Presentation for the Police..?

[Zytheran]

I've raised this issue before and I was howled down but I'm going to raise it again. Recently one of my cache locations became the scene of a serious crime complete with tape fence etc.
Someone looking for it made a discovery and reported it to the police.
(That's all you need to know for now, OK?)
What was disturbing was that the finder had to go through a few hours of questioning and the police were highly suspicious and did not know about Geocaching..
As we are all well aware, caching can make us appear suspicious. In this case we have the final location of a difficult puzzle cache and the finder didn't actually find it. I imagine explaining this to detective plod was not a fun experience. It's sure something I would not want to attempt to someone highly suspicious and having no clue about geocaching.

As such is it time that someone puts together an information pack for the police and say a one hour presentation? I would hope that Groundspeak can do this. If not I'll approach Sonny from the Podcaching show and get his US-centric presentation he did in San Diego (?) and modify it for Australia.

The last thing I want is this hobby being labeled as some sort of public nuisance. With more people caching now it gets more and more likely it's people like us who are going to find stuff that might be of interest.
There are also more and more caches and muggles will find them more often.
As such I feel that being proactive is a better approach than being secretive. Yeah, it's fun being secretive around muggles but I think it could only be good if we are open with the authorities.

I have seen that having a database of cache locations for police might happen but things have gone quiet? Regardless of this I think some education is required so the police etc. are aware that there are thousands of legal, harmless containers hidden around their cities.

Anyone have contacts with police public affairs?

[Map Monkey]

Murphy's Law states that you can conduct a presentation to 99% of Police Officers, yet it will the 1% of them that are investigating the incident at the time.

IMO, i believe it would be very difficult to achieve adequate coverage. It may be easier to educate fellow cachers on how to respond to such requests, together with carrying some evidence of the cache existance eg printouts, GPS , GC cache details etc.

mm

[Bundyrumandcoke]

In my opinion, and I have planned for this type of thing, is if ever it gets so bad that your at a police station being questioned, then give them your username and password, and get them to look it up there and then. Unless your under arrest, then I would imagine they would be willing to do this, and I would imagine that these days, all police stations would have net access.
Otherwise, its a "I am recreating, and what I am doing is perfectly legal" type of statement.

Cheers
Bundy

[Bronze]

I voted yes however Police are very busy people and may take exception to long drawn out - Check this out presentations.

I would simply write up a fax that outlines the sport, a description of the people and the activity and the web addresses mostly accessed by the participants. Title it Memo: From Geocaching Australia to Police Station (for display)

This way Police Officers down to the lowest level get a basic understanding and have the opportunity when they can to investigate this activity further.

Although presentation are a good idea they take up time and the audience is limited, usually to those who will neven need to know or may not be on shift when there knowledge is needed.

Better to have most with some knowledge than a few with a detailed knowledge. GCA or a Media Committee could draft, edit and fax the notices to district offices, police media liaisons and administrative personnel.

[Detourism]

I don't see the difference if a "discovery" was made while geocaching, bushwalking or orienteering.

Just because the police may have heard about bushwalking or orienteering I don't think they are going to be any less suspicious.

My approach in this type of situation would be the same as Bundy's.

[Rastas000]

I have been asked by the police on one accasion what I was up to. Admittedly, if I saw someone ferreting around a garden next to a decorative piece of machinery I would be a bit sus too. It was after all, 1:30am (trying to avoid the schoolboy muggles that infest the place before and after school).<br><br>

My simple response was that I was part of a world wide "sport" called Geocaching, and explained the fact that there were 300,000+ caches world wide, and if fact there were about 10-15 in the few kilometers surrounding this cache <br><br>

It did make it easier that I knew a police officer (who is a geocacher) that they also knew, and after that I asked them to help me search. They laughingly declined and wished me luck as they left.
<br><br>
In my city, we have had a number a sexual assaults on bikeways and bush paths, so the police have a heightened interest in those areas. It is always handy to carry a cache note with you to verify your bonefides.
<br><br>
In one instance I know of a cache hider who has been to the local police station and explained that he had hidden a cache nearby, explaned the game and the info was well recieved.
<br><br>
So in answer to the question, I would vote in the affirmative and suggest that a one page information sheet be utilised for a noticeboard or a 5 min info session witht he OIC of the station.

