—–Original Message—–
From: Sue
Sent: Friday, July 30, 2010 8:58 AM
To: info@coptalk.info
Subject: Photo-ticket enforcement

In the process of moving from VA to MD I needed to drive through DC. While doing so, I’ve racked up several tickets from a photo-enforcement speeding camera (two tickets, both at the same camera set-up). Both tickets are on my VA plates and I’ve seen the photos of the infraction online. The way I know about these tickets is that I’ve received a failure notice and the fine has now doubled. I don’t know if it got lost in the mail or my mail-forwarding is slow. Anyway, I got on the DC site to investigate the ticket and learn I had the second one (no notification was sent to me). The delinquent notice, curiously, was directly addressed to me at my new address in MD). So the second ticket is now in danger of becoming delinquent, too. This is unfair.

Anyway, two days ago I gave up my VA license and car registration and now have MD plates and license. Will these tickets follow me to MD? DC will report them to VA, but will they report them to MD?

First off, I’d get all the documentation of your move together (locations, dates, etc) and contact the court. If you can prove that you were in the middle of a move and that you and the notices must have crossed paths while traveling, they might be sympathetic enough to waive the penalties. Being that you never received the original notice and yet the delinquent notice went to your new address shows that you notified the Post Office of your move and requested that they forward your mail. If you get a copy of the request of address change (or made a copy for yourself) that could help to show that you made an effort to get mail to your new address.  

In this economy, courts may not be as inclined to waive fees as much as they might have in the past but fair is fair. If you can prove that you were moving and never got the notices, I’d hope that they at least waive the penalties. It’s not like you just blew off the tickets.

As for one State notifying another of tickets, your VA license will show as surrendered to VA and when you apply for a license to MD, they will more than likely look up your license history there. Any violations you are convicted of will show up as violations against your VA license but will not show as violations against your new MD license. If you do nothing you will automatically be found guilty and a small warrant could be issued for your arrest from VA. Not that they’d extradite you for a small traffic violation but it could be on your record forever.

Best thing to do is to call the court, ask for a supervisor, explain your situation, and hope for a sympathetic ear. Some courts allow a judge to decide a trial by sending in a letter explaining your side of the story if you are unable to appear, such as being out of state. Call the courts and see what you can do. Let us know what happens.      

By Constance Gustke • Bankrate.com

Highlights

· "The technology of the bad guy is getting better and better every year."

· Hidden cameras are disguised so they can pick up your password.

· You must report fraud within 60 days to limit your liability.

ATMs are under siege more than ever from skimming. Skimming, where ATM thieves steal your PIN and account number using remote devices, is increasing dramatically. Often done by sophisticated crime rings from the Eastern bloc countries, ATM skimming is becoming a high-tech art that’s hard to detect.

That’s bad news for consumers. Experts say that losses from skimming are approaching $1 billion. Nearly one in five fraud victims reported having their credit card PIN or debit card ATM PIN information stolen in 2009, according to Javelin Strategy & Research. And Robert Vamosi, an analyst handling risk, fraud and security at Javelin, sees ATM skimming continuing to rise this year and next.

"Consumers aren’t aware of ATM tampering," he says. "ATMs have 40 years of trust."

Skimming isn’t new. It’s been around for at least 10 years. What has changed is that the "technology of the bad guy is getting better and better every year," says Robert Siciliano, a security expert based in Boston. "It’s up to consumers to watch their own backs."

Typically, ATM thieves use two devices to capture your PIN and card data. One device sits near where you swipe your card and reads the magnetic stripe on your card with your account number. Even more confusing, the device mimics the card slot. "The technology has evolved to a point where the molded plastic fits like it belongs there," says Siciliano. Devices are even readily available over the Internet for as little as $300.

A camera, hidden from view, captures the PIN. "You can get the data in real time," says Siciliano. "You can be in your car with a laptop remotely accessing the device."

Thieves then burn the data onto a blank card to access your money.

U.S. Secret Service spokesman Max Milien wants consumers to be warned. "The public is notified after an event," he says. And don’t take bank security for granted. Fraud can occur at any bank in any part of the country. Thieves are even sending out false text alerts to get consumer data.

Banks, they say, are slow to adopt anti-skimming measures. When Javelin surveyed 25 banks, four stood out, though, for their anti-theft measures. They are Bank of America, Chase, Citibank and Wells Fargo.

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Experts add that debit card users are most at risk. Typically, consumers must report fraudulent charges within two days, limiting your liability to $50. If you report ATM skimming fraud within 60 days, you’re liable for the first $500 of any transaction. Siciliano adds that thieves carefully orchestrate ATM withdrawals, maxing out cash withdrawals one day and waiting until after midnight for the next stash, which quickly adds up.

Here are four tips to help you protect your account.

1. Cover your password with your hand

Hidden cameras are disguised so they can pick up your password. By protecting it, ATM thieves can’t access your account.

2. Use familiar ATMs and limit your visits

ATMs in dimly lighted spots or used late at night could be more susceptible to fraud, while ATMs under video surveillance can be safer. Stay away from ATMs at retail stores or restaurants, adds Siciliano. Recently, skimming devices were found on ATMs in a popular grocery store in central Florida. Airports, convenience stores or kiosks are equally vulnerable to ATM thieves. Still, even highly trafficked ATMs outside a bank branch have been targeted by thieves.

Also, try to limit your visits to the ATM. "With frequency, there’s risk," says Siciliano.

3. Check bank balances frequently

Given the two-day window for reporting fraud, it pays to check your account frequently. If you don’t report fraud within 60 days, you have unlimited liability. "Sign up for alerts and notice unusual withdrawals," says Vamosi.

With credit cards there are more protections in place, and you can dispute charges."You have at least a billing cycle," says Siciliano.

4. Observe the ATM

Vamosi cautions consumers to look at an ATM to make sure a card slot is "legitimate and not tacked on." Look for things that strike you, he says. "Some people have felt that when they inserted their card, something went awry," he says. In that case, try another ATM.

When protecting your account against ATM thieves, "it’s all about awareness, paying attention and understanding risks," says Sicilano. "There are 400,000 ATMs and every one of them is susceptible to fraud. The speed and convenience of technology has replaced the security of technology."

By Comcast Finance

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 18:15:24 GMT

Editor’s Note: This post by Jorgen Wouters originally appeared on June 21 on WalletPop.com.

The FBI is warning consumers to be on the alert for scammers who tie up their phone lines while emptying their bank accounts.

These "telephone denial-of-service" attacks are similar to ones that have been used by hackers for years to crash websites by flooding them with Internet traffic. But high-tech criminals are now using automated dialing programs and multiple accounts to overwhelm the phone lines of unsuspecting consumers and small- and medium-sized businesses.

The denial-of-service calls, which can include dead air, advertisements or phone sex menus, are actually diversionary tactics designed to tie up a victim’s phone lines. And while the lines are busy, the fraudsters — impersonating the victims — raid their bank accounts, online trading and other money management accounts.

The FBI first learned about this scheme through one of its private industry partners, which told the agency of a Florida dentist who lost $400,000 from his retirement account after a denial-of-service attack on his phones. So how does this "dialing for dollars" scam work?

Weeks or even months before the phone calls start, the FBI warns, a criminal uses social engineering tactics or malware to extract personal information such as passwords and account numbers from intended victims. These victims may have set themselves up by replying to phishing e-mails, inadvertently giving out sensitive information during a bogus phone call, or placing too personal information on social networking sites, which are constantly trolled by cyber criminals. Once the scam artists have enough information, they tie up the victim’s various phone lines and either contact a financial institution pretending to be the victim or siphon off funds from their online bank accounts.

Financial institutions typically call to verify such transactions, but can’t get through due to the denial-of-service attack. If the transactions aren’t approved, the criminals will contact the financial institution, pose as the victim and confirm the transactions. They can also add their own phone number to victims’ accounts, and simply wait for the bank to call and request approval. By the time the victim or financial institution realizes what has happened, it’s too late.

The FBI reports a surge in telephone denial-of-service attacks since April of this year, with reports of numerous incidents in several Eastern states.The FBI has teamed up with the Communication Fraud Control Association — a collection comprised of security professionals from communication providers — to educate the public, analyze patterns and trends of telephone denial-of-service attacks, and identify the con artists and bring them to justice.

The FBI urges consumers and small- and medium-sized business to take the following steps to avoid being a victim of this new scam:

• Never give out personal information to an unsolicited phone caller or via e-mail.
• Change online banking and automated telephone system passwords frequently.
• Check your account balances often.
• Protect your computers with the latest virus protection and security software.

If you think you may have been targeted by a telephone denial-of-service attack, contact your financial institution and your telephone provider, and file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.

My boyfriend was arrested on a $700 warrant (Tickets). He didn’t receive a court notice & therefore didn’t go to court. How long will he probably have to be in jail if he’s not bailed out?

We answered this on show #19:

But to sum up the answer we would say he would not be in jail for more than 72 hours if arrested on a Friday.

It would be for his next court date available till he is cite released but this can change from city to city.

Him not receiving the court notice is in question as we have seen this claimed many times only to find out the person gave a false address at the time of the citation, thus the mail would not get to them…

We would hope he is already out of jail and hopefully he will work out the issues with his address and make his court appearances as the consequences for getting a failure to appear can really ruin his day.

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Brent,

- Mike – Michigan

While people think that used police cars are usually beaten to death, they are actually very well maintained. Probably better maintained than most personally owned cars. Cities and counties cant afford the liability of having vehicles driving around that are dangerous or faulty. If an accident occurred where it was found that the city or county knew the vehicle was dangerous or not maintained to be safe, the county or city might be sued by an injured party or even by the employee themselves. If I was to crash in my police car and later find out that the city knew there was a safety concern but ignored it to save money, I’d have a huge lawsuit.

