The people in your neighborhood...Traffic Officer

I recently had the opportunity to speak with Officer Travis Johnson. Officer Johnson is currently assigned to the traffic division and answered some questions about his enforcement activities:

CBR: How long have you been in law enforcement?

Officer Johnson: 8 years.

CBR: How long have you been assigned as a traffic Officer?

Officer Johnson: 3 years.

CBR: What does your typical day entail?

Officer Johnson: I usually start my day with traffic enforcement during the busy evening commute hours. After the traffic slows down, I return to the police station to complete reports and other office duties. In the late evening hours and early morning hours, I concentrate my efforts to the detection of DUI violators.

CBR: What type of enforcement do you do?

Officer Johnson: Enforce the vehicle code by issuing citations, investigate traffic collisions and DUI enforcement.

CBR: Why is it important to work traffic?

Officer Johnson: Multiple studies by organizations such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Office of Traffic Safety show that when traffic enforcement by law enforcement is increased, traffic collisions are decreased.

CBR: Are there other benefits to working traffic?

Officer Johnson: Another benefit of stopping vehicles is the ability to detect other types of crimes. An occupant may be wanted or be in possession of illegal items. Additionally, if criminals see Officers stopping a large amount of vehicles, they may chose to leave the areas in favor of one that does not have a high level of enforcement.

CBR: Do most people complain at the time of their tickets?

Officer Johnson: Actually, the far majority of citizens that I issue citations to do not complain and take responsibility for their driving.

CBR: There is a popular myth about quotas. Do you have quotas on tickets?

Officer Johnson: The Chico Police Department does not have any quotas for issuing citations.

CBR: Where do you think those myths came from?

Officer Johnson: Some departments do have quotas, but more than that, I think most citizens believe that citations are issued as a way of generating money for the department.

CBR: Do you get paid any extra for writing tickets?

Officer Johnson: I do not get paid any extra for writing citations. If fact, the issuing agency receives only a very small portion of the cost of the citation. The majority of the money received from issuing a citation goes to the State.

CBR: You have turned in some very impressive DUI arrests over the last years. Why do you focus on DUI’s so much?

Officer Johnson: Year after year, more American Citizens are killed in DUI related collisions than by all violent crimes put together. On average, a little more then 17,000 people are killed each year. This is a tragedy that is so easily prevented, yet it continues to destroy families every year.

CBR: What recognition have you received recently regarding your DUI enforcement?

Officer Johnson: I have been honored both locally and at the state level for the high number of DUI arrests I have made. However, these awards have nothing to do with my determination to remove impaired drivers from the road. I simply want our roads to be safe for the innocent people that are responsibly driving.

CBR: If there was one thing you could let the public know about your job, what would it be?

Officer Johnson: If we all slowed down a little bit and drove in a courteous manner, the road would be a safer and more enjoyable place for us all to be on.

Additionally, to those who may chose to drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol - If you are stopped and you are impaired, don't bother asking for a "break" or a "warning." I do not care if your livelihood depends on your ability to drive. You will be arrested. You will go to jail.

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The people in your neighborhood...Public Safety Dispatcher

For the first interview in this line of posts, I interviewed public safety dispatcher (A.K.A. 911 Operator) Wendy Gebicke. I have known Wendy for about 4 years and really like her insights into the job. She is an interresting person who has a GREAT deal of patience on the job. For those who don't know, Public Safety Dispatchers are the first line in dealing with emergencies and often have to help calm and sort through the problems of both hostile and hysterical callers.

It takes a very special person to be a successful Public Safety Dispatcher. I have seen several people try their hand at the job and quit soon thereafter. They have a very hectic job and are constantly juggling information.

Chico Blue Review (CBR): How long have you been a public safety dispatcher?

PSD Gebicke: 15 years.

CBR: What does your typical day entail?

PSD Gebicke: Answering 911 & business calls. Dispatching fire & police calls on the radio.

