Close Encounter?

[texanjoker]

Panhandlers in Austin get that aggressive. They are scaring people into throwing them some money which is wrong IMO.

Austin is about the only place I run into them these days....I've encountered a few that are clearly mentally ill (one in particular who "patrolled" the median next to the Taco Cabana off Riverside), but none that have struck me as dangerous. Anyone who tried to scare me would just get a police report in lieu of money.

I've never been scared either, but the calls go out that people are scared all the time. Personally they annoy me big time. When I am in my jeep in the summer the doors and top is off. Some of these clowns just won't go away. I guess my quality of life as a tax payer doesn't mean anything anymore. BTW aggressive panhandling in the roadway is illegal.

Regressing, but back in CA I was at a traffic light and a bum was so bad I finally flashed my badge and wanted to talk to him in a official capacity (we didn't allow that). I was working a crime suppression detail in a unmarked ford taurus on overtime by myself in plain clothing. This guy wants to fight. 1v1 with no cover within 15 minutes I was smart and left. He was always there and the NEXT day I knew I would go back. As promised I was back the next day in my marked patrol car with my nice police K9 to talk to this nice individual. Funny he didn't want to fight then. He then went to jail for the actions of the day before.

[Excaliber]

Panhandlers in Austin get that aggressive. They are scaring people into throwing them some money which is wrong IMO.

Austin is about the only place I run into them these days....I've encountered a few that are clearly mentally ill (one in particular who "patrolled" the median next to the Taco Cabana off Riverside), but none that have struck me as dangerous. Anyone who tried to scare me would just get a police report in lieu of money.

I've never been scared either, but the calls go out that people are scared all the time. Personally they annoy me big time. When I am in my jeep in the summer the doors and top is off. Some of these clowns just won't go away. I guess my quality of life as a tax payer doesn't mean anything anymore. BTW aggressive panhandling in the roadway is illegal.

Regressing, but back in CA I was at a traffic light and a bum was so bad I finally flashed my badge and wanted to talk to him in a official capacity (we didn't allow that). I was working a crime suppression detail in a unmarked ford taurus on overtime by myself in plain clothing. This guy wants to fight. 1v1 with no cover within 15 minutes I was smart and left. He was always there and the NEXT day I knew I would go back. As promised I was back the next day in my marked patrol car with my nice police K9 to talk to this nice individual. Funny he didn't want to fight then. He then went to jail for the actions of the day before.

A heartwarming story.

LEO's learn early that BG's always get to make the first move. Then it's time to make ours.

Sometimes it's in seconds, or minutes. Other times the BG gets to gloat in thinking he got over because the response takes days, weeks, or years.

But that time always comes.

[DLBConductor]

...Regressing, but back in CA I was at a traffic light and a bum was so bad I finally flashed my badge and wanted to talk to him in a official capacity (we didn't allow that). I was working a crime suppression detail in a unmarked ford taurus on overtime by myself in plain clothing. This guy wants to fight. 1v1 with no cover within 15 minutes I was smart and left. He was always there and the NEXT day I knew I would go back. As promised I was back the next day in my marked patrol car with my nice police K9 to talk to this nice individual. Funny he didn't want to fight then. He then went to jail for the actions of the day before.

"He who laughs last, laughs best!" I love it when good triumphs over evil. Good job of follow-up. It must have been very satisfying to put the cuffs on your newly pacified individual!


P.S. #1:
Texanjoker and Excaliber: Thanks for your service.

P.S. #2
After personally observing the effectiveness of our local K9 Officer, I would become very passive if he barked or growled at me. "Nice doggy! Nice doggy!"