For this reason, cities and county have a regular maintenance schedule for all their cars. The vehicles are all bought brand new. They are covered by the manufacture warranties until it expires and any major repairs are done by the dealerships under warranty. Minor repairs are done by trained mechanics at the city or county corporation mechanic yards and after the warranty expires, most repairs are done there. The cars have regularly scheduled routine inspections, oil changes and maintenance. Like I said, the cities and counties want their cars to be safe and more importantly, to last. Any employee that finds a problem with a city or county owned vehicle simply fills out a quick memo to the corp yard and if it’s serious, the car is taken out of service and repaired quickly. The cities don’t need or want a $300 repair to turn into a 5 million dollar lawsuit.

So to sum it up, if you buy a used police car, you are probably getting a vehicle that was better maintained than most people maintain their cars. Most people don’t take their car in until something goes out. Police cars are inspected and maintained to make sure things don’t go out. Are some cars beat more than others? Sure, people drive differently. A new rookie feels the need to go to each call 100 mph and loves to find pursuits. An older veteran officer still loves a good pursuit but the cars are probably more mildly driven the rest of the time. Some might have interior blemishes, coffee stains, dings and small dents, but they are usually maintained well. There are some that might have been in accidents or got more trashed than others, just look it over real good before buying. Better yet, take a mechanic friend with you to the auction to look a few over before bidding. 

And used police cars are fun to drive. More power, special suspension packages. Since they come with spotlights on both sides, you’ll look like a cop no matter what. Get on the freeway and watch all the cars in front of you slow down or pull over a lane as you come up behind them. Not sure what cop opinions are on seeing retired police vehicles back on the street, we’ll save that discussion for the show. Security companies usually snatch up retired police cars just for that purpose, they still look like a police car even without the light bar on top.   

And yes, you can put a taxi sign on top or better yet, put a Dominos Pizza Delivery sign on the top, then there’s no confusion if it’s the police or not… 

We will hit this on this weeks show also….

In Michigan, we have much more relaxed gun laws then California does.  We have Open Carry of loaded handguns as long as they are in plain site and there are a lot of people that do that.  I have a Concealed Pistol License and carry that way most of the time.  This also allows me to carry the loaded pistol in my car in any way I want to. (I normally have it in the glove box or console of the car in a holster)

I know in California, some county sheriffs do issue Carry Permits.

I agree with you guys about the open carry people.  I agree they have that right but, it seems a lot of them just do it to get in people’s faces and it’s going to backfire on them.  The only time I open carry is if I’m in the woods where there might be bears or snakes. I believe that if you have the CCW permit, you should keep it hidden.. It keeps the people from calling the cops with a “Man with a gun” call.  It also makes more sense not to be target #1 if a bad guy comes into a store you are in to rob it. 

As a second question, do they allow you guys to Carry off duty in California ?  (not asking if you do, just if they let you)   Here, our county sheriff REQUIRES his deputies to carry off duty unless they are drinking. 

Sorry for the long email.

Keep up the great show!

-Mike – Michigan

Thanks for the questions Mike.

Concealed carry is fine with me as long as the person has a concealed weapon permit. Here in CA, Police Chiefs and Sheriffs can issue concealed weapon permits to citizens who apply for them with a legitimate reason and only after passing a background and criminal history check. People with concealed weapon permits have been checked out and are legally cleared to carry a concealed firearm. If we contact a person with a licensed concealed weapon they usually tell us they have a weapon on them and that they are licensed to do so, that way there are no surprises if we see a weapon or discover one during a search.

And yes, although it is legal in CA, open carry can present issues. People with no gun training whatsoever can strap a gun on one side and loaded magazines on the other side and walk into a store. And you are right, if a suspect goes into a store to rob it and sees a gun on the guys belt, the robber will shoot him without hesitating believing he is a cop or that the person might draw down on him first. And the last thing law enforcement wants to see is a gun battle between two untrained people in a crowded store. Hopefully most open carry advocates are experienced shooters but anyone who passes a background check can open carry even though they have never fired a gun in their life. That’s dangerous. And as a law enforcement officer, I don’t like the idea that I cant run a check on someone carrying an unloaded  gun and ammo in public to make sure it’s not a convicted felon or someone barred from owning firearms. I would much prefer to see people who want to carry guns obtain a concealed weapon permit and carry them that way.

In CA, law enforcement officers may carry firearms off duty. Not sure if any agencies require it but all allow it. With my agency, we must pass the same range qualification course with an off duty firearm if it is a different firearm than our duty weapon. Officers may carry their duty weapons or other firearms they have qualified with while off duty as long as they are not drinking. And officers who retire from law enforcement are usually issued a concealed weapons permit to carry a firearm.

It’s funny to see newly hired officers, they carry weapons all the time. Probably have it strapped on while mowing their lawn……..

Allot of new officers carry all the time because "they can". Always strapped to their sides no matter where they go. As cops get more time on, you see that less. If you ask veteran cops if they carry off duty, some will say they carry all the time and some will say only sometimes. I carry a compact .380 at times depending on where I am going but I carry a lot less than I used to. I don’t like the thought of being a victim of a robbery while unarmed but if it happened, I’d be a good witness. The last thing I want to do is get into a gunfight with my wife or young grandson nearby.

Gun rights and open carry laws always stir debates. Maybe we can get some comments for pro and con we can post on our website or discuss them on another show.

Thanks again for writing in,

Mark

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  • Shatner Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0D78JtxmqI – Racial – You let us know?
  • Arkansas Police Slayings - Link to Video
  • iPhones make a great Snitch for cops: Link to article
  • Seized Drug Submarine First for Drug Dealers – Well the first we found: Link to article
    • A 100-foot, twin-screw diesel submarine seized at a jungle shipyard in Ecuador marks a quantum, if anticipated, leap in drug-smuggling evasion technology, the top U.S. counter-drug official for the region said Sunday.
  • OPD Loses the 80 Officers – Breaking News – Turn in their badges and guns….Not responding to non priority calls.
  • Mesherle Trial – Update
  • Reader Question: What do the police think of “normal people” driving old cop cars?
  • Reader Question: How do you guys feel about Concealed carry (the legal kind with permit)
  • Open Carry – What is the deal in AZ?

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• Court Room Fashion Disasters – Making an impact!

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• New Stories and a few stories from the book.

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7/6/2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Subject :
San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District Releases First-of-its-kind Public iPhone Application

SAN RAMON, CA – Today the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District (CA) is proud to announce the arrival of its much anticipated iPhone application in the Apple App Store. The FireDepartment.org iPhone application is the first of its kind and defines a new category of iPhone functionality. By providing a virtual window into the District’s 9-1-1 dispatch center, iPhone users now have real-time access to emergency activity occurring in the community. The application also provides the District with a powerful new avenue to communicate with its mobile population during a disaster. Don’t live in the San Ramon Valley? You’ll still find listening to the live actions of our dispatchers, firefighters and paramedics informative and interesting.

Application users are able to view active incidents – including the current response status of dispatched units (enroute, onscene, etc.) and instantly pinpoint incident locations on an interactive map. Think that fire engine or ambulance that just passed might be heading to your house? Is there an accident up ahead causing this traffic tie-up? Just tap the application to quickly retrieve real-time information. A log of recent incidents and a photo gallery of significant events can also be easily accessed.

The FireDepartment.org application also allows residents and other interested parties to choose to be notified of incidents by category as they are dispatched. Users can even listen in on live emergency radio traffic via the modern version of the traditional fire scanner – their iPhone, iPad or iPod touch device. The District also uses the application to communicate with its more than 700 Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members and to share information during disasters with all its citizens.

“Using the iPhone and iPad for field-based command and control operations holds great promise for emergency service providers,” said Richard Price, Fire Chief for the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District. “This consumer version of our development effort demonstrates the game-changing nature of these revolutionary handheld devices.”

Pricing & Availability

The application is currently available to anyone free of charge. Visit www.firedepartment.org/iphone for additional information including a demonstration video. To try the application for yourself, simply search “fire department” at the Apple App Store or visit the link below to install the application on a compatible device.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fire-department/id376052787?mt=8

The iPhone application was designed by District personnel after successfully implementing similar capabilities on the District’s Webby-nominated website, FireDepartment.org. The District partnered with students at the College of Informatics at Northern Kentucky University (NKU) for iPhone engineering and programming services. By working with the District, students received valuable intern experience in addressing real world business needs.
The San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District provides all-risk fire, rescue and emergency medical services to the communities of Alamo, Blackhawk, the Town of Danville, Diablo, the City of San Ramon, the southern area of Morgan Territory and the Tassajara Valley, in Northern California (Contra Costa County). The District’s service area encompasses approximately 155 square miles and serves a population of 167,500.
Apple, iPhone, iPad and iPod touch are trademarks of Apple.

Additional Press Contact

Lucas Hirst, Project Management/Design
San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District
lhirst@srvfire.ca.gov
(925) 838-6600

As you can see by the photo the CHP (California Highway Patrol) has made the transition to LED lightbars that are low profile and highly visible. Watch for them on the highways in California and in most states as the new warning technology is released.

PS: Do not take photos while driving it’s dangerous…

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See the Internet Storm Center for Internet Updates

I just happened upon a CBS News video that gave me pause for thought.  This once posted back in April however

I missed it until now.

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6412572n

The video talks about the fact that "modern" digital copy machines, those sold after 2002, contain a hard drive.  These hard drives store the images copied.  These machines are traded in for new models and then refurbed and resold. However, the hard drives more than likely are not getting scrubbed to remove the content. One of the copy machines in the video not only contained content on the hard drive but also still had documents left on the copy bed.

This brings up some interesting discussions.  What is on your copymachine hard drive?  When it is sent in for repair what information may be gleaned from a quick glance at the drive?  Is your copy machine another potential target to aid in identity theft?
Food for thought.  Should there be processes and procedures in place for the disposal of these devices? Do you know what other devices in your organization contain a hard drive or other storage device?  Is there a process for cleaning before disposal? What does your company do if anything to ensure that no confidential data is leaked by disposal of old equipment?

Deb Hale Long Lines, LLC

BURLINGAME, Calif. — On most days, you can find Chris Zwingle in his commercial pilot’s uniform behind the controls of a 767 jetliner. But at least once a month, he puts on a different set of blues — those of a police officer — and hits the streets on patrol. Call it extreme volunteering.