CBR: What type of calls do you take in a day?

PSD Gebicke: Shootings, stabbings, robberies, assaults, brandishing weapons calls, domestic violence, fights, dui's, stolen vehicles, welfare checks...the list goes on.

CBR: What type of training do you have to take part in to become a PSD?

PSD Gebicke: 3 weeks of schooling but the most important training is on the job & that can take years. I still learn something new almost every day.

CBR: What type of personality does it take to be a successful PSD?

PSD Gebicke: I think first and foremost you have to want to help people. That is really what this job is all about. You have to keep a good attitude and try to treat people like you would want to be treated.

CBR: What was one of the funniest 911 calls you've taken?

PSD Gebicke: Just recently, I took a call where the male caller thought "wildlife" was after him. I asked what kind of wildlife "bears, coyotes, deer?" Due to his intoxicated state, he couldn't understand WHAT it was that was after him. His roommate then got on the phone and said he had seen a raccoon in their yard & was concerned for his safety...

CBR: What is one of the most annoying reasons people call 911 for?

PSD Gebicke: Noise complaints. People need to understand that 911 is for life-threatening emergencies.

CBR: Are there any calls that stick with you, and why?

PSD Gebicke: Anything to do with children is hard. I think it is sometimes hard to be a dispatcher in general, because we never hear what happens as the end result. We are helping people with what is probably one of the worst days of their lives. We send help to them but rarely ever hear what happened at the end of that call.

CBR: What other responsibilities do you have at the Chico Police Department?

PSD Gebicke: I am also a tactical assistant on the SWAT team. I help the lieutenant run the command post on most critical incidents. As a tactical assistant I am responsible for all radio traffic between the SWAT team & the command post. I am also responsible for mapping the area, keeping track of the officers locations and making sure the communications are clear, consise & understood.

CBR: Is there anything you would like the public to know about being a PSD?

PSD Gebicke: One of the biggest misconceptions that people on the other side of the phone have is that if they are answering our questions, it is somehow delaying a response to their problem. This is not true. The person talking to them on the phone has given the call over the person who is dispatching it on the radio. This is all happening while we are asking you questions. So...answer our questions, it helps us to help you. Remember we are human too and are doing our best to help you.

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The people in your neighborhood...

When I first became a Law Enforcement Officer, I didn't realize that I would be inheriting so many stereotypes. I found myself suddenly being accused of being a racist, a pig (still don't know where that one came from or how farm animals figure into this), a doughnut eating lazy jerk, and various other things that I can't say on a rated PG / PG-13 forum. Most were boring and got old fairly quickly, but occasionally I'd get one that would make me laugh. I recall, for instance an older drunk guy calling me, "Johnny Law" all the way from Chico to the Oroville jail. Maybe it's not the name, but the way he said it, "Is that what you think, Johnny Laaaaaaaaaaaawah?" I'm still not sure who "Johnny Law" is, but it apparently was this guy's best attempt at an insult.

My point being, we are often judged by the stereotypes presented in entertainment media. I have been in law enforcement for about 12 years or so at this point. While I have worked with a few people who might fit the negative stereotypes, MOST are nothing like the Officers portrayed on fictional television shows.

The next few posts are going to be dedicated to the fine men and women I work with. They are good people who live interesting lives and have good hearts. True, sometimes they have bad days and might occasionally say something untoward, but then again, who the heck doesn't?

Please stay tuned...

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The law of Social Proof...

The papers have been abuzz for some time now regarding the multiple gang rape of a 15 year old girl at a high school dance in Richmond California. This is a horrible crime and is completely inexcusable. Local Chicoans may recall that this occurred right here in our fair town in 2002. The Sheriff's Department investigated the repeated sexual assault of a drunken, unconscious 16 year old teenager at a party, utilizing various objects, such as a pool cue. Again, an inhuman assault which has no place in civilized society.

One might wonder how such things can happen. How can so many people (20+ in the Richmond case and 20-30 in the Chico case) stand around and do nothing? Surely SOMEBODY must have done SOMETHING.