[rhinogeo]

I don't see the difference if a "discovery" was made while geocaching, bushwalking or orienteering.

Just because the police may have heard about bushwalking or orienteering I don't think they are going to be any less suspicious.

My approach in this type of situation would be the same as Bundy's.

<p>I would think that the police would undertake an extensive interview process with anyone who <i>discovered</i> a serious crime scene and reported it to them whether the finder was geocaching or not</p><p>Coppers are highly suspicious by their nature, and giving <i>some</i> of them a briefing on geocaching is unlikely to preclude being questioned if you reported a crime scene</p>

[Diadem]

An interesting idea. I'm too concerned about being quizzed about something non-geocaching that I find while out geocaching. As others have said this will happen.<P>

To me the issue is about being thought suspicious while geocaching. How often does this really happen? I've seen many posts saying that if you explain it openly when challenged the police let you be. I'm not sure trying to proactively educating thousands of police officers compared to reactively explaining it to the one or two who have pulled you up is of any great benefit considering the small risk. <P>

I like the idea of having something already prepared and ready to go at a moments notice when its needed. A single sheet (looking authoritative with GCA logo) and urls to a more detailed presentation that they can peruse at leasure would make me feel a bit better when out in the early hours hunting urban caches. At present I'm hoping the cache print-out will suffice.

[Webguy]

OK, having been busted by police on only one occasion, at 1:30am at the local airport at Dubbo, I have to say, they there were quite good about it. Bronze had already informed the police that weirdos would be hanging around all over the place at strange hours. They knew about it, asked what time we would be calling it a night, and left us be.

[Team Piggy]

Reminds me of another certain Close to Adelaide cache that was unfortunately the scene of a murder very recently.

All those SES, Police and local volunteers scouring for forensic evidence within metres of said cache yet appear to have missed out on their fill of mcdonalds toys (Says wonders for what they are meant to find doesnt it )

I have been questioned a few times by Police on some after hours shenanigans, and each time they are very receptive of why I am under that bush etc, they see the GPS and ask a few questions and its "have a nice night don't damage anything"

I have asked a few Police officersd (High ranking) that We work in with thru my occupation and to tell the truth, they dont seem interested in knowing.

[Bronze]

OK, having been busted by police on only one occasion, at 1:30am at the local airport at Dubbo, I have to say, they there were quite good about it. Bronze had already informed the police that weirdos would be hanging around all over the place at strange hours. They knew about it, asked what time we would be calling it a night, and left us be.

I should add that other than good thinking this was a cache event with a lot of participants. I notified general duties and highway patrol before this event.

Bronze.

[Dik:]

My experience of police relations when hanging around in the bush in the middle of the night has been positive. Comming from a small country town where the "local" police station was many kilometres away, the one and only policeman knew that the police can't be everywhere all the time and was more than happy to keep a good relationship with locals who may see something of interest. He would drop by our regular Saturday night "bush camp" once or twice a year for a chat and an update on the local gossip. He knew it was our territory and we would look after it.

The caching experience is a little different, but they need to know we are harmless, observant and probably the first ones to discover an out of the way crime, terrorist threat etc.

We are the good guys.

So, yes, the police need to be briefed on who we are, what we do and how we can be their eyes and ears, a nomadic neighbourhood watch if you like.

[listmaker]

Does anyone know any police officers well enough to ask them whether they would be receptive to a presentation? Or would a single page print-out with the relevant info, presented to each local station, be enough?

I think that a notice headed "Geocaching - another recreational/community group to be aware of", left on the noticeboard at various police stations, would give them enough awareness of our activities.

[Webguy]

So what did bronze do, they certainly got the message and were all aware, perhaps he brought them all a pot of tea?

[Bronze]

I simply sent a fax notifying them of a 24 hour event and where it would be and how to identify those participating. They called me with 20 questions and I had to assure them it wasn't a rally or race of any kind.

Unfortunately for them there wa no tea involved but you make a good point. Perhaps it should be a part of the presentation if it is still a valid point.