If it doesn’t look right, it might not be right

This week we will continue the discussion on bias and the types we experience: implicit or preconceived beliefs; explicit or personal preference; and illicit or breaking standards.

Many times per week citizens call in to report things that “JDLR” (just don’t look right). Certain things are out of the ordinary and will grab our attention. The tall man dressed in ragged clothing running down the street carrying a TV, the child trying to pull away from an elderly woman, a man using a coat hanger through a car window, a teen climbing out a back window of a house, and the woman trying to open numerous car doors are all examples of what citizens have called us about.

If we see something and report it, we will have some idea why the person or the situation draws our attention. It’s important to be able to articulate why any attention was drawn to a specific person or situation. Sometimes race may actually be an appropriate factor. Sometimes it isn’t.

The same can be said of any physical attribute: age, gender, clothing and so on, and all of it in the context of the situation at hand.

Next week I will expand more on the role of bias in the field of law enforcement and how it affects what we do and how we do it.

Nov. 17. Animal: The animal control officer is busy setting traps and providing care for abandoned felines at 6:34 a.m. in the 500 block of Avenue M.

Suspicious: The water is free but if a donation is not forthcoming the vehicle and driver get a “refreshing surprise” at 8:49 a.m. at the intersection of Nevada Highway and Buchanan Boulevard.

Thought for the day: The disgruntled panhandler is happy to see the end of stingy (and wet) Boulder City drivers.

Nov. 18. DUI: The trip from the parking lot ends up being a very long one ending with a free ride to lockup at 1:20 a.m. in the 500 block of Avenue B.

Disturbance: The motorized golf cart on the bike/walking trail to Henderson causes quite a stir at 9:47 a.m. in the area of Pacifica Drive and U.S. Highway 93.

Thought for the day: Nonmotorized is the key here folks.

Nov. 19. Soliciting: The panhandler feels a good spot to frequent is next to the donation box (for goods) in the parking lot at 10:31 a.m. in the area of Nevada Highway and Buchanan Boulevard.

Assist other jurisdiction: A neighboring agency requests we check the dry lake area for a vehicle that is possibly wrecked and on fire at 5:19 p.m. in the area of mile marker 51 on U.S. Highway 95.

Thought for the day: It is a crime to report your own vehicle stolen after ditching and burning it.

Nov. 20. Petty theft: The culprit is well-known to officers at 7:54 a.m. in the 1000 block of Nevada Way.

Animal: The runaway Chihuahua is pretty fast and pretty evasive at 12:04 a.m. in the area of Marita Drive and Jeri Lane.

Thought for the day: Five calls and several foot chases later, the four-legged sprinter wanders into a church and was prayerfully taken into custody.

Nov. 21. DUI with accident: The erratic driving is one thing but sideswiping multiple cars is totally another at 10:10 a.m. in the 700 block of Adams Boulevard.

Welfare check: The very young girl is in her pajamas and tells the caller that she can’t get her father to wake up at 7:38 p.m. in the 800 block of Nevada Way.

Thought for the day: Dad was suffering a medical episode and was successfully transported for medical attention while the youngster stays with family.

Nov. 22. Missing person: When one bike rider is slower than the other, it provides a few moments of fearful searching at 11:02 a.m. in the 100 block of Veterans Memorial Drive.

Traffic stop: The driver from North Las Vegas is in a big hurry to get out of town (92 mph in a 45-mph zone) at 7:31 p.m. in the area of Lakeshore Drive and U.S. Highway 93.

Thought