The answer lies inside of our psyches. In his book "Influence" Robert B. Cialdini Ph.D describes the brutal rape and murder of a woman (Cathryn Genovese) in New York City in 1964. While this type of crime certainly happens in such a big city, the real shocker, was that the assault occurred in broad daylight, with 38bystanders watching. Worse yet, the assault lasted for over an hour and a half.

When interviewed later, the witnesses couldn't seem to explain why they didn't intercede, or even call the Police. Statements such as, "I just didn't want to get involved" and "I was afraid" were the only explanations they could come up with.

Cialdini clarifies what is going on (quoting Psychologists Latane and Darley), "With several potential helpers around, the personal responsibility of each individual is reduced: 'Perhaps someone else will give or call for aid, perhaps someone else already has.' So with everyone thinking that someone else will help or has helped, no one does."

When life brings us new and confusing experiences, such as in an emergency, our minds begin looking around at how others are responding, in an effort to gauge our own response. Imagine for instance, two toddlers. One is born to "helicopter" parents who are always hovering over their little precious pumpkin, waiting to scoop him up at the slightest perception of danger. The other is born to parents who are a little more realistic and realize that bumps are a part of life. When the first falls, he watches as his parents freak out and make a major ordeal out of it. His response? He cries. The second, when he falls, his parents either make no big deal out of it, or laugh and joke with the child. His response? "Oh, well." He gets up and moves on. Here you have the same injury, but those around help dictate the child's response, by their responses.

Cialdini concludes, "The fascinating upshot of Latane and Darley's reasoning is that, for the emergency victim, the idea of "safety in numbers" may often be completely wrong."

The law of "Social proof" sells. It is one of the powerful tools in a salesman's arsenal. It's seen in every commercial you see where there are lots of people sitting in the advertised restaurant, laughing and having a grand old time. It's "Proof" to your subconscious that the restaurant is good and you know what? You should go and have a good time too.

The problem is, is that nobody in any restaurant I've ever been in, is having THAT much fun. If they are, then I'm DEFINITELY going. Do you remember these commercials? #1 #2 They're both total crap...and they sold TONS of soda.

Something disturbing has been going on in the "entertainment" industry. There have always been "slasher" type movies and those who like them. I guess that's o.k. I personally don't like them and can't imagine what parent would be proud of their little princess as they watch her butchered by a psychotic killer on the big screen.

The thing that bothers me is the extreme realism and completely graphic torture that is displayed on the big screen. I don't know what kind of person thinks that this is fun to watch. I've been to murder scenes and smelled the gagging scent of rotten human bodies. There is nothing "exciting" or "neat" about it. CSI and other crime shows are on every night, with the associated murder being portrayed in various degrees of realism.

The major problem with this, in my estimation comes down to the law of Social Proof. Remember, we look to others in many instances to gauge our responses. When we see someone do something, it makes it just a little more "o.k." to do that too.

The thought was driven home to me as I watched a movie trailer in the theater. It was based on the true story of a man who killed 8 people in a small town. The difference was, that this movie was shot from the perspective of the killer. So not only are you witnessing the butchering of eight different people, you are watching it as if from your own eyes. This is wrong.

Imagine the people who go into that theater and thrill in those visual images. Could it not be, that this type of thing is one of the final things preventing them from acting out their delusions?

So, what is it in us that causes us to stand by when something bad is happening? It's that little thing called Social Proof. In our uncertainty, we stand by, watching others, waiting for SOMEBODY to do SOMETHING.

One note. The cure for inaction is action. Social Proof works for our good too. When we are standing there, wondering if somebody is going to act, the law of Social Proof will kick in if YOU take the first action. Then others will see "Proof" that action is the right thing to do.

This was the case in Richmond. When one girl (18 year old Margarita Vargas) who was at home heard of the tale, she immediately called for help. In this world of, "Stop snitchin" here is a young woman who stood up and broke the silence. Who can say enough good about Margarita Vargas?

