Law Enforcement question

**95z28man** · 12-27-2012, 12:30 AM

I know we have some "somewhat local" to me LEO's in the forum here... Popo... I have a small situation that I am a little concerned about and I don't know what to do. I have a small hunch that it could be just a small investigation on people who are collecting unemployment, but also, I made some recent weapon purchases that I am thinking could lead to a small investigation as well... given the recent events in our country. Let me take you back about two weeks: I have recently filed and been accepted for UC benefits, now I am still employed in my dads small business, however the work we do cannot be done in certain weather. About a week after I claimed my first payment, I noticed a blacked out crown vic with "POLICE" stickers on the side drive around my cal-de-sac very slowly. This happened I believe two times in a few hours span in one day. The same thing happened last week and the vehicle slowly stopped right by the LP of my truck in the street. A few days later, my brother told me he walked outside and saw a blacked out vehicle stop in the road and then park behind my truck for a minute or so, then leave (didn't give me a make or model though). So I had forgotten about this until today... I am off work due to the weather, so I go to the gym. I walk out of the gym and get into my truck, look to the right and I see this same blacked out crown vic one row in front me and about 8 spots to my right, sitting sideways in a spot aiming directly at my truck and I see the red light of what I believe was a dash cam looking at me. I start the truck, sit for a couple minutes, then as I turn on my lights, he drives in front of me (and I catch a glimpse of his on-board computer screen) then drives behind me and parks in the same lot, but right by the entrance of the gym. So I leave and go home...

My question is, what, if anything, can I do about this? I have done nothing wrong and I am not screwing UC for benefits... I mean if I call the local PD and ask if they are investigating me, they will obviously deny it right? Should I approach the vehicle the next time I see it? It seems to be a legit officer, not a fake. I mean, I feel somewhat violated and I am a very suspicious/paranoid person... odds are, if someone is watching me, I will know it. On a side note, the weapon purchases I made recently concern me as well. I bought a G30, R870 and I am currently waiting on a backordered Kabar combat knife... all purchases made in about a months time or so... is it possible that they are just watching people who make random weapon purchases due to recent tragic events in our country? Please give me some advice here, as I am concerned and I'm not sure how to approach the situation without creating a problem. Thanks guys

***popo8*** · 12-27-2012, 12:45 AM

OK... let me start with a disclaimer.... I am a Police Officer, and not an Attorney, I can give you my best insight into what you explained, however I am by no means giving you advice, or telling you what to do.

With that being said, I will work backwards.... Weapon purchases: Not something the POLICE are going to investigate... and not something ATF or any other FED agency will investigate unless you obtained illegal firearms, or you illegally obtained aforementioned fire arms. With that being said, and under the assumption that you are truly seeing the same car following you...... you need to be careful.

Unmarked , retired patrol vehicles are a dime a dozen... once retired they are auctioned off and purchased by anything from movie car prop companies, to drug dealers, to constables, to PIs, ETC...... The laptop in the car means nothing.... Hell, the last few cars we retired went with the docking station and all and all you needed was to buy a tough book.

I will tell you now...NEVER approach the vehicle...however, next time you are somewhere, and you see it parked outside, feel free to call the Police, and tell them "I have been being followed by a vehicle for the past XXX, and now it followed me to xxx", or "is parked out side where I am now and I fear my safety." With that being said, they will ask for your location and a description of the vehicle. Be clear with the disptcher that you would like to see the officer afterwards. At that point you can make your own decision if it appears the Officer is hiding anything from you, or if he tells you what is going on with the car, and the person inside it.....

Now, take away the worst case scenario that its someone trying to cause you harm... and assuming you have done nothing illegal, you are left with possibilies that it is a Private investigator getting information for unemployment if they feel that you are double dipping or commiting fraud.... but that is def NOT a Police concern.... OR, if someone is looking to file some type of civil action against you, it could be a process server waiting to serve you.....

So in conclusion..... next time you see it.... call the Police...dont approach and talk to the Police afterwards and do your best to read them, or take what they say at face value.

Hope that helps....

AGAIN: DO NOT APPROACH THE VEHICLE for ANY REASON.