The Burlingame resident is among the thousands of reserve police officers in California, many of whom have the same training as full-time cops but work as unpaid volunteers.

Their reasons for doing it vary. Some are retired cops who aren’t ready to give up the job, others are trying to start a career and some just think it’s fun.

The reserve officer program, however, is a bit of a dinosaur on the Peninsula. As state requirements for reserve officers have become more strict in the past 25 years, reserve officer programs have shrunk. Spending reductions have also meant fewer officers to help train the reserve corps.

But as city governments try to avoid cutting public safety spending in order to balance the budget, there is no better time to resuscitate the reserves, police officials said. That will require effort and more funding.

For the love of it

Imagine a photo of two shady-looking guys standing in a dark alley. You can’t see their faces. The writing above the scene says "You wouldn’t go in there for a million bucks. A cop does it for a lot less. A reserve does it for free

This image, which is from a classic California Reserve Peace Officers Association poster, raises the obvious question: Why sign up for a dangerous job and not at least get paid?

Reasons vary but typically fall into one of three categories: community service, love of the job and trying to get hired. During a recent reserve officer meeting at the San Bruno police station, which like nearly every police agency in San Mateo County employs these volunteers, the reserves talked about why they do it.

"Some people hunt, some people work out," said Roger Elu, who spends his days as the chief engineer at AT&T Park. "We put on a uniform and ride around helping the regular officers."

Helping other officers can often mean "gopher work," said Burt Donlin, who has been a reserve since the 1980s. Reserves pick up prisoners, transport evidence or work security at public events. They might also take on the most heroic duty of all: writing reports.

But some reserves end up working a beat, and that can get physical, said Bill Miller, a contractor who has logged at least 5,200 volunteer hours with San Bruno.

"Sometimes it’s a rush," he added.

There is also a long tradition of officers coming on as reserves in order to eventually get a full-time job. San Bruno and Millbrae Police Chief Neil Telford got his start that way, but so have scores of other cops who work in the county.

"It’s a good way for them to see if they like you and the way you work," said Michael Arguel, who has finished the police academy but has yet to find a full-time job as an officer.

Training and lots of it

The people who work as reserves can’t just come off the street, throw on a uniform and go on patrol. The training required by the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards & Training, the enforcer of state police regulations, is the same for regular officers and reserves who work on the street alone.

These people are called Level I reserves, and they have gone through the full police academy, psychological and physical testing, as well as a field training program with the department where they work. There are also Level II and III reserves, but they have less training and fewer police powers.

For a reserve to go through a full-time police academy, such as the South Bay Regional Public Safety Training Consortium, it takes a five-month commitment that costs about $4,000. Would-be reserves can also get their training on nights and weekends, said Michelle Schneider, who runs the police academy at College of San Mateo. Part-time training costs about half as much as the academy but takes twice as long.

In either case, a reserve who is carrying a gun, rides alone in a squad car and makes arrests has done at least 800 hours of state-mandated training. and they have paid for it themselves.

"You’re asking someone who has got a child, wife and a day job to put their life on hold for six months," said South San Francisco Police Reserve Capt. Mike Short. "They can’t do that."

The way of the dinosaur

Those training requirements are what pushed the Peninsula reserve programs toward extinction, police officials said.
Before 1979, there were no statewide education rules for reserves. But starting that year, the Legislature mandated they have 200 hours of training, said Ronald Wood, a state police accreditation official.

A lot of reserves who were working at the time were given a pass, because of the worry that the requirement would destroy small, rural departments that rely on them, Wood said. But the flow of contractors, store clerks or school teachers willing to sign on as weekend warriors and do months of expensive training slowed to a dribble.

Despite thinning the ranks, those interviewed for this story support the training requirements.

"When you give someone the power of life and death, you certainly want them to be trained," said Bill Curley, a retired San Mateo officer who works at the College of San Mateo police academy.

As the decades have passed, these unpaid police have dwindled in number on the Peninsula.

Redwood City police are down to about eight from 15 two decades ago, and San Mateo, which had 12 in the 1980s, now has about four. Other cities reported a similar reduction, but some agencies have maintained robust programs.

The Sheriff’s Office has held steady in its numbers, and it has about 21 reserve deputies at present. Just to the south in Santa Clara County, San Jose’s program has stayed strong at nearly 145 reserves. That department has 1,350 paid officers.

There are also police departments on the Peninsula that just don’t rely much on reserves.

Despite being the biggest police department in San Mateo County with roughly 109 paid officers, Daly City has only one reserve, said Sgt. David Mackriss.

He said paid officers there have in the past resisted the idea. They were concerned that a reserve, despite their training, could be a liability in dangerous situations. Daly City cops also get overtime or have side jobs working security at events and worried reserves could cut into that.

"Officers are wary when it comes to change," Mackriss said.

The future

Many police officials agreed that the reserves could be a big help as cities struggle to balance their budgets. But some also said there are limitations to what role a reserve can play.

Curley said reserves will never replace full-time officers but can be a highly useful resource to thinned-out police departments.

However, it costs money to recruit, train and keep reserves happy, he added. For departments that are already doing more with less, this requires some passion for having reserves.

"If you don’t have somebody who is really dedicated, it’s just not going to work," he said.

Reserve program coordinators from San Mateo, Redwood City and other police departments said they are stepping up efforts to recruit, and it is a good time to be looking for people. There are plenty of applicants, and few cities on the Peninsula are hiring full-time officers. And interest in police work, which carries steady pay, benefits and a pension, goes up when the economy goes down.

"The economy is helping our reserve program. Two years ago, we weren’t seeing as many applicants," said Redwood City police Sgt. Ashley Osborne. She said as long as other departments aren’t hiring, reserve officers will be looking to volunteer in order to keep their state certification active.

But any blessing brought by the economic recession could be a mixed one.

"They are going to come and stay a short time," said Osborne. "The economy will turn (up), and we’ll lose them."

Copyright 2010 San Jose Mercury News

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”I got a default judgment on my case. I am trying to collect my money. How can I do this if he changed his number and I cant reach him?”

A few things you can do:

Check public records at the County building to see if they have updated info on him.

If it’s a substantial judgment and worth the expense, you can hire a private investigator to find him.

You can pretty much find information on anyone on the internet nowadays. There are many web-sites where you can simply type in his name and get info back, some sites are free while others charge a fee. Just Google people search and get a bunch of sites that might help. You can also try sites such as Facebook, MySpace, on-line white pages etc to locate him. With the internet technology nowadays, he should be relatively easy to find.    

• Oakland PD facing Massive Layoffs
  http://www.policeone.com/Officer-Safety/articles/2085797-Calif-PD-facing-layoffs-of-150-officers/
• Digital Adverts on License Plates
  http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/us_and_canada/10368899.stm

• Listener Question: I got a default judgment on my case. I am trying to collect my money. How can I do this if he changed his number and I cant reach him?
• Getting into the middle of what you are not supposed too…..
• Mark’s side on the people we meet in the field…..
• Mark’s side on the excuses we get for why people do things wrong….
• Alert Citizen / Home Burglary Story of the week….

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• Brent and Jim talk about the topics…..
• What should you expect when being pulled over?
• What are the cops looking for?
• Why?

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http://dougmccune.com/blog/2010/06/05/if-san-francisco-crime-was-elevation/

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/techchron/detail?blogid=19&entry_id=65711

dougmccune.com

• Stories from our last week of duty….
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• Water Safety….
  
• Shaved Keys + Vehicles = See ya car….

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• road rage
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What if it was a choking baby call, or a rape in progress? What if a family member was having a heart attack? Would you want the police or medical help going to the wrong house? Wasting valuable time looking for an address that isn’t visible. If only one house on a street does not have the numbers displayed, it isn’t too bad; we can usually figure it out. But in most areas, a lot of houses don’t have visible numbers, have missing numbers, or have bushes or trees covering up the numbers.

This not only endangers you or your family in an emergency situation where seconds count, but it could endanger a police officer responding to help you in an emergency situation. Here’s an example:

It’s 2 a.m., and you hear glass breaking. You dial 911 and slowly get out of bed. Your husband is at work and the kids asleep. You go to check on the kids and suddenly you are confronted in the doorway by a large male holding a gun who orders you back into the bedroom. Now, do you really want a police officer wasting 1, 2, or even 5 minutes looking for your house when you are in a dangerous situation where a second feels like an hour?

The officer who got dispatched to your "911" call, turns onto your street and finds several houses without numbers. (Yours being one of them.) The sequence is too irregular to figure out which house is yours, so the officer knocks on a door. Not yours. The officer tries another house. Dogs bark, lights go on, but still not your house. The intruder hears the knocking next door, looks out a window, and sees an officer next door. The intruder sneaks out the back door and escapes even before the officer found your house. Or worse, the officer may contact the intruder as he leaves, unaware of the break in at your house. The officer could get shot or injured very easily responding to a "hot" call and wasting time to find the address.

Officers respond to a call in a tactical way, often parking down the street from a call and walking in to avoid detection, and to give the officer the advantage of the element of surprise. Without numbers on the house, an officer could be parking right in front of a house where there is a problem without even knowing it.

The same scenario as above, but the right way:

The same call, same bad guy with the gun. This time, the officer pulls onto the street and sees each house clearly marked with addresses. He knows your house is 2 up on the right. The officer wastes no time directing assisting units to the other side of the house, where they discover the broken window. The officers set up a perimeter and call into the house. The bad guy flees and is taken down at gunpoint the second he exits the house. The officers knew exactly which house to go to, and where to send assisting units without lighting up the whole block with spotlights looking for numbers, or wasting valuable time knocking on the wrong doors.

· If just one person, who reads this, clearly posts the address on their residence, it will make it much easier for police, fire, or medical personnel to find them when needed. It not only makes our jobs easier; it could save your life.

· Not your house? Waiting for the landlord to do it? Too expensive? Too complicated? Don’t know how to do it? NO EXCUSES!