Martha Vargas...hero.

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." Edmund Burke

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The first weeks back...

"The students are back." A quote oft repeated at this time of the year by Officers, administrators and Chicoans alike. I have been assigned to a team of Officers dedicated to helping deal with the influx of so many students in such a short period of time.

Traditionally, the major impacts are felt the week prior to school starting and the first week back. There are new students who are freshly graduated from high school and perhaps aren't aware of the laws concerning alcohol use, or the powerful effects alcohol can have on the body.

The last shift of this last weekend seemed as if it was "alcohol poisoning" night. My partner and I found and sought medical attention for at least three students who were overcome by alcohol poisoning.

In the first two cases, the poisoned person's "friends" were "helping" them by getting them a cab ("It's O.K. we called him a taxi"). I'm not sure what the cabbie is going to do with them, but the potential for this person to die was significant. In one case, the "friends" were people who were also intoxicated and had "just met" the person at a bar. Tell me, what emotional ties do these "friends" have to this person? If they dump him off in a bathroom or bedroom and leave him, will it matter to them? Here are intoxicated and apparently immature people making life altering decisions for someone they barely know. It may not matter to them, but I'll bet it will matter to the families and loved ones who's son or daughter this is.

The last one of the night for my partner and I was a young adult who had drunk himself into a complete stupor. Bystanders found him under the back tires of a vehicle parked near a favorite downtown bar. Luckily, they pulled him out from underneath the vehicle and placed him on his side, propped against a parking meter. While this is the correct position to prevent asphyxiation on his own vomit, it left him completely vulnerable to the whims of whatever person walked by. Again, luckily for this man, we came by and were waved over by another set of bystanders.

My blog partner Jim Parrott came across a similar situation the same night while he was patrolling on his horse in the South Campus Neighborhood. He and his partner were flagged over by a student who said there was a drunk girl passed out in the alley behind his house, and he was concerned she would become a victim. Jim and his partner rode into the alley and found the female pictured below. She was alone, seated on a curb in the dark alley, bloody from an apparent fall, and her feet resting in a pile of her own vomit. She was able to tell Jim that she was a student who lived in an on-campus dorm. She was so intoxicated that she could not stand. Jim and his partner summoned an ambulance and she was taken to Enloe Hospital to detox.

Last year, two minors died of alcohol poisoning within a few weeks of each other. This was a huge loss for the families and unfortunately one that is repeated annually. With the influx of students unfamiliar with alcohol and the ready availability of mass amounts of beer and other forms of alcohol, the health of the students becomes a significant concern.

Chico State CADEC Alcohol Poisoning card

I personally like working with the college students. While it gets old hearing, "F*** the Police" repeatedly, most are reasonable people who are here to have a good time. We have worked hard this year at educating and building trust with the students at the regular hotspots around the south campus neighborhoods. This has worked well in helping deal with out of control parties.

While we'd rather people didn't host parties that could quickly rage out of control, most residents have realized that they can call us to help them settle the situation. We explain that there are several consequences to hosting large parties, including:

· Alcohol poisoning
· Underage drinking
· Narcotics sales
· Assault and battery
· Stabbings
· Sexual Assaults
· Vandalism
· Thefts
· DUI’s

Other potentialities include the possibility that the residents could be civilly liable for the bad things that happen to victims at their parties. This along with the fact that now hundreds of people know what nice stuff is in the house. These same residents are frequently calling us the next day to report the theft of laptop computers, IPOD's, purses and other valuables.

I am personally glad to help people who are taking the responsibility for their homes and parties. I am more than happy to let these types of calls take precedence over general noise complaints where the reporting party refuses to provide their information.

This has been an interesting and exhausting week for law enforcement. The sheer amount of calls and types of calls have taxed our reserves. Despite this, the Officers and Supervisors I work with have handled it well. I congratulate them for their patience and congratulate the student body for doing a good job (for the most part) assimilating into our community.

