Lineberry Alliance Blogs

You may have read about Jason Hibbets’ ride along with Raleigh Police Department (RPD) and the 5 Crime Fighting Tips he provided. I had a similar, but totally different experience that I’d like to share.

I rode with Office Camacho. Officer Camacho has been with the RPD for five years. He mentioned several time how much he likes his job. It was quite evident during the night. I also was amazed by the multi-tasking that these officers do. I could not keep up with all the chatter coming in over the different channels.

Tabitha, ready for her shift with RPD

Officer Camacho’s beat encompasses the eastern most portion of the Southwest District. We started the night by responding to a possible drug dealing call at Walnut Terrace. No drugs were found, but we did pour out a couple of beers. You may wonder why I say “we.” On every call we made, I was allowed to get out of the car and follow Officer Camacho. There were times that my heart was beating a little fast. (more…)

The Friday night shift on October 23, 2009 started at 7:00 PM. The North Carolina State fair was attracting about 90,000 people to the fair grounds in west Raleigh. Numerous law enforcement officials from different agencies were working at the fair. Tabitha Groelle, President of Pleasant Ridge & Ramsgate Community Watch, joined me to ride the beats of District 26 in south west Raleigh. We arrived at the Raleigh Police Department (RPD) substation off of Blue Ridge Road a little after 6:00 PM. While we waited for roll call, we signed a wavier and secured our bullet proof vests. Then we were each assigned to an officer and took the streets in a patrol car. This is where my adventure begins.

RPD on the scene

Before I tell you about the eye-opening evening, I’d like to share some of the take-aways from my experience. I’ve summarized this into five tips that I hope will help you be a better crime fighting citizen.

5 Crime Fighting Tips

1. Be observant. Too many people don’t pay attention to their surroundings. As I listened to the calls coming in and the lackluster descriptions, I learned that, in general, people aren’t really paying attention to what’s going on around them. We are too focused on our gadgets, our to-do lists, and other things. When you’re in your neighborhood, out shopping, or out and about, pay attention to what’s happening around you. Take special notice of things that look out of place and take a snapshot in your head. (more…)