· Whether it is your house or not, renting or buying, owner or roommate, even if it’s an apartment unit that isn’t visibly posted, do it yourself. It could mean the difference between life and death. There is nothing more frustrating to me than getting dispatched to a "hot" call, and having to run around, wasting time looking for the house.

Here is what you do:

· If there is no address on your house, put it on. Hardware stores offer a large variety of house numbers ranging from stick-on numbers for a few dollars, to fancy wood ones that can be stained or painted. The most popular I see are the plastic numbers you simply tack up using small nails or screws.

· If you have vegetation, trees, or bushes growing over the numbers, trim back the branches or move the numbers to a more visible location.

· Don’t put the numbers in a spot hard to see, like on a roof trim, or on a tree. We usually first look right next to the door or porch area, especially at night where the porch light will light up the numbers. Remember, the numbers should be clearly visible both day and night. A good spot is on a wall, door trim, or window trim that faces the street.

· A lot of builders are now installing lighted address boxes which mount on the front of your house, and are wired into your house’s 12 volt power supply, usually the doorbell wiring. These are by far the quickest to spot at night, since they are lighted. But they have two 12 volt bulbs inside which do occasionally burn out. If the bulbs burn out, please replace them. The bulbs only cost a buck or so. You can find the lighted address boxes at your local home improvement store.

· You don’t have to get too fancy, and please use color contrast. White numbers on a white house, or blue numbers on a blue house are hard to see in the day, and impossible to see at night. Dark numbers on a light colored house or light numbers on a dark house will work fine.

· Some fund-raising organizations offer to paint your address on the curbside in front of your house for a small donation. They usually paint a white background, and then spray or brush black numbers using stencils. These are simple to do yourself, and are very visible and effective.

· Use numbers that can be seen from the street. Little fancy numbers that look cute a few feet away may not be readable from the street.

Please help us to help you. The more visible your address is, the faster we find your house. Seconds can mean the difference between life and death. You know where you live, we don’t. The only way we can find you fast is by your address. If it’s not done, go do it today. It could be done for as little as a few dollars. Something so little can make such a big difference. The next time we come to your house in an emergency, we would like to hear you say, "How did you get here so fast?" rather than "What took you so long?"

• What happens if i give a false name to an officer?
• Response Times – Help us to help you faster….
• Security Lighting
• Universal Garage Door Openers
• Leaving the keys in your car in your garage
• Mail Theft

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• What do crooks see when then look at you….

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• I just got a ticket for our party being to loud
• I just got a ticket for running a red light
• Red Light Cameras
• Criminal Threats – Phone Harass

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QUESTIONS & IN THE NEWS!

• Whats the difference between city, county and state police?
• What happens if I have to miss my court date?
• If I decide to go to court to fight my ticket what should I expect?
• The cop is asking to search my car – Now what?
• My friend just got arrested – what can I do?
  

NEXT WEEK:

• What really ticks us off…….
• Arizona Immigration Law Sparks National Uproar - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/20/arizona-immigration-law-s_n_544864.html

GET A FREE BOOK IF WE USE YOUR QUESTION ON THE AIR!

• Cops Mostly Stop White Drivers Study Says
  • http://www.policeone.com/patrol-issues/articles/2056165-Calif-cops-mostly-stopped-white-drivers-study-finds/
• Oakland PD Kills Bambi – Vs. Other Options
• Arrested: Teenager allegedly involved in 28 armed robberies in Hayward, CA
  • http://www.ktvu.com/news/23337768/detail.html
• 25 Arrested in Marijuana Sting – Contra Costa County, CA
  • http://www.ktvu.com/news/23305524/detail.html
• Officer Dragged 50ft during traffic stop
  • http://www.ktvu.com/news/23313919/detail.html

• Pursuits
• Termination – Why, when, how

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• Whats the difference between city, county and state police?
• What happens if I have to miss my court date?
• If I decide to go to court to fight my ticket what should I expect?
• Arizona Immigration Law Sparks National Uproar - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/20/arizona-immigration-law-s_n_544864.html
• What really ticks us off……..

STAY SAFE OUT THERE!

DISCLAIMER - The website page has been updated with new Disclaimers

• Clarify – Retaliation – For being helpful to police
• News – Baby left in car overnight – dies – http://www.ktvu.com/news/23206493/detail.html
• Police Depts fining popularity online – http://www.policeone.com/police-products/communications/articles/2049621-Police-departments-finding-popularity-online/
• Twitter used to distribute severe storm information – http://www.fdnntv.com/Tampa-Emergency-Managers-Twitter
• Ipad owner loses finger in theft – http://www.ktvu.com/news/23219220/detail.html
• Use of Twitter and Facebook steadily rising among gang members
  • http://www.policeone.com/police-products/communications/articles/1998904-Use-of-Twitter-Facebook-steadily-rising-among-gang-members/
• Calling 911 for a ride home: http://www.ktvu.com/news/23260100/detail.html

Reader / Listener Questions

• Question #1 – What happens if I am the designated driver and my car is loaded with drunks and i get pulled over?
• Question #2 – What happens if I throw a cigarette or a lit cigarette out of my car window?
• Question #3 – How fast over the speed limit can I drive and not get a ticket?
• Question #4 – Phone Scams – What to do about them
  • http://www.ktvu.com/news/23256200/detail.html

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STAY SAFE OUT THERE!

Is there a demand for more K-9 units or is that slowly dwindling down? I am interested in that field but would like to know if it is worth my time.

Thank you,
Marissa

From my perspective, there is always a need for police K-9′s. In fact, our agency just increased our K-9 unit to four dogs, one for each shift. K-9′s are used in a variety of situations; Narcotic searches, missing person tracking, article searches, suspect apprehension, community demonstrations etc. When I worked in the K-9 unit with my 125 lb Rottweiler named Bolo, it was amazing the respect that the K-9′s got. Officers would roll up on a large fight and people would ignore the officers commands and continue to fight but the second I pulled up with Bolo barking and hanging out the window, the fight was over. Suspects find police dogs unpredictable and know there’s a good chance that they could be bitten so they usually give up rather than flee or fight the officer. Most of the time, a police dog can diffuse a potentially violent situation simply by their presence.

I remember a story when my brother Jim was working a 150 lb Rottweiler named Rommel. Jim stopped 3 suspects in a stolen car in a remote area with no immediate backup and the three suspects started looking around as though they were about to flee. Jim called Rommel to his side and told the suspects if they decided to run, he would catch one, Rommel would catch one and the third would get away. All three suspects put their hands on the hood of the car and gave up, no one wanted to take a chance on being the one that Rommel caught.

If you have an opportunity to work with a K-9, I’d jump at the chance. It’s a very enjoyable and rewarding experience.

Mark

Tom Bonnett, Sky News Online

A Thai police force has begun taking a monkey dressed in officer’s uniform on patrol each day to help improve relations with Muslim separatists.

Other forces are said to be considering enlisting a monkey to improve their image

The five-year-old pig-tailed macaque was adopted after policemen in Yaha province in southern Thailand found him injured with a broken arm.

Trainers taught Santisuk, which means peace in Thai, to pick up coconuts and he now lends a hand collecting the fruit with residents.

The monkey also helps supervise a police checkpoint and his boss says he has made it a much happier place.

Motorists now stop to play with Santisuk, rather than getting angry at the hold-up.

Other forces are now considering introducing monkeys to better their image in the troubled province.

Separatists are blamed for most of the attacks in Thailand’s predominantly Muslim deep south.

Buddhists and Muslims associated with the Thai state – such as police, soldiers, government officials and teachers – are often targeted.

It’s ok to laugh but in this time of uncertainty, increased crime and loss of respect to police in the field, new innovative thinking is essential. More power to our brothers overseas to think up creative new ways to establish good public relations with the citizens they server on a daily basis.

@coptalk

Local Police Department cannot move without many issues from local citizens

Description:

What is a Hero? This collection of short stories indirectly asks the question – what is a hero? Each of the 13 authors wrote about a specific person whom the author identified as an American Hero. Each author had a different take – some heroes were thrust into danger; others were comedic, yet heroic; still others were role models because of their heroic nature. While all different, there is a common thread: heroism.

Product Details

• Paperback: 188 pages
• Publisher: American Heroes Press (March 8, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1604815787
• ISBN-13: 978-1604815788

by Dana Dratch
Friday, March 19, 2010

Reposted from www.creditcards.com

Debit cards have different protections and uses. Sometimes they’re not the best choice.

Sometimes reaching for your wallet is like a multiple choice test: How do you really want to pay?

While credit cards and debit cards may look almost identical, not all plastic is the same.

"It’s important that consumers understand the difference between a debit card and a credit card," says John Breyault, director of the Fraud Center for the National Consumers League, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group. "There’s a difference in how the transactions are processed and the protections offered to consumers when they use them."

While debit cards and credit cards each have advantages, each is also better suited to certain situations. And since a debit card is a direct line to your bank account, there are places where it can be wise to avoid handing it over — if for no other reason than complete peace of mind.

Here are 10 places and situations where it can pay to leave that debit card in your wallet:

1. Online

"You don’t use a debit card online," says Susan Tiffany, director of consumer periodicals for the Credit Union National Association. Since the debit card links directly to a checking account, "you have potential vulnerability there," she says.

Her reasoning: If you have problems with a purchase or the card number gets hijacked, a debit card is "vulnerable because it happens to be linked to an account," says Linda Foley, founder of the Identity Theft Resource Center. She also includes phone orders in this category.

The Federal Reserve’s Regulation E  (commonly dubbed Reg E), covers debit card transfers. It sets a consumer’s liability for fraudulent purchases at $50, provided they notify the bank within two days of discovering that their card or card number has been stolen.

Most banks have additional voluntary policies that set their own customers’ liability with debit cards at $0, says Nessa Feddis, vice president and senior counsel for the American Bankers Association.

But the protections don’t relieve consumers of hassle: The prospect of trying to get money put back into their bank account, and the problems that a lower-than-expected balance can cause in terms of fees and refused checks or payments, make some online shoppers reach first for credit cards.

