George Jones, GRI

Police Officers Do Alot Of Things, But Not Everything!

All of my blogs so far have been informative, but not really entertaining. This one is going to be a little bit different. If it wasn't for the funny things that happen, I don't know how many law enforcement officers would keep working. This is a story about one of those funny things.

While with the Pennsylvania State Police, many people would ask me, "What's the strangest thing that ever happened to you as a trooper?". I always had a couple stories to pull out of my hat, and this is one of them. This is a true story. The names have not been changed to protect the innocent. (I'm just not going to use any)

It was a warm summer night and I was working the 11 to 7 shift with a young trooper who had less than a year on the job. We doubled up on the mid-night shift for safety because of the large areas we had to cover and the lack of back up units.

Anyway...at about 2:00 a.m. we were dispatched to a burglar alarm call out in the middle of nowhere (BFE). Usually these were hunting camps. This was common and ninety-nine times out a hundred it was a false alarm. Something fell off a shelf or an animal got into the camp setting off the motion detector.

We arrive in about twenty minutes and checked the camp. All was in order and we called the dispatcher to relay the information. About 200 yards away there is another camp that was lit up like it was the 4^th of July. Every light inside and out was on and the music was just blaring. This was a little strange because these were hunting camps and rarely used during the summer. We went over to check on the camp to see if anyone might have seen anything suspicious around the camp that had the alarm.

After knocking on the door several times, we were greeted by a middle aged woman with a beer in her hand. I told her about the alarm next door and asked if she might have seen anything suspicious. She said no, but she would ask the other girls and invited us in. There were about fifteen women ranging in age from 30 to 60. All appeared to be having a great time and all had had a "few", if you know what I mean. My partner was standing at attention, with his best "trooper face" on while some of the ladies were giggling, whispering and pointing at him. The matriarch of the group approached and asked me what the problem was. I told her about the alarm from the camp next door and just wanted to know if they saw anything out of the ordinary. She laughed and said a bulldozer could have plowed that camp over and they wouldn't have heard a thing. I asked her what they were doing there in the middle of summer. She told me their husbands come here every deer season and stay a week or two, so in the summer, all the wives come a stay a week.

One of the ladies walked up and whispered something into the matriarch's ear. At this point, a big smile came on her face. She leaned toward me and asked, "How much?". Confused, I asked, "How much to do what?". Very slowly she said, "How much... for you guys... to strip for us?" It took everything in me to keep a straight face. I turned to my young partner and asked him "Do you want to earn some extra money?". He asked me what I was talking about. "Well", I said, "they want us to strip for them." The look in his face was priceless. His eyes grew big and a look of panic descended upon him. He didn't know what to say, but all the ladies were looking right at him with big smiles on their faces.

I turned back to the woman, keeping my composure, and told her we had to get back to work. She turned and told the ladies we would not fulfill there request. The ladies started to boo and throw things at us, so we bid a hasty retreat. Once outside we both burst into laugher. We quickly jumped into the patrol car and got out of there.

I'm sure these ladies got just as big a kick out of the look on my partner's face as I did and I'm sure they have a great story to tell. I can imagine every year, when the ladies are at camp, one of them will have bring it up. "Remember the time we asked the state troopers to strip?" I'm sure they will all burst out laughing. I've always wondered if any of them ever told their husbands about the burglar alarm at the camp next door.?

You might ask, "What the heck does this have to do with real estate?". My answer is, "Not a thing, but I'm sure it made you smile.".

SEE THAT POLICE CAR IN YOUR MIRROR?

As real estate agents or regular citizens, we put a lot miles on our cars and I'm sure this scenario has happened to each and everyone of us at one time or another. Just the sight of a patrol car causes you glance down at your speedometer; adjust your hands on the steering wheel to the 10 and 2 o'clock position and put your seat belt on. (If you hadn't done so) These are normal reactions. In fact, that's why police departments use marked patrol cars. The patrol cars act as a deterrent and changes your behavior by doing nothing more than being seen.

Because of my background as a Pennsylvania State Trooper, people often vent to me about experiences they've had with the police. One of the biggest complaints I hear is how rude the officer was or how the officer made a big deal out of something as trivial as a license plate light being out. I then explain the situation from the officer's point of view.

