How trusting are we?

We had a discussion at work about how people are so predictable in some situations. Take answering the phone for instance. If there is a phone ringing, someone will pick it up. Have you noticed in a grocery store if a cell phone starts ringing, everyone checks theirs immediately? Doesn't it drive you crazy if you are in someone's home and they just let the phone ring- you have this urge to run over and answer it (if only to make it stop ringing). Take a hostage situation for example with armed suspects and terrified hysterical victims. If the phone rings in the midst of this chaos, someone usually answers it, seemingly regardless of what is going on around them. It's an instinctive reaction. "Hello?" "Let me talk to the person with a gun." "Ok, hold on." Unbelievable. They actually teach that in hostage negotiations. That's why the throw-phones that SWAT uses are so sucessful. You can't help but answer a ringing phone. Think about this. When an alarm goes off at a residence and the police respond, the officers have us call the house and tell the occupants to step outside and talk to them. "Hi Mr. Jones. Did you realize you set your alarm off? Are you ok? Could you please go out front and talk to the police officer?" I could be anybody, sending this homeowner outside the safety of his home to be ambushed. Yet no one questions us when we say we are the the police on the phone. Not so good. The bad guys are going to catch on sooner or later. ASK QUESTIONS, protect yourself.

Here's another thing. People will trust anyone in uniform. Anyone can buy a security guard uniform and an official looking badge from a local uniform shop. Ask to see official ID if they ask you to do something that sounds unusual. A seargant relayed a story of how he was doing follow up on a case and went to interview the victims wearing a suit rather than a uniform. He knocked on the door, carrying nothing but a briefcase (which incidently only contained his gun), and was immediately invited into the home, without being questioned as to who he was, why he was there, etc. It's a good thing he was one of the good guys. The world we live in today is very different from the one that existed 50 years ago. You cannot afford to be so trusting of your fellow man. You will eventually become a victim of a crime, hopefully it won't be a violent one. I know it sounds jaded but that is the harsh reality. Be smart, be aware of your surroundings and don't take everything at face value.

For the women reading this: If you are pulled over late at night, in a secluded area, and you feel uncomfortable, drive slowly to a well lit or populated spot. If you know where you are, call 911 from your cell and ask if they have an officer on X street trying to pull over a tan camry. If you think this is silly, look up the Cara Knott murder. Sure it's an extreme example, but know that bad people are out there pretending to be good people!!

Here's another depressing reality. If you are ever in trouble, try yelling "Fire!" instead of "Help!". People tend to pay more attention if they think they may be in harms way, rather than just a stranger on the street. It is exasperating how many people "don't want to get involved" so they give us only minimal information and the suspects get away.

Ok. Rant is over.