2. Big-Ticket Items

With a big ticket item, a credit card is safer, says Chi Chi Wu, staff attorney with the National Consumer Law Center. A credit card offers dispute rights if something goes wrong with the merchandise or the purchase, she says.

"With a debit card, you have fewer protections," she says.

In addition, some cards will also offer extended warrantees. And in some situations, such as buying electronics or renting a car, some credit cards also offer additional property insurance to cover the item.

Two caveats, says Wu. Don’t carry a balance. Otherwise, you also risk paying some high-ticket interest. And "avoid store cards with deferred interest," Wu advises.

3. Deposit Required

When Peter Garuccio recently rented some home improvement equipment at a big-box store, it required a sizable deposit. "This is where you want to use a credit card instead of a debit," says Garuccio, spokesman for the national trade group American Bankers Association.

That way, the store has its security deposit, and you still have access to all of the money in your bank account. With any luck, you’ll never actually have to part with a dollar.

4. Restaurants

"To me, it’s dangerous," says Gary Foreman, editor of the frugality minded Web site The Dollar Stretcher. "You have so many people around."

Foreman bases his conclusions on what he hears from readers. "Anecdotally, the cases that I’m hearing of credit or debit information being stolen, as often as not, it’s in a restaurant," he says.

The danger: Restaurants are one of the few places where you have to let cards leave your sight when you use them. But others think that avoiding such situations is not workable.

The "conventional advice of ‘don’t let the card out of your sight’ — that’s just not practical," says Tiffany.

The other problem with using a debit card at restaurants: Some establishments will approve the card for more than your purchase amount because, presumably, you intend to leave a tip. So the amount of money frozen for the transaction could be quite a bit more than the amount of your tab. And it could be a few days before you get the cash back in your account.

5. You’re a New Customer

Online or in the real world, if you’re a first-time customer in a store, skip the debit card the first couple of times you buy, says Breyault.

That way, you get a feel for how the business is run, how you’re treated and the quality of the merchandise before you hand over a card that links to your checking account.

6. Buy Now, Take Delivery Later

Buying now but taking delivery days or weeks from now? A credit card offers dispute rights that a debit card typically does not.

"It may be an outfit you’re familiar with and trust, but something might go wrong," says Breyault, "and you need protection."

But be aware that some cards will limit the protection to a specific time period, says Feddis. So settle any problems as soon as possible.

7. Recurring Payments

We’ve all heard the urban legend about the gym that won’t stop billing an ex-member’s credit card. Now imagine the charges aren’t going onto your card, but instead coming right out of your bank account.

Another reason not to use the debit card for recurring charges: your own memory and math skills. Forget to deduct that automatic bill payment from your checkbook one month, and you could either face fees or embarrassment (depending on whether you’ve opted to allow overdrafting or not). So if you don’t keep a cash buffer in your account, "to protect yourself from over-limit fees, you may want to think about using a credit card" for recurring payments, says Breyault.

8. Future Travel

Book your travel with a check card, and "they debit it immediately," says Foley. So if you’re buying travel that you won’t use for six months or making a reservation for a few weeks from now, you’ll be out the money immediately.

Another factor that bothers Foley: Hotels aren’t immune to hackers and data breaches, and several name-brand establishments have suffered the problem recently. Do you want your debit card information "to sit in a system for four months, waiting for you to arrive?" she asks. "I would not."

9. Gas Stations and Hotels

This one depends on the individual business. Some gas stations and hotels will place holds to cover customers who may leave without settling the entire bill. That means that even though you only bought $10 in gas, you could have a temporary bank hold for $50 to $100, says Tiffany.

Ditto hotels, where there are sometimes holds or deposits in the hundreds to make sure you don’t run up a long distance bill, empty the mini bar or trash the room. The practice is almost unnoticeable if you’re using credit, but can be problematic if you’re using a debit card and have just enough in the account to cover what you need.

At hotels, ask about deposits and holds before you present your card, says Feddis. At the pump, select the pin-number option, she says, which should debit only the amount you’ve actually spent.

10.  Checkouts or ATMs That Look ‘Off’

Criminals are getting better with skimmers and planting them in places you’d never suspect — like ATM machines on bank property, says Foley.

So take a good look at the machine or card reader the next time you use an ATM or self-check lane, she advises. Does the machine fit together well or does something look off, different or like it doesn’t quite belong? Says Foley, "Make sure it doesn’t look like it’s been tampered with."

http://www.blubrry.com/coptalk/

ASK A COP: http://www.coptalk.info/ask-a-cop-ask-us-a-question/

Click here for the full article

Posted: Sunday, March 21 2010 at 06:00 pm CT by Bob Sullivan

Most people think they’ll never fall for a scam. In fact, that frame of mind is precisely what con artists look for. Those who believe that they know better are often the last to raise their defenses when criminals are nearby. Yes, Virginia, people lose money online. A lot of it. They wire cash to London, they can’t help investigating the one-in-a-million chance they really are related to a dead prince from Africa, and they sometimes even travel to Nigeria to find out. Just in case.

Many of the scams you read about are sensational, such as the silly "hit man" scam created by real amateurs (recipients get an e-mail that says send me all your money or I’ll kill you). And you’ve also seen lists that offer oddly skewed results, such as the recent FBI announcement that scammers pretending to be FBI agents are now the most prevalent Internet crime. You’d figure those numbers are a bit exaggerated because victims of FBI scams are a bit more likely to report those scams to the agency.

Fantastic stories like these only serve to convince many consumers to let their guard down even more, helping to increase the pool of marks for the professional scammers.

I know, because I hear from victims all the time. My inbox is littered with people whose notes say,"I know I should have known better, but …." And with that, they beg me for help restoring their ravaged bank accounts. In fact, every single victim I’ve ever interviewed says they had an inkling that something was wrong from the outset, but they ignored that feeling. That’s why the single most important factor in avoiding fraud is this: Learn to trust the feeling in the pit of your stomach.

Usually, I can’t help restore those bank accounts. But I can help you, if your turn hasn’t come up yet. And even if you are convinced you’d never fall for any online con, someone in your circle of friends or family is vulnerable. Please forward this story to him or her.

Because I hear from so many victims all year long, I know what people really fall for. Here are the top 5 ways cyberthieves separate people from their money, based on my 12 years of writing about Net cons.

1.) Online dating scams

Anyone out there never done anything dumb for love? If you are raising your hand, congratulations. You may now relinquish your credentials as a human being. The rest of you should read on.

Love-based cons are the easiest to perpetrate. Why? Because love always involves a leap of faith — trusting something you can’t see or touch. Just like Internet scams. For years, criminals have made haunts out of dating services and lonely-hearts chat rooms. Broken-hearted folks are rarely in their right minds, so they make easy targets.

I once knew the FBI agent in charge of investigating cyber-love scams. He put it this way: Men could learn a lot from con artist lovers. They send flowers and candy constantly while wooing a mark (purchased with stolen credit cards, of course). Gifts really do put women in an agreeable state of mind, he assured me.

Some cons spend months grooming their marks, waiting until after several "I love yous" before asking for $800 to be wired to the passport office in London to help clear up a paperwork mess so he can come to America for a visit.

Yes, it all sounds ridiculous. It’s not. It’s so profitable that criminals actually pay monthly fees on some dating services. Generally, the more you pay for a service the fewer criminals you’ll see, and free Craigslist personal ads tend to be a cesspool. But I’ve heard from victims who never joined a dating service but were still conned into fake love from perfectly innocent-sounding places like Facebook groups or chat rooms devoted to hobbies like stitching or horses. It all starts with a simple e-mail, perhaps enhanced by a little Facebook research (“Hey, you love the New York Islanders and the Beatles, too! Wow”)

Since I’ve written about this scam many times, I’ve even heard from concerned family members who beg me to talk the deluded lover down off the cliff when he or she is about to send a bunch of money to a scammer. Usually, I fail. Love is blind; it’s also really, really stubborn.

In the latest flavor of the scam, when a deluded lover actually wises up and confronts the criminal, he or she admits to the crime but then adds this twist: "Yes, at first it was just a con, but while we were talking I’ve really fallen in love with you."

For a whole lot more on this insidious, more-common-than-you’d-believe crime, visit romancescams.org. The group, founded by former victims, has been fighting back for nearly 10 years. They post blacklisted photos there, e-mail addresses and typical opening lines from scammers , and lots of additional helpful scam-fighting tools. If you fall in love and have any doubts, visit the site.

2.) Fake or "rogue" anti-virus software

We’ve all seen the pop-ups: "Your computer is infected! Get help now!"

If you’ve ever clicked through such an ad (really, a hijacking), you know that the price for freedom is $20 or $30 a month. At first, the ads were clunky and the threats idle. But now, many pop-ups are perfect replicas of windows you would see from Windows or an antivirus product. Some sites actually employ so-called ransomware, which disables your PC until you pay up or disinfect it with a strong antivirus product. That’s why consumers forked over hundreds of millions of dollars to fake antivirus distributors in 2009, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

Your best bet? Make a plan now. This is the one scam that just about anyone can fall for. The best protection of all is to back up your important files, so the day your computer is hacked, your digital life won’t be on the line. It’s also important to have a fire extinguisher nearby. A second PC or laptop is often your best help when disaster strikes. Many viruses disable Internet access, so you’ll need a second computer to research your infection and download disinfectant software. Have a flash drive nearby, too, so you can move the inoculation from one computer to the other.

Meanwhile, if you aren’t paying for antivirus software, at least employ one of the popular free products like AVG or Windows Defender

3.) Facebook impersonation

Facebook is no longer a Web site — it’s a full-fledged platform, rapidly approaching the scale of the Internet itself. Many young users spend more time on Facebook than on e-mail, and actually use Facebook as their e-mail service. That means scammers are now crawling all over the service, since they always go where the people go. There are hundreds of Facebook scams, such as phishing e-mails, Trojan horse infections, misleading advertisements and so on.