*For more ideas regarding alcohol intoxication, please refer to the Shelby's Rules website. This is a wonderful movement borne of sorrow and loss. Perhaps it will help to prevent such tragedy.

**More alcohol related resources include:

Chico State's alcohol policy

Chico State's alcohol and drug education center

Chico State's alcohol poisoning tips

Chico Safe Rides

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Where is the public outcry?

In 1934, CHP Officer William R. McDaniel and a local auto mechanic were shot and killed while investigating an auto collision. The suspect hid in an orchard across the street and shot the men while they were examining the vehicle. A possee quickly rallied and headed for the foothills east of Chico. The possee located the suspect and they were engaged in a gunfight. The suspect was killed.

In 1938, Chico Police Officer Carleton J. Bruce was shot and killed during a disturbance call at a business near Main St. and 1st St. The suspect was apprehended and taken to the Police Department (now the downtown Police sub-station). A mob formed outside of the Department in response to the killing. The suspect later hung himself in the jail cell.

In each case the citizens rallied to see that justice was done.

In the last few weeks, Chico has had several violent crimes. The worst in my estimation is the reported rape of the former Chico State Student on the bike path near W. Sacramento. Yes, again with the bike path. The night following, myself along with several other Officers patrolled that area heavily. My partner and I found no less than four girls walking drunk and alone in that area. The responses to our warnings ranged from fear to denial (i.e. "I know, I'll be alright. I've only got a few blocks to go.")

Add two bank robberies at Tri Counties Bank, two armed robberies at a 7-11 convenience store in north Chico, two armed robberies of taxi cab drivers on the same day and a man shot in the face and chest on Floral Ave.

Pile on top of it all, school season is starting and it's already been a busy start. With last year's out of control parties (riots, or whatever you call it), it will be interresting to see what the student's attitudes are. One Officer has already been hit in the head with a beer can while trying to deal with an out of control party. Not a good start.

And for the cherry on top of it all, add the pending release of 40,000 inmates from the California Prison system. Butte County will not go untouched with this release. All this at a time when the Chico Police Department is apparently at it's lowest staffing ever. I hate the word "Unsustainable." It's widely overused to exagerate people's positions. In this case, I will use the word. Cutting law enforcement at a time such as this is in my opinion, unsustainable.

It seems, that despite all of these events, there is no public outcry. I'm not sure if it's a lack of interest, a lack of a united front, or some other thing. The question is, where does this lack of interest come from? I'd frankly like some comments on this one, so I can form a better opinion.

Is it that Law Enforcement is not doing enough to notify the public?

Is it that people just don't care anymore because their world is centered in front of their living room television and their internet?

Is it because it's not in "their" neighborhood?

I don't have the answers on this one. Please comment and share your opinion.

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"Victims" part 2

Recent press coverage of Acting Chief Maloney and other Law Enforcement personnel has drawn a variety of responses from the public, as read in their commentaries. Some are supportive, some make doughnut jokes (Really, donut jokes? Brilliant.), while others respond as if this is Law Enforcement’s first response to the issue.

Two of the most frustrating issues I have faced in the last 15 or so years in the emergency services, is 1) the media’s apparent inability to get the facts of the story straight, and 2) the public basing their perception on those stories.

Here are a few examples of responses in this latest story as presented in the Chico Enterprise Record:

Chico Resident (if that is your REAL fake name) says:

"Blah Blah. Talk is cheap. It takes three serious robberies before something is done. What about sting operations. Extra patrols during evening hours. The attacks happen from 11pm to 5am Thats when you need extra patrols. Protect the public already.STAY AWAY FROM THE BIKE PATH"

Jesse William Walker says:
"Seventeen attacks in four months and the top cop says ""We do not want to create a hysteria and suggest at all that this is an unsafe area and people should actually avoid it," During all of that time the cops do nothing. It's the same doughnut shop menatality they always have until the media lights a fire under their ****. After the first couple of attacks the cops could have put an undercover decoy and a couple of cops as backup into the act every night until the made arrests but instead they have all of their patrolmen and detectives "cracking down on parole and probation violators". Imagine, all available cops spending entire shifts every day of every week cracking down on parolees. We really do have a problem in Chico, but I think it is with a police force. Our cops don't want to get out of their patrol cars unless it is to get a doughnut."