The number one goal of all officers is to go home in one piece at the end of their shift. One of the most dangerous things they'll do during this shift is make a traffic stop. They don't know if they're pulling over grandma on her way to the store to pick up a gallon of milk or a guy who just killed someone in a robbery and is driving a stolen car. Many officers have been killed or severely injured when they stopped a vehicle for a small violation and were not prepared. Maybe he was thinking, "I'll stop this guy real quick, pen out a warning and head to the station to finish up some paperwork." Just another "routine" stop. As he's walking up to the car, he's thinking about the argument he had with his wife before he left for work or his son's little league game he missed. Then, when he looks into the car, he's staring at the muzzle of a gun. Good officers don't let themselves fall into this type of complacency. They treat each traffic stop as if they were stopping a potentially dangerous subject. It reduces the chances of them staring down the barrel of that gun.

So the next time you see that patrol car in the rearview mirror, put yourself in the officer's shoes. Nine times out of ten, he's on his way to a call and just wants to get around you. But there's always the chance that he's sizing you up. Don't take it personal if he "lights you up". Just find a safe place to pull over. If you're polite and considerate, the officer will usually act the same way toward you.

But like in any profession, there are always a few bad apples in the bunch. If you run across one of these officers, be courteous. Don't give him or her an excuse to escalate the encounter and when it's over, contact his supervisor. Believe it or not, if this officer has been a problem, his department may be looking for an excuse to terminate him. The last thing they want is an officer giving their police department a bad name.

So weather you get a traffic ticket or warning, thank him for doing his job. Who knows, he might have saved you life by preventing you from repeating the violation and possibly being in a accident. Because the last thing he wants to do is knock on the door of your loved ones and tell them you were killed in a traffic accident.

Being A Good Samaritan And Witness

Driving on the highways and streets of Phoenix or any metropolitan area can be a stressful experience. People are always in a hurry and often take unnecessary risks in hopes of shaving off a few minutes of travel time. How many times have you been passed by a vehicle that was weaving in and out of traffic, just to pull up along side him at the next stop light. He takes off again, driving like a mad man, and again, you pull up beside time at the next light. He didn't save any time, but put the public at great risk. Remember that the next time you are in a hurry and think you have to risk your safety and that of others. It's not worth it.

If you drive long enough in the Phoenix area, you're bound to come upon an accident or actually witness one. What should you do and how can you keep yourself safe?

For most people, they want to run up to the collision scene and start helping. For others, they will just look the other way and drive on by. I never could understand these people and I don't know how they sleep at night.

For those of us who want to help, here are a few things we should do upon arriving at the scene:

1. First and foremost...Call 911! Take a second to look around and figure your exact location. Take a deep breath and talk clearly and slowly to the dispatcher. Nothing is more frustrating to a first responder than being sent to the wrong location.

2. When parking your car, turn on the hazard lights and make sure it is in a safe location. You don't want to become involved in a collision yourself. It will ruin your day.

3. Before exiting your vehicle, assess the scene. Are there electrical lines down; is gasoline spilling from one of the damaged vehicles; did a vehicle hit a telephone pole and could it fall. There are hundreds of possible dangers out there. If it's too dangerous to exit your car, don't! Wait for the first responders to arrive.

4. If you determine it is safe to exit your car, check on the occupants of the involved vehicles. Unless a vehicle is on fire or someone is in the middle of the road, or you are an EMT, nurse or doctor, don't touch any of the injured. But if someone suffered a serious injury, such as an amputation or deep laceration, you may have to administer some form of first aid to stop the bleeding. Tell them you called 911 and help is on the way. Stay with them and keep reassuring them that help is on the way.

5. After the police and fire department arrive, take a moment and gather your thoughts. If you have a pen or pencil, jot down a few notes.

Chances are, one of the police officers will hand you a Witness Form and ask you to write down what you saw and what you did. Don't worry about filling out this form perfectly. Don't worry about spelling or grammar. This form is there to jar your memory if you ever have to testify in court.

Yes...that's right. You may have to testify in court. There is no such thing as an accidental "accident", unless a deer jumps out in front of you or a tree falls on your car. Some form of a violation had to happen for this collision to have occurred. Maybe someone ran a stop light; or were driving too fast for conditions; or were driving while intoxicated. Your testimony can be a crucial part of the case.

When everything is over, take a moment and pat yourself on the back for doing a good job. There's not a better feeling in the world than knowing you helped another person who was in trouble. In fact, that's the reason most first responders do their jobs. It's a good feeling.

VACANT HOMES AND CRIME

As in many places in the United States, there are a high number of vacant homes in the Phoenix area. Most are the result of a foreclosure and many have been on the market for 100 days or more. These homes are perfect targets for criminals.

As a REALTOR®, how many times have walked into one of these homes with a client and found it vandalized or the appliances missing. This has happened to me on several occasions.