**95z28man** · 12-27-2012, 12:55 AM

Thank you for the quick response POPO, I may have to call it in the next time I see it. All my firearms are 100% legal and I have no prior records, and I have not tried to claim UC benefits illegally. And I cannot for the life of me understand why anyone would hire a PI against me... I have no spouse or ex-spouse, last gf was almost 2 years ago... I have worked ONLY for my dad with our small business straight out of highschool... I am at a loss... I guess I will call the police the next time I get the opportunity... but I have to say, if an officer shows up and I speak to him face to face and clear the air, then this guy STILL shows up again... it will take some real willpower for me not to approach this guy. I mean, I can only take so much and if the police can't do anything, what else am I left to do? I will say this though, if it's a fake, he spent a good amount of money making it look very real. I only got a couple digits off of his plate today, but I will be sure to get the whole thing before I make another move.

***popo8*** · 12-27-2012, 01:12 AM

Originally Posted by 95z28man

Thank you for the quick response POPO, I may have to call it in the next time I see it. All my firearms are 100% legal and I have no prior records, and I have not tried to claim UC benefits illegally. And I cannot for the life of me understand why anyone would hire a PI against me... I have no spouse or ex-spouse, last gf was almost 2 years ago... I have worked ONLY for my dad with our small business straight out of highschool... I am at a loss... I guess I will call the police the next time I get the opportunity... but I have to say, if an officer shows up and I speak to him face to face and clear the air, then this guy STILL shows up again... it will take some real willpower for me not to approach this guy. I mean, I can only take so much and if the police can't do anything, what else am I left to do? I will say this though, if it's a fake, he spent a good amount of money making it look very real. I only got a couple digits off of his plate today, but I will be sure to get the whole thing before I make another move.

No problem... And it does not take alot of work to make a retired car look like a police cr... like I was saying...many times we pull the light bar... most of the electronics and ship the car off through auction... well if it was a chief or detective special.... then its already ready for auction...

If the Police come out and make contact with him, and he is a PI investigating you...odds are they will not come to see you.... rather you will get a call saying that its ok, but they can not discuss the reason he is there... thats why I said be clear about requesting to see the Police after wards.... I would even say that maybe it is not for you, however you tell me it follows you to other locations.....so odds are it is about you (assuming your not paranoid, sorry but it does happen and I dont know you...so Im telling you from an outsider perspective).

Remember, there is no real law against the vehicle or person being in the same places as you are.... you can try for stalking or harassment, but honestly if he is not approaching you... its weak..... The Police will do something if they can... if not...then that means the guy is not doing anything wrong.... but I want you to think of one thing since you say you will have to approach if they tell him to leave and he does not.....

If he is not willing to listen to the Police , what are you gonna do that is not gonna put you in danger or in jail...?

**95z28man** · 12-27-2012, 01:33 AM

None taken over being paranoid... I know that I can be, but 9 times out of 10 I have been right with my gut feeling. I don't like confrontation and I will do everything in my power to stop this without even seeing the guy if I don't have to. But in all honesty, if the guy is not an LEO, yet the police can't help, and the guy does not stop what choice do I have? If he plays games with me, I will return the favor at first, give him a chance to back off. If he is ignorant and continues (or say, damages my property at night to retaliate) honestly, who else would damage my stuff? Never once in my life have I been vandalized, yet for some reason after warning a d-bag to back off, my stuff gets damaged.... hm, I'm sorry but at that point, he will not even know what hit him, especially if he is stupid enough to continue trying to watch me or vandalize my property.

***popo8*** · 12-27-2012, 01:37 AM

Originally Posted by 95z28man

None taken over being paranoid... I know that I can be, but 9 times out of 10 I have been right with my gut feeling. I don't like confrontation and I will do everything in my power to stop this without even seeing the guy if I don't have to. But in all honesty, if the guy is not an LEO, yet the police can't help, and the guy does not stop what choice do I have? If he plays games with me, I will return the favor at first, give him a chance to back off. If he is ignorant and continues (or say, damages my property at night to retaliate) honestly, who else would damage my stuff? Never once in my life have I been vandalized, yet for some reason after warning a d-bag to back off, my stuff gets damaged.... hm, I'm sorry but at that point, he will not even know what hit him, especially if he is stupid enough to continue trying to watch me or vandalize my property.

