, get an award.

Remember the days when you got an award, it was like a pleasant surprise. I've never seen so many people begging bosses to "put them in" for an award or P/O's typing up their own awards to be signed by Sgt's. I've even heard coppers on the radio, at fire scenes, "setting up themselves" for an award by getting on the radio and dramatically saying "We have people trapped in here and me and my partner will try to pull off the burglar gates and get through the flames to pull them out." Especially when FD is on the scene already Come on!

What happened to just doing your job because it's your job?

[ateamer]

-Getting to know the people you need to know in your beat by doing bar checks. There are lots of crooks who hang out in bars, and bartenders have lots of info, but you'll only know that if you are in there a lot.

-Kicking back and just chatting with people. Don't be in a rush all the time and not have time to chat with whoever starts up a conversation. That annoying guy in line at Starbucks who keeps wanting to talk may just tell you something that leads to an arrest. The homeowner complaining about a transient walking through may lead you to a hangout where transients are shooting up and you can make some heroin arrests. That ability to shoot the breeze and gather info will make you a skilled interviewer. You also have to actually care about what people are saying.

Be like Andy Griffith - know what is going on and do your job well because you can sit back and BS with anybody.

-Put yourself in other people's shoes. Quit blowing off citizens who are complaining about seemingly petty things so you can go do what you think is important. It's important to them, so it deserves attention. You can still make lots of arrests (probably more if you are a good community policer - being involved and attentive, not necessarily following theories in overweight textbooks written by has-been chiefs) while giving people the good service they deserve.



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[FJDave]

I dunno Keith...the kids these days have come up with new art forms to replace the old ones:

Using the radio car to get phone numbers (for dates);

New and exciting methods of being able to kiss off calls and paper;

unusual and new excuses and methods to get out of working ANY overtime and go EOW right on the money (and come in late, for that matter);

Innovative excuses for low stat count at the end of the month;

Speaking of stats, they are proud of their low stat count....the lowest stat count at the end of the month wins a prize of some sort (or so it would seem).

And the list goes on. So you see, they are not losing old art forms, they are merely evolving into today's proud law enforcement officer.

[dadyswat]

Biggest thing is get out of the cars.

Getting to know the people you need to know in your beat by doing bar checks. There are lots of crooks who hang out in bars, and bartenders have lots of info, but you'll only know that if you are in there a lot.

A good barkeep had a pretty good idea of what was going on and if they trusted you you could get a lot of good info.

[DAL]

I dunno Keith...the kids these days have come up with new art forms to replace the old ones:

Using the radio car to get phone numbers (for dates);

New and exciting methods of being able to kiss off calls and paper;

I am sorry to say that these were quite well developed when I started, 40 years ago.

[deputy x 2]

Planning before the incident happens. Coordinate with your beat partners. Communicate. Take care of your beat partners.

Realize that there isn't an "I" in team!

Don't drive balls to the wall (above your capabilities) to get to a call. Getting there a minute slower is better than not getting there at all!

[deputync]

Un-*** your vehicle!

[Kieth M.]

When talking to a subject, you can ask how tall he is, what they weigh, and if they have any scars or tatts...but for God sakes, verify what they tell you.

If you are 5'10" and he says he's six feet tall you better be looking up at him. You weigh 200, he says he weighs 200 and yet he's twice your size?

People, sometimes, don't think about their scars because they've carried them for 20-30 years. LOOK AT THEM. Moles? Acne scars? Cleft chins? Those are physical oddities....write them down.

Have him spell his name...once, then later, he might just be lying to you. Verify age and DOB with math....when it doesn't come out right, it better not be your math it's more likely his inability to keep a story straight.

[Monkeybomb]

Neighborhood cops. Always working the same area. You got to know everyone and when something was out of place or just plain wrong. Made some great street informants and you could pattern a crime and guess who did it from the usual suspects.

I really miss working the same area everyday.

[DAL]

A concept related to several of the posts above is foot beats in business areas, with officers expected to get to know the merchants.

[ateamer]

A concept related to several of the posts above is foot beats in business areas, with officers expected to get to know the merchants.

Yep. Get out of the car and do foot patrol in shopping centers and business districts. Introduce yourself to the merchants, get to know them and ask what kinds of problems are going on in the area, what the police department can do for them. Check back regularly and maintain contact with them.

When that approach gets you info that leads to good arrests, pass it on to your partners how you got the information. Get them operating the same way. The community (our first priority) benefits, you benefit and your department benefits. The only ones who won't be happy are the crooks.