But the crime you should most worry about is Facebook impersonation. A criminal who hacks into your Facebook account can learn a staggering amount of information about you. Worse yet, he or she can gain trusted access to friends and family. We’ve seen plenty of stories that showFacebook friends can easily be tricked into sending money in response to believable pleas for help.

For this reason, it’s time to upgrade your Facebook password. Treat it like an online banking site, because it’s not a stretch to say that a criminal who hacks your Facebook account is only one small step away from stealing your money (“Hello, First National Bank, I’ve lost my password. But my high school mascot is the Owl and my mother’s maiden name is Smith. Oh, and my first girlfriend’s name was Mary. Can you reset the password now?”)

4.) Becoming a bot

You may not know it, but your computer might be a criminal. Botnets — armies of hijacked home computers that send out spam or commit other crimes — remain the biggest headache for security professionals. The various botnets ebb and flow in size, but at any given time, tens of millions of computers on the Web are under the influence of a criminal. No one thinks it’s their PC, of course, but look at the odds. If one estimate claiming 100 million infections is accurate, then about one out of every 20 computers in the world is infected. In other words, someone in your extended family is aiding and abetting a spammer.

How can this be? Victims typically don’t notice the criminal activity. Cyberthieves can easily use your machine without leaving a trace or slowing down your PC performance. They do not deposit e-mails in your sent items folder. Instead of sending 1 million e-mails from your machine, they send one e-mail every hour from 1 million infected machines.

Any honest antivirus company will tell you that there is so much new malicious software created every day that the good guys simply can’t keep up. The Web is jammed full of e-mails and Web sites that can turn your home computer into a bot. Your PC could very easily be safe today but at risk tomorrow. That’s why it’s so important to keep your computer’s security tools up to date. But you shouldn’t assume that this will keep you 100 percent safe. Avoid the Web’s seedier side, and don’t let the kids download illegal music or games, a main source of infections. And always keep on the lookout for strange programs, files or surprising hiccups from your machine.

5) The fakosphere

The Web is now littered with fake blogs, fake ads, fake acai berry products, fake work-at-home jobs and fake Web sites saying how great all these things are. You’ll even see ads for such products on all major media Web sites, as they’ve become the Web’s answer to late-night infomercials.

The FTC recently issued an opinion clarifying that fake testimonials on Web sites are a violation of federal law, and some of the over-the-top ads have disappeared. But the fakosphere is far from dead.

I know it’s tempting to obey one rule that will make your tummy flat, make your bank account fat or make your cancer disappear. But you can’t believe everything you read online. Never purchase a product without searching Google using this search term: "(Product name) scam" and "(Product Name) complaint." Then, spend three minutes familiarizing yourself with the reputation of the item you are about to buy and the price you are about to pay. One or two complaints might say one thing, but 500 complaints should certainly scream at you that you should put that credit card back in your wallet.

Here are a few other top scam lists worth checking:

* Top 12 scams at BillShrink
* The Times (UK) top scam list
* FBI top scams list

Please be patient with me as you read the following, and keep in mind that my words come from the heart. If anyone gets offended I should probably apologize but I’m not going to. When I started this project I vowed to always speak boldly off the record, and this is something that needs to be said. Or rather asked…

Where have all the parents gone?

My words come from 24 years of being a parent to your kids when you’re not around.
24 years of frustration in seeing kids desperately seeking love and guidance. And not finding it at home.

I don’t have any children. Sometimes I ask God why that happened. Other times I’m almost thankful that it didn’t happen.

My brother Mark on the other hand, is the proud father of two beautiful daughters. One just entered one of the most challenging stages in her life. High School.

I remember back when I went to high school. What was different then as compared to now, is attitude. School was fun back then. Most the time I actually looked forward to going. You’re not really thinking a whole lot about the future then, but I was encouraged to do well by parents and teachers who didn’t expect me to “Be the Best”, but to always try and “Do my Best”.

The difference now is attitude!

I frequently get dispatched to group fight after group fight when the local high school lets out.
Fights that started over one kid looking at another kid the wrong way.
Fights that involve the use of guns and knives.
Fights that involve one kid wearing red and one kid wearing blue.
I arrive at a fight call and the attitude I get from these kids is appalling.
They spit on the ground at my feet (the universal sign of disrespect towards cops),
They walk or run away from me while yelling obscenities,
And they display the most defiant demeanor I’ve ever seen.
Where’s all this anger and hostility coming from? I grew up in a rough city, but my Mom and Dad always taught me to treat the Police with respect. I knew that if I didn’t do anything wrong, I never had a reason to fear the cops. After all, the cops were there to keep us safe. Why would I show disrespect to someone who was there to keep me safe?
Years ago, my Mom would always make cookies at Christmas time for the local police and fire department. (She still does it to this day) My parents would always take Mark and I to go with them to drop them off, and she always MADE us take them in.
When we were really little, it was cool. The cops were really impressive in their uniforms and the firefighters let us sit inside the firetrucks. In junior high school I was thinking that I was pretty cool. Too cool to be doing this Santa thing at the police department but, it made Mom happy after going to all that trouble.

I remember feeling a little self conscious, but wow, all these cops who were inside the station always came out to personally thank us and it seemed like they really appreciated the thought. They didn’t make me feel like a dumb little kid. They made me feel like it really mattered to them that we appreciated their efforts. They asked us where we lived and they always made a point to drive by and wave on a regular basis.

Hey, don’t get the wrong idea here. I wasn’t some little cop groupie. I had no plans to even be a cop until I was 27 years old. It had everything to do with respect. My parents taught me to respect those who took an oath in life to protect us.

I’ve had my turns screwing up in life. I remember going to the senior ball and scoring a couple bottles of champagne that I had kept on ice in the back of my car. After the dance was over my girlfriend and I drove out to a secluded area overlooking a lake and met a few other friends.
I remember a bright flashlight being directed in my eyes and my first thought was
“I’m in deep —- now”. Two officers from the local park police had seen vehicles parked in an area closed to the public, and they had walked in on foot to sneak up on us.

I was respectful and honest while answering their questions. They found my champagne and made sure that I hadn’t been drinking. (yet) They called my parents, and my girlfriends parents, to see if they knew where we were at. Of course they didn’t. But I could tell by the cops conversation what my Dad had asked. “No Mr. Lambert, he hasn’t caused any problems, he’s been very cooperative.
The Cop looked at me, shook his head and smiled. “Jim, your Dad says you have 30 minutes to drop Sharon off and get home or it’s going to be the worst night of your life.”

“And by the way, when you drop off Sharon, when you see her Dad it probably will be the worst night of your life!”

The cop made me pour out the champagne and said the infamous “you’re free to go”.
I asked him, “that’s it, I’m free to go?” The smile faded a bit as the cop told me that if he ever caught me in a similar circumstance in the future the outcome would be entirely different and not to my liking.

I could have been cited for a minor in possession of alcohol.
I could have been cited or arrested for trespass.
I could have had my license suspended.
I could have had my car towed.

But the officer had appreciated my honesty and respect. I didn’t try to lie my way out of it. I didn’t spit on the ground at the cop’s feet. I didn’t use profanity towards him. I didn’t have attitude. I just went with the flow and figured I’d take the rap for what I had done. It was wrong. And it was no one’s fault but my own.

But the course of following what my Mom and Dad had always taught me, being respect to others and taking responsibility for my own actions, led to me getting one of the biggest breaks I can remember from my teenage years.

That cop had done his job.

He made sure that I hadn’t been drinking and that I wasn’t a danger to other motorist on the roadways or to ourselves.

He had let our parents know what we had been up to so that they could handle it appropriately.
And he had acted in a professional manner and had treated me with respect.
To this day I remember that night when I stop kids in similar situations.
I can make a good kid hate me, or I can make a bad kid hate me.

I’ll stick with making bad kids hate me. They don’t get any breaks. Spit at my feet, and I’ll spit back by making that arrest for trespass and towing your car. Call me every name in the book and I’ll find just as many violations in the vehicle code to set your wallet way back! Act like a disrespectful punk trying to be a big shot in front of your friends and I’ll make you look like the biggest class clown in history!

On the other hand, show a little class, take some responsibility for your actions, accept the phone call to Mom and Dad, and realize that the cop is there to ensure your safety, not wreck your night. You might get the break I got way back then.

However, a main ingredient in my situation, was caring parents who ensured that they would handle the matter at home. Caring parents, not over protective parents.
I’m still amazed by the parents who don’t care where their kids are at or what they’ve done wrong. Many times they blame us and threaten us with law suits.

No concern.

No surprise.

No shock that a cop is calling at 3 in the morning wondering if you know where your 16 year old daughter is at. You didn’t know she was with a 19-year old with a bottle of vodka and a box of condoms?

No questions. Except for the one that makes me want to haul your rear to jail!
“Is she under arrest”
“Where is she?”
“And what right do you have to search their car? Do you have a warrant? I want your badge number, my lawyer is going to hear about this!”
Or how about…

Me: Mrs. Smith, I need you to come out to where we’re at so you can pick your son up. He’s been drinking beer and I have to release him to you.

Mrs. Smith: Can’t you just let him drive home? I have to get up for work tomorrow. They were just out having fun. Just tell him to lock the car and to walk home. It’s not like he just killed somebody, he just had a little to drink.

Me: Mrs. Smith, it’s 3 am and your kid is 10 miles away from your home. I need you to come and get him. I’m not going to let an intoxicated juvenile walk home at 3am. I can’t understand your lack of concern here.

Mrs. Smith: Now you’re calling me a bad parent? Why can’t you just bring him home? That’s your job isn’t it? I have to get up early for work tomorrow. Why are you making such a big thing out of this officer? Weren’t you young once?

“Yes I was young once but I had responsible parents looking out for me you lazy pathetic irresponsible moron who shouldn’t be a parent!”

I have to argue with you to come get your kid that just blew a .13 on my alcohol tester?
A 16-year old kid that should be home in bed for school tomorrow!
A 16 year old kid who hears me arguing with you on my cell phone and laughs in my face because he knows you aren’t going to do anything about this.