There is no such thing as the Police can not do anything..... if he continues to return, you keep reporting it and it will escalate the incident .... and eventually he will be arrested. NOW... if you approach him...what are you going to do....ask him what he is doing??? that wont get you anywhere, cause obviously if he wanted you to know it would not be so stealth.... If you threaten him, you will be arrested... if you approach him and a physical altercation occurs, you will both be arrested, however with you being hte aggressor, he will prob fare better than you... and if he is someone dangerous.... you make yourself an easier target.... THERE IS ALWAYS something else you can do over confrontation...... Document, report, document report... THAT is how you handle it properly... anything outside of that, and you put a target on yourself for getting hurt, arrested or worse..... and remember....There is no law against him parking on the roadway..... or being at the same gym parking lot as you... annoying YES>.. creepy YES.... but if he does nothing.....not illegal.

***popo8*** · 12-27-2012, 01:42 AM

Originally Posted by 95z28man

....I will return the favor at first, give him a chance to back off. If he is ignorant and continues (or say, damages my property at night to retaliate) honestly, who else would damage my stuff? Never once in my life have I been vandalized, yet for some reason after warning a d-bag to back off, my stuff gets damaged.... hm, I'm sorry but at that point, he will not even know what hit him, especially if he is stupid enough to continue trying to watch me or vandalize my property.

And all that ^ is where people who are doing nothing wrong... do something wrong... Believe me.... I understand puffy chested, alpha male proving machismo.... I am that guy..... but...... you have to draw a line between thinking it... and doing it......

Remember, your not even sure he is there for you..... In the end, you can do whatever you want...thats what makes this Country beautiful... but with nearly 12 years under my belt of being the person who responds to this stuff..... your gonna get yourself in trouble with the above thinking......

If he is not on your property, and not addressing you... its nothing more than a suspicious person/vehicle/circumstance....

**95z28man** · 12-27-2012, 01:51 AM

I appreciate the concern, like I said, I don't plan on it going that far. And if this guys previous "surveillance" methods indicate anything, it will not be very difficult for me to "confront" him without identifying myself. Obviously he would know I was behind it, but he would have no proof and it would be his word against mine, however I doubt he would take it to the law since the law will have already approached him multiple times on the matter before it goes that far. Ugh, I hope this is just some stupid UC investigation and they lay off now since they know that I am NOT working when I collect benefits... I feel like they could be spending their time and money on quite a few more people than someone like me, who isn't just a lazy POS. The fact that I am at the gym working out while I can't work, should be clear that I am not just sitting around sucking on their "teat" lol. I've gotta hit the sack though, even though I'm not working tomorrow, I am going to the gym again... HEAR THAT UCPA? PLEASE DON'T SEND ANYMORE GOONS AFTER ME WITH THEIR POOR SURVEILLANCE AND FAKE POLICE CARS! PLEASE! lol

**95z28man** · 12-27-2012, 01:58 AM

BTW thank you for the deterring posts on me getting involved personally. Has definitely given me more to think about before it escalates. Hopefully never gets anywhere near that point, hell, it could all stop tomorrow if it actually is UC trying to see if I am not working. Although I fear if it's more than that, I may only just proceed more cautiously if I would ever feel the need to step in myself. Thanks again, and I will be sure to post up again if I have anymore questions, but lets hope not.

***popo8*** · 12-27-2012, 02:27 AM

Originally Posted by 95z28man

BTW thank you for the deterring posts on me getting involved personally. Has definitely given me more to think about before it escalates. Hopefully never gets anywhere near that point, hell, it could all stop tomorrow if it actually is UC trying to see if I am not working. Although I fear if it's more than that, I may only just proceed more cautiously if I would ever feel the need to step in myself. Thanks again, and I will be sure to post up again if I have anymore questions, but lets hope not.

No sweat... just call the cops and be smart.