Cornelius Cakely says:
"These attacks have been going on for a year and a half while the police have sat on their hands and whined that they don't have enough money. And what does the police chief say:"People just need to take a degree of responsibility on their own." Great! What an absurd situation.The Chico police are utterly pathetic. How many more people must be beaten unconscious and robbed on the bike trails around Chico State before they get proactive? Instead they hold press conferences at the scene of the crimes! There is a clear pattern to these attacks. These thugs could be caught in one night with an undercover decoy operation but the Chico police are too busy holding press conferences and writing traffic tickets to do that! Obviously they find that more profitable and less dangerous than protecting the public."

These statements in my opinion are made from people who get their “reality” from the media. It’s interesting to read people’s responses in the Enterprise Record and other media commentaries. So many people base their opinions on partial information (as presented in the press). Additionally, until the blog age, there has been little that Law Enforcement could do to keep the various news sources from editorializing our press releases.

The general public places a great deal of trust in the printed word. It didn’t occur to me until a great man told me that the news media is a private enterprise. I had never considered the fact that there is nothing to ensure that the media source will not present the "facts" of the story in a way that will suit their personal agendas.

People’s choices in large part are based on life’s experiences and perception of facts presented(such as those posed in the media). Our choices as Police Officers are also based on facts and perception. Perception is sometimes all we have to go on. Scenarios presented in seconds, with little to no time to react are responded to with the Officer’s perception of the situation and his/her training.

I recall one situation when I was working as a Cannabis Investigator with the Butte County Sheriff’s Office. My partner was interviewing a suspect in the kitchen and I was conducting a search of the living room. All of a sudden, I heard a loud commotion in the kitchen, consisting of the dogs barking, the table slamming into the wall, chairs sliding back, and the suspect running out into the hallway. My perception of the situation? The suspect assaulted my partner and was making a break for it.

I grabbed the suspect and got ready to punch him (yes, we get to do that sometimes). The suspect saw my actions and I felt him immediately submit. No punch.

When my partner came into the hallway out of breath, he saw my posture and called for me to stop. It seems that the dogs began to fight under the table and both my partner and the suspect were doing all they could to get away.

Lesson learned: things are not always as they seem. Would I have been justified in continuing my actions? Yes, if he would have kept up his “escape.” Perception is sometimes all we have.

Several people are calling for undercover stings and the like regarding these robberies. There are some topical points as well as some grave realities involved in dealing with this situation.

The first is that these robberies happen within minutes, if not less. The general area covers several blocks with numerous areas out of sight of the general public. There is no hope of having all Officers in all places, at all times. This is where the public comes in. Ending the “Stop Snitchin” nonsense that permeates our society and not hiding behind fear of retaliation is a good start. As Acting Chief Maloney says, "We will put resources toward this, and continue to put resources toward it, but we have to believe there are citizens out there with information that might help us solve these crimes."

Some hope that the Police as well as the government will do everything for them, abdicating any responsibility to care for themselves. This is a blind road to follow and can lead to severe consequences. In his book, “The Gift of Fear”, Gavin De Becker indicates that those who accept the fact that bad things (like robberies) can happen to them, deal better psychologically than those who walk around with blinders (condition white).

In one recent case, the victims were beaten 10 minutes after being warned by Officers that the bike path was unsafe at that hour. What do those Officers know? Apparently enough in this case.