You won’t do anything about it until I knock on your door one morning to notify you that your son Billy was killed in an automobile accident involving alcohol. And even then, you’ll blame me, or someone else.

Your kids need your support and love. NOW, not LATER.

One of the best sayings I’ve heard is:
“ The teenage years are too late to start parenting!”
Start early. Start young. Start at that “take the cookies to the police department age!”
Look at these pictures.

What’s a 6-year old kid doing walking home from school along a busy street by himself? Crossing busy railroad tracks without supervision. Whatever happened to YOU being there after school to be with your kid. To see how his or her day went. To let them know you care. Do you know how easy a target this child is to the criminal predator? No you don’t or he wouldn’t be out here all alone!

Two more youngsters walking home from school along busy streets. These kids are too young to be out here alone. When you get the news that your 5-year old was hit by a bus after running out in front of it, will you blame the 8-year old brother who was supposed to watch him? Hello!!!! You’re the parents here. Where the hell are you?

These young children turn out to be the ones walking down the street with “Attitude”.
Looking for trouble wherever they can find it. Their family becomes their friends because they have no family at home. No love. No support. No Guidence.

Where have all the parents gone?

I live on a big boat on a beautiful river. Behind my big boat, I have a smaller jet
boat that I use for cruising around the delta when I feel like going 45mph instead of 12mph. The other day I was taking my dog “Gilligan” out to his favorite beach in the jet boat.
We passed 3 little kids no more than 8 or 9 who were swimming out to the channel buoy.
A channel buoy located in the middle of the boating channel! I looked at Gilligan and wondered why my “Mutt from the dog pound was wearing a life vest, and why these children weren’t wearing any!”

I was the one looking out for Gilligan in case anything happened to him. No One was watching these kids in case something happened to them. What’s up with that?

A river with a strong current.
A river with no visibility. We’re not talking the crystal clear waters of Hawaii here….
A river with no lifeguards.

What happens when one of the kids gets fatigued swimming against the current and disappears under the water?

What happens when a drunk boater blast through the 5 mile per hour marker and runs over these kids with a propeller spinning at 4500 rpms?

Where have all the parents gone?

Why does this bother me? Two weeks ago a family had a get together along this very same river. A 7-year old drowned while swimming along the shore line. He didn’t know how to swim. He lost his footing and slipped into water that was over his head.

In an instant he was gone.

In less than a minute, a family picnic turned into a panic when they noticed he was gone.
In less than a minute, that boy breathed his last breath in dark murky water.
Where have all the parents gone?

• You have a responsibility to be there for your kids!
• You have a responsibility to make sure that they are safe from the dangers of the world!
• You have a responsibility to help prevent the cops from having to do your job!
• You have a responsibility, in making your kids know that they have to be responsible themselves. To take responsibilities for their own actions. To know the difference between right and wrong.

• You have a responsibility to give your kids the love they need. Not $500.00 to keep themselves amused while you and your wife leave and go away on business or vacation through the weekend.
You wonder why your house got thrashed after your kids had a beer party at the house and a fight broke out. Stains on the carpet, broken furniture, cigarette burn holes on the couch, missing personal items, and a kid in the hospital with a broken face.

I call you on the phone from your house and you have the nerve to ask me what I’m doing in your house without a search warrant ?

“Gee, I’m sorry sir, but 12 of your neighbors called in about the 100 kids over here unsupervised, who were smashing beer bottles in the street. Squealing tires in their cars, yelling profanity, smoking marijuana, loud music and then we got called here after a 15 year old kid was beaten unconscious with a baseball bat in your backyard.”

But hey, you’re right on one point. I don’t have a search warrant to be in your home right now. But I’m kind of thinking that “If you were home being a parent, then I wouldn’t have to be here!”
Where have all the parents gone.

I don’t care what you say to this. Behind every bad kid, there’s a lack of parental supervision.
I’ve worked in affluent areas in my county where love is replaced by money and expensive gifts and cars. These kids have no respect for anyone and anything, and if they do something wrong, mommy and daddy’s lawyer will get them out of it. No responsibility. No parental support.
Where have all the parents gone?

I’ve worked in violent crime ridden areas in my county where mom and dad are gone all day just trying to make enough money to keep the utilities on. Sometimes working 2 jobs.

Area’s where the kids have guns in their hands instead of cans of beer. I’m talking 12-year old kids here. I got into a vehicle pursuit one night of a stolen car. I radioed to dispatch and my back up units that the car was occupied by 2 subjects who were crouched down in the front seat. The pursuit lasted 3 blocks before the car lost control on a turn and spun out.

I jumped out of my car with my K-9 partner and prepared to unleash a 130lb Rottweiler on the two subjects who refused to sit up in the car. They couldn’t sit up. There were already sitting up as high as they could. The driver was 12. The passenger was his 9-year old cousin. They could barely see over the dashboard.

Where’s your Dad? “I ain’t got no Dad”.
Where’s you Mom? “She’s with her boyfriend”.
Who’s her boyfriend? “I dunno”.
Where’s her boyfriend live? “I dunno”.
Where are you supposed to be at right now? “At home.”
You’re supposed to be home all by yourself? “I always stay at home by myself.”
Where did you get the gun? “I don’t have to tell you shit Cop, I know my rights.”
That’s coming from the mouth of a 12 year old.
No respect for anyone or anything!
I ask you again, “Where have all the parents gone?”
To all the good responsible parents in the world who provide love and support to their kids, and who teach them “right from wrong, To the kids who grow up in the world showing respect to others whether or not they learned it at home, To the parents who make their kids feel like their KIDS and FAMILY instead of roommates or burdens, To the parents who MAKE their kids take responsibility when they do wrong, we salute you with all our hearts.

We rarely have contact with you because you do a great job at home. Your efforts do not go unnoticed and we are truly thankful for you.

To all the violent “kids” who are incarcerated in juvenile detention facilities across the United States, who would just as soon put a bullet in your head at an ATM machine than swing a baseball bat at a little league game, I have a question to ask you…

Where have all your parents gone?

The criminal justice system isn’t working. The kids get younger and younger. The violence gets worse and worse. The hatred gets stronger and stronger.
Why did my Dad put the fear of God in me for having two bottles of champagne in my car on prom night, and in this day and age the parents want to sue me for illegal search and seizure?

Parental Liability.
Parental Responsibility.
Parental Love.
Parental Support.

How can you punish a kid for doing wrong, if he hasn’t been taught right from wrong at home? Maybe, just maybe, it’s time to start holding 2 other people accountable!
My favorite saying…Every action has a reaction.

If you’re a good parent, you’ll have great kids and reap the benefits.
If you’re a bad parent, you’ll more than likely end up with 15 years of hell on your hands.
If you can’t swim, don’t jump in the river. If a career means more than properly raising a family, don’t have kids. If you do both, one has to be way more important than the other.

If you haven’t figured out which one that is yet, then maybe you’re the one that can answer the question for me…

“Where have all the parents gone?”

Summary:

• 55% of businesses reported experiencing fraud in the last 12 months, with 58% enabled by online banking activities.
• 80% of banks failed to catch fraud before funds were transferred out of their institution.
• In 87% of fraud attacks, the bank was unable to fully recover assets.
• 57% of the respondents that experienced a fraud attack were not fully compensated by their banks.
• 26% were not compensated for any part of their losses.
• 40% of defrauded businesses moved their banking activities elsewhere.
• 24% of businesses claim that their banks do not provide a policy explaining the bank’s responsibilities to secure and protect their companies’ accounts from fraud.
• 39% are unsure if such a policy exists.

"The data is clear – financial institutions’ are failing to protect small and medium business assets," says Terry Austin, CEO, Guardian Analytics. "This is crushing to the SMBs, which are at the heart of our economic recovery."

** Please make sure your small business is protected. Many small businesses are in the position where the CEO or General Manager is also the IT professional and with that comes the lack of time to accomplish all the security items needed in today’s society. Please take the time to make sure you are protected online **

Bear with us as we get all the details for the show and the details for equipment and any technical details worked out. Please feel free to help us out by submitting your questions on our website in the Ask a Cop? Section and we will be adding those questions to our upcoming shows.

Thanks for all the support over the years and we are looking forward to using this new avenue to get our thoughts on your questions to you in a format other than just the website. We are looking to be published on itunes in the next week or two depending on their current approval schedule.

Till then Stay Safe!

2. Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your yard last week. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a little easier.

3. Love those flowers. That tells me you have taste … and taste means there are nice things inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out always make me wonder what type of gaming system they have.

4. Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on the driveway. And I might leave a pizza flyer in your front door to see how long it takes you to remove it.

5. If it snows while you’re out of town, get a neighbor to create car and foot tracks into the house. Virgin drifts in the driveway are a dead giveaway.

6. If decorative glass is part of your front entrance, don’t let your alarm company install the control pad where I can see if it’s set. That makes it too easy.

7. A good security company alarms the window over the sink. And the windows on the second floor, which often access the master bedroom-and your jewelry. It’s not a bad idea to put motion detectors up there too.

8. It’s raining, you’re fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to lock your door-understandable. But understand this: I don’t take a day off because of bad weather.

9.. I always knock first. If you answer, I’ll ask for directions somewhere or offer to clean your gutters. (Don’t take me up on it.)

10. Do you really think I won’t look in your sock drawer? I always check dresser drawers, the bedside table, and the medicine cabinet.

11. Helpful hint: I almost never go into kids’ rooms.

12. You’re right: I won’t have enough time to break into that safe where you keep your valuables. But if it’s not bolted down, I’ll take it with me.

13. A loud TV or radio can be a better deterrent than the best alarm system. If you’re reluctant to leave your TV on while you’re out of town, you can buy a $35 device that works on a timer and simulates the flickering glow of a real television. (Find it at faketv.com.)

8 MORE THINGS A BURGLAR WON’T TELL YOU:

1. Sometimes, I carry a clipboard. Sometimes, I dress like a lawn guy and carry a rake. I do my best to never, ever look like a crook.

