As an office drone, there is one thing I learned in my job hunt.

Networking!

How will you know what places are trouble or not if you don't ask around? Print some business cards. Introduce yourself to people on the street. Hand the cards out with contact info (preferably to a pay as you go burner or a Facebook page with your hero persona on it) so people can leave tips and such.

I think you should develop contacts. Local convenience stores, all night coffee shops and restaurants, the local homeless, etc.

And yeah, it can seem like you're doing nothing, but there is more than one way of doing something. Don't lose heart. And don't worry about the sirens. It means the professionals are on the job.

I really like that idea. DRock. Thank you for that tip.

As for the validity of patrolling downtown. I just heard on the news of a woman who was assaulted in a parking garage in the gas lamp, the heart of downtown san diego, in broad daylight.

We get reports of people getting attacked on the Yellow Line here in Portland. I ride it everyday.

sometimes I think we focus on one area solely because it is mentioned on the news. Perhaps mapping via newspapers and crime blotters might be better.

Zeta is right, street patrols seldomly bear fruit.
Boredom is another big enemy in doing things, I think I mentioned that at Megacon. It's that 1% of times it pays off that make it worth while, once that happens to you ONCE....you'll never be fustrated by the 99% of time again.

All you would have accomplished by throwing on your gimmick & interfering with a police search is distracting them, & maybe getting arrested yourself, You did the right thing by staying out of that one.

Just keep rolling brother.

Yeah you guys are right. I do use the spotcrimes map a long with other maps and statistical websites to try and draw conclusions as to where the most crime is being committed.

After all, batman spends a lot of time in front of the bat computer trying to figure stuff out.

But its hard to draw conclusions because so much of it so very spread out and sporadic. But I am going to be expanding my patrols soon.

I just gotta tough it out.

Just remember brother... being a RLSH isn't always about stopping crime. It's about making a difference. I don't know if you do, but try handing out some of that food to the homeless in your uniform. You'd be surprised how much that would help you build your network. Simply asking if anyone has seen or heard of anything bad going down in the area will help you put the pieces of the puzzle together.

Something I learned in the military is that there is not such thing as a Golden Ticket when it comes to catching bad guys. You have to piece a lot of smaller pieces together to make the big picture. You may luck out and nab someone on a whim, but if you want to go after the big fishes, you have to chum the water.

I myself am planning on getting a prepaid cell phone for RLSH work only. Granted, my IP can probably be traced back to my computer, but with a pre-paid phone, I will at least know that whoever is calling that phone is calling about something related to my RLSH work. Who know's, if I pass out business cards with the phone's number on there, I can receive text messages or voicemails about happenings in my area from concerned citizens who don't want to get the cops involved.

It's all about how you look at it bro. A wise man once told me when it came to deer hunting. "You can't make the big bucks comes to you. Sometimes you just need to be patient, because one day, they will wonder out on your path when you least expect it. Be ready, because you'll rarely get a second chance to go after him." The same holds tru to this line of work. Be patient comrade... it will happen some day. Just be ready.

talk to the people you encounter and listen to what they tell you. this includes the street people as well, they see everyting going on and are unseen by the rest of the world.

take a good walking tour of your city by yourself and look at the areas themselves and try to learn from it. leaning your city is a key to being able to put yourlsef in the best place to do some good. keep notes on what you see and hear and who you talk too.
sit down and think about everything you do know already. you might surprise yourself with what you know alreeady.

if you out and talk to only one person then you did some good. just by being seen by somebody helps to put the word out that you are around. that can be a deterent, I mean, who wants to have to deal with a nut in a costume?
the more you are seen the more people talk and the word spreads until it is assumed that you are allways around somewhere.

this is a learning experience for everyone. we all learn as we progress in what we do. learn as you go and you'll be able to do more.

and I can say from the experience of having worked with you in San Diego that you will do good at this. be patient. there is more yet to come.....

I patrol every single night, except for scheduled time off during the year, and on an average week I stop fewer than two incidents of varying degree. I know where the crime in Portland is statistically most likely to happen by constantly researching local and FBI crime statistics, but even with that knowledge, it is more likely that I will not be around to help when a crime occurs that I could successfully deter. It would be very easy to become frustrated, but I always think about the crime that maybe didn't happen just because I was present. Maybe I was walking by just as some dude was about to attack the woman 30 yards ahead of me, but he had to refrain because he saw me there. I am not saying this actually hapened, just giving an example. Just the fact that you are out and visible will give those who see you pause. You may have prevented more crime than you know. Stick with it and be glad people aren't getting hurt on your watch.

Burnside and stark off in Rockwood is pretty much a safe bet to find crime.

What you won't see is the crime that you prevent by yoru presence.


Many crimes are done on impulse - not planned.

Somebody walks by, thinking changes, people get tired and go home - no crime

I echo Champion - GOOD

I had crap done to me at a busstop, once, a long time ago.

No patrols.
No help.
Only offender and victim.


When patrols happens, patrol-preventable crimes don't


If you want a challenge, helpout at 7-11.

Those places are serious targets

I tried the patroling and watching and very little of interest happens. if people see you then they tend to ask questions and you have a crowd in no time. it does prevent a lot of spur of the moment stuff I would imagine.
I stopped more than a few fights just by yelling "COPS" and pointing up the street,

Zetaman had the right idea about taking stuff to handout on patrols. it gives you a better reason for being out and the people you give to will talk with you and after a few times will tellyou things that are happening around them. good intel.

your most effective crime fighting is still watching and reporting the activities you se going on around you. this means some undercover (without costume/uniform/gimick/tutu) walking around.
add this to patroling with at least cereal bars and it makes for a better spent night. you feel like you've accomplished something and you may get intel that can be acted on.