Realities: putting an Officer in that situation is placing them in an extremely dangerous and likely will result in a lethal force situation. In general, more than two suspects (as is the general m.o. of these crimes) attempting to assault an Officer is a lethal force situation and the likelihood that someone is going to get shot is high. Add a suspect with a gun in the mix, and the outcome has a likely outcome. Every time an Officer goes to work, the thought is in the back of his mind that he may have to take a life. This not a pleasant thought, but is a necessary realization which will help keep the Officer alive.

The public needs to face this eventuality when they call for undercover operations and the like. There was a time when the majority of the public understood Law Enforcement’s reactions to such danger, but several social factors developed over a long time have worn down people’s resolve, in my opinion. It seems that people in general need to be pushed much further before they will stand for themselves or accept violent responses from Law Enforcement.

I believe in peace, but not at all costs. Not to cower in submission to Fascists and definitely not at the cost of letting myself or my loved ones become a victim. We were not designed to lie down like dogs.

So, again, there are places in this world where one needs to use common sense. Of course there are those who will say, “Well, this is America and I should be able to go where I want to.” To them I say, “You’re right.” But please understand that there are bad people in this world. They are willing to do bad things to you, and maybe a little forethought is in order. As Acting Chief Maloney said, “People just need to take a degree of responsibility on their own."

Public assistance and information is the key to solving this problem.

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"Victims..."

Look at this picture. What do you see? It seems like a fairly well lit stretch of bicycle path, yet on this path there have been several strong armed and armed robberies in the last few weeks. The victimology is consistent, single males or females (can you see the guy walking alone on the path?) who are approached by multiple persons demanding their wallets, cell phones, etc. If any resistance is perceived, a swift and severe beating follow suit. The last beating was so severe, that the Officer relating the incident said that the victim looked nothing like the photo on his driver’s license. To date, no one has been shot, but that is only a few pounds of pressure away during a time when emotions and adrenaline are high.

I have had the opportunity lately to work a shift that allows us to patrol this particular stretch of bike path. We are constantly running into people walking alone on the bike path late at night. When we stop and warn them of the dangers, we are frequently met with, “I’m alright.” Really.

Apparently, these people have never seen or been a victim of violent crime. Perhaps the thought of violence has been dimmed by constant exposure on television and in theaters. Who knows the reason for their blindness, but if they were deer, I’m pretty sure that they’d have their heads mounted on someone’s mantle by now.

When I see these people wandering around in the dark by themselves, I have started thinking the phrase, “Victims.” This is not a disparaging comment, per se, but a statement of disappointment, disbelief, and disgust. Disappointment and disbelief, because it’s very sad that there are so many people who have no sense that very bad things REALLY CAN happen to them, and disgust, because there is a high likelihood that we will be taking another robbery or rape report shortly.

Partying in Chico is a longtime pastime. Waves of students wandering to the downtown area in order to find the big party, is a common weekend sight. Waves of the same students staggering back to their homes on the outskirts around 2:30 am is also common. Unfortunately, there are a few who become so inebriated that they have no control of what happens to them. They are often found staggering down the bike path and other dark alleys where predators wait.

Students often get angry that they are being arrested for public intoxication. Trust me it would be much more enjoyable NOT to have to place someone in the back of your nice clean patrol car where they proceed to lose their evenings cheap beer, shots and burritos (by the way, we don’t have service personnel to clean that up). They’ve placed us in a position where we have to take action to protect them from their own actions. The alternative is for them to be assaulted / robbed, wander into the roadway or worse yet drown in their own vomit.

The majority of people who come to Chico to party are good people who are there to just have a good time. I enjoy talking and joking with them. It’s one of my personal missions to help break down the negative stereotypes that are taught by the media regarding law enforcement. It’s angering when one of these good people who’ve just come for a good time, fall victim to these cowardly robbers who hunt in packs.

Please help us to protect you by staying away from those situations and places where bad things are likely to happen. Situational awareness is one of the keys to personal safety.

A female walks alone late at night in a parking lot

with LOTS of bushes to hide in and nobody around.

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