2. The two things I hate most: loud dogs and nosy neighbors.

3. I’ll break a window to get in, even if it makes a little noise. If your neighbor hears one loud sound, he’ll stop what he’s doing and wait to hear it again. If he doesn’t hear it again, he’ll just go back to what he was doing. It’s human nature.

4. I’m not complaining, but why would you pay all that money for a
fancy alarm system and leave your house without setting it?

5. I love looking in your windows. I’m looking for signs that you’re home, and for flat screen TVs or gaming systems I’d like. I’ll drive or walk through your neighborhood at night, before you close the blinds, just to pick my targets.

6. Avoid announcing your vacation on your Facebook page. It’s easier than you think to look up your address.

7. To you, leaving that window open just a crack during the day is a way to let in a little fresh air. To me, it’s an invitation.
8. If you don’t answer when I knock, I try the door. Occasionally, I hit the jackpot and walk right in.

Sources: Convicted burglars in North Carolina , Oregon , California , and Kentucky; security consultant Chris McGoey, who runs crimedoctor.com; and Richard T. Wright, a criminology professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, who interviewed 105 burglars for his book Burglars on the Job.

I was pulled over for speeding. The cop commented that I am setting a bad example as a Christian because my license plate read "Christians aren’t perfect just forgiven by a God who is" -he proceeded in questioning my faith and Christianity. Is that ok to Judge, belittle, or put me down.

_______________________________________________________

If he was just trying to be humorous in the beginning, that’s one thing. People are often nervous or angry about being pulled over and some officers (including myself) make jokes or comments at times to ease the tension or fear. Usually people appreciate a cop with a sense of humor. But if he was clearly questioning your faith and taking it too far in your opinion, then no, it is not right. If you feel strongly that the officer went too far, you can call the department and ask to speak to a supervisor to discuss the incident or you can file a formal complaint at the police department.   

© Coptalk.info

I have been charged with a Class B misdemeanor. Is it legal for me to carry a unloaded, open action, rifle in my truck while on probation?

_____________________________________________________

Sadly this is a hard one to give you a proper answer for:

Terms of probation are all different and a lot depends on the original charge. While normally carrying a non-concealed unloaded firearm is legal in some states, it may violate the terms of your probation. You’ll have to check with your probation officer to get the answer to that one.

Sadly you will need to ask locally as it is so different from state to state..and even county and county.

© Coptalk.info

I would like to become a police officer.I live in sioux falls sd.I really want to help people and society and the older and more mature I become the more I desire the position.I am a recovered alcoholic and had DUIs when I was younger,It was and is a difficult disease to overcome but I’ve been doing it for yrs.Is this something that might hold me back from my goal?Will they give me a chance or not being I was in trouble because of my problem.Last but not least,what is the best or correct process to apply and learn the position?Any info would be greatly appreciated.I believe the job you guys do is important and essential to the well being of our country and its citizens and would love nothing more then to be able to keep good honest people safe and help whomever may need it.I realize I broke the law when I was younger and struggling with my addiction but that is half the reason I want to do this.The instances when I was not caught scare me to death,I could have hurt or even ki

lled innocent people as well as myself.Again,thank you and not just for help with my question but also for what you do every day.

————————————————————————————-

Ryan,

Usually a persons past of minor offenses or DUI’s shouldn’t affect their chances at becoming a police officer as long as some time has passed. If there were recent incidents, that would probably make your chances pretty slim. Police work is a stressful job and you’d have to make sure the stress didn’t cause you to fall off the wagon. Most departments understand that people make mistakes when they are younger and that’s actually part of life’s experience. Minor misdemeanors shouldn’t hurt your chance but a felony conviction would keep you out of law enforcement. A pattern of abuse with recent incident could also keep you out. If you’ve been clean for years, have nothing serious on your record, then you have a chance of achieving your goal.

As for applying or learning the position, there are several ways. You could put yourself through a police academy at your own expense. Many departments go in and hire students from the academy classes when graduation is near. But the academy is full time, 5 days a week, so it’s difficult to do if you are older and have a full time job.

You can apply at departments for an "entry level" position. If you are hired, the department will put you through the academy, pay your way, and pay you a salary while you are in the academy. Usually the best way to get in if you can.

Or you can do like I did. While working a full time job, I took a few law enforcement classes at night at a local community college. I became a reserve officer with a local department riding shifts with sworn officers after I got off work and or weekends. Most departments do not pay reserve officers (some do) but the training you get is invaluable. I learned everything about the department and got to do a lot of hands on police work. The department also saw how motivated I was to be hired by them. I worked as a part time reserve officer for 2 years until I locked in a pension with my regular job and then the department hired me full time and put me through the police academy. If you become a reserve officer with a department, and they like you, it’s almost a guaranteed job for you when they hire as long as you pass all the test and graduate the academy.

Going through the process isn’t easy and very few applicants make it all the way through but if that is your goal, it is a very rewarding job. Hope some of this helps and good luck.

(c) Coptalk.info

I would like to know as a civilian, what are my rights as a witness to a bar fight? Do I have to give the police my statement? Do I have to give them my social security #? What if I am harassed by them?

**

If you were part of the fight and considered a suspect then yes, they have a right to obtain your information and statement. If you were just present during a common bar fight and not involved, you don’t have to give any information. But if there was a serious injury or death and they know you were there and probably saw something, they’d probably press you a bit more for information and might even take you to the station for a statement. Where I work, we ask for drivers license numbers of the people we talk to. Some departments may ask for Social Security numbers but the only time we ask for one is when we book someone into jail or try to figure out if someone is lying to us.

If you don’t want to give a statement you can be like a lot of people we contact at crime scenes; "Nope, didn’t see a thing".

**

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/kimkomando/2010-01-28-online-crooks_N.htm?csp=usat.me

Criminals are getting smarter and smarter. So, these days, it isn’t enough to just run security software on your computer. You need to keep up with the criminals’ latest tricks. Here are six threats to your security and tips for protecting yourself.

Flash drives

Flash or thumb drives provide an easy way to infect machines with malware. It’s no surprise that criminals are using them, particularly to target companies.

TECH TIPS: Ask Kim

Criminals use a flash drive with a company’s logo. They load it with malware and drop it in the company’s parking lot. An unsuspecting employee picks up the drive and connects it to his or her computer. What happens next is the scary part. Criminals gain access to the company’s network — and trade secrets.

Never use a flash drive that you find. If you find one at your company, alert the IT department. It can find the rightful owner or destroy the drive.

Facebook ‘friends’

Everyone seems to be on Facebook. It can be exciting to find new Facebook contacts. But pay close attention to who you grant access to your profile.

If you use your account for business, it can be a gold mine for competitors. You may unknowingly post information about projects that would benefit competitors. Even your contact list says a lot. It can give hints about an upcoming merger or partnership. It can also give criminals inroads at other companies.

That’s not the only danger. Information you post can be used for targeted phishing attacks. A criminal can post a link to a malicious site. It could be a phishing site or a site that installs malware.

Limit what others see and be careful about your posts. You may also prevent others from posting to your wall. Above all, be vigilant.

Clickjacking

Clicking on malicious links is known as clickjacking. It can happen anywhere online. Most notably, it threatens Facebook and Twitter users. A victim is lured to a malicious page. The victim’s profile page is opened behind the malicious page. The victim has no idea any of this is happening.

In the case of Facebook, clicking on the malicious page causes the victim to sign in to Facebook. The victim could then perform actions that compromise the Facebook account. Or, victims might be tricked into turning on webcams and microphones. They might even delete their Facebook accounts.

There is no certain way to protect against clickjacking. Your best bet is to watch for suspicious links or sites. Be alert.

Smart phone apps

Smart phone apps are hot. Criminals are looking to them to get your information. Apple checks apps before offering them to users. But other app stores may be less thorough.

For example, one developer recently offered banking apps for Android phones. The developer had no ties to the banks. The apps may have been password-stealing tools.

Although it’s less likely, apps could also infect a phone with malware. Even seemingly legitimate apps pose risks. They may collect location information or access information stored on the phone.

Watch out for unknown developers when installing apps. Read the developer’s privacy statement to understand what is collected and how it’s used. And understand the app store’s approval process. Read reviews.

If it is a third-party app, contact the service to which it connects. Make sure the developer is an approved partner. If in doubt, skip the app.

E-mail messages

E-mail has long been a popular method of attack. And e-mail attacks are improving. Obviously, beware of attachments. If you’re not expecting an attachment, call the sender. Verify that it is legitimate.

Watch out for links in e-mail messages as well. These can take you to attack sites. Links to videos are particularly popular. You may be prompted to download something to display the video. You can bet it’s a Trojan.

Remember that e-cards can lead you to malicious sites. So can e-mail messages telling you to check out pictures of yourself. These malicious sites often use drive-by downloads, targeting holes in Windows. Keeping Windows updated will generally protect you from malicious downloads.

Criminals are also targeting their attacks. Malicious messages may be personalized with information about you.

Remember that it is surprisingly easy to find someone’s e-mail address. Business addresses may be gleaned from company websites or directories. Marketing companies sell targeted lists. And, you can find personal e-mail addresses via Intelius.

A spam filter should stop most of these messages. But never underestimate the importance of vigilance.

Porn dialers

Porn dialers are making a comeback on cellphones. The dialers are Trojans posing as videos, software or utilities.

They affect phones that run Java. Many are found on porn sites. Once installed, they send premium text messages or call premium numbers without your knowledge. You’re hit with a whopping bill. The criminals behind the Trojans share in the proceeds.

Be careful about downloading software. Don’t download anything from unknown or untrusted sources. You could also receive links to premium numbers via text message. Be careful when texting or calling numbers sent to your phone.

Now that you are aware of the dangers, one thing should be clear. When it’s all said and done, the responsibility of not falling for these scams is on your shoulders. Keep your guard up.

Kim Komando hosts the nation’s largest talk radio show about computers and the Internet. To get the podcast or find the station nearest you, visit www.komando.com/listen. To subscribe to Kim’s free e-mail newsletters, sign up at www.komando.com/newsletters. Contact her at gnstech@gannett.com.