When showing an REO in an upscale neighborhood, my client and I walk in and found the appliances missing. In the garage we found the stove next to the overhead door. The MLS sheet stated that the appliances came with the property. I thought that was a little strange, so I called the listing agent. He told me the appliances should all be there. At this point, my client and I exited the home and I called the police. When they arrived, they took our statements and conducted their investigation. The officer told me this type of burglary was very common in that area. The criminals will gain entry, open the garage door and back a truck inside. They would load their truck with as many items as possible, while being hidden from the public, then drive off. In this case, they weren't able to fit the stove.

The next time it occurred, I found the home being lived in. There were food wrapper and garbage on the floor along with two sleeping bags. There was graffiti on the walls and some drug paraphernalia on the counter top. Needless to say, we didn't stay there long. We beat a hasty retreat and called the listing agent. I strongly suggested she call the police. We were not going to wait around. The last thing any REALTOR® should do is put his client in danger.

Now, you have to ask yourself, "What would happen if you opened that door and were eyeball to eyeball with a person that should not be there?"

When you're showing homes to clients, always maintain "situational awareness". Be aware of your surroundings. When you open that door you never know what's on the other side. If you get that gut feeling that something is not right, act on it. The last thing you want to do is walk into a home when a crime is being committed. But if it does happen, you should have a plan. Something you've gone over a hundred times in your mind. If you don't, chances are you're going to freeze up while your brain is trying to find a solution to the stressful situation you were just thrown into. It's that "deer in the headlights" look. You're about to become a victim of a crime yourself.

It's no different than when you‘re playing baseball. A good player has already assessed the situation before the ball is hit. He's already thought, "if the balls hit over my head, I'm throwing to third base; if it's hit in front of me, I'm going to second". He's gone over all the variables, so when the ball is hit, he already knows what to do. I'm sure you've seen the little leaguer that didn't do this and was unprepared. The ball's hit to him and he just stands there, looking around in a state of panic. The fans are yelling, the coach is yelling and he just stands there, frozen. That's because he doesn't have a plan.

Moral Of The Story:

REAL ESTATE FROM A TROOPER'S POINT OF VIEW

Well...this blogging thing is totally new to me. I've been pondering for the past week on what to write, so today, I'm going to jump in with both feet.

First off, a little about me. I grew up in a small town along the banks of the Allegheny River in northwestern Pennsylvania. And when I say small, I mean small. My high school graduating class totaled 37 students.

After graduation I joined the U.S. Air Force as a law enforcement specialist. It seemed the natural thing to do since I came from a police family. You see my father was a Waterways Patrolman with the Pennsylvania Fish Commission and my grandfather was a retired Pittsburgh Police Officer.

My four year hitch with the military was up on Pearl Harbor Day of 1984, and on Tax Day, 1985, I joined the Pennsylvania State Police. I worked as a patrol officer, undercover officer, criminal investigator and for the last ten years as a Patrol Unit Supervisor. I retired in January of 2007 and moved to sunny Arizona with my family. We live in Surprise, Arizona, which is considered the West Valley of Phoenix.

By April of 2007, I earned my Real Estate License and I've been living on Easy Street ever since...I wish! After six months without having any luck, I joined the Arizona Highway Patrol. I dabbled with the real estate business during this time, but never really made any money. I told people real estate was my expensive hobby. Then in August of 2009, I was introduced to a broker that handles mostly REO listings. After talking with him, I quit my police job and decided to dive head first back into real estate.

I've been doing a few BPO's in hopes of receiving REO listings. That's where I stand as of today. I still work with some Buyers and a few Sellers, but hope the hours I'm putting into the REO side of my business will eventually pay off.

As for my blog...I want to make it something different than what you see everyday on real estate blogs. I want to write from the perspective of a police officer, so I'll be writing mostly about the law and how it may or may not pertain to real estate. I'm sure I'll get long winded sometimes telling some of my stories, but most are entertaining. In fact, people would often ask me why I ever wanted to be a State Trooper and I would tell them it was for the entertainment value. Although we dealt with many tragic incidents, it was balanced with humor and the funny things people do (including my follow troopers). That sense of humor is one of the most important things a police officer can possess. Without it, he will not last long in this career field. Of course, when I tell a story, (like in the Dragnet series), "The names will be changed to protect the innocent." The last thing I want is a phone call from one of my friends.

I hope to make any articles I write both informative and entertaining. And if you see I'm starting to write as if I were typing out a police report, let me know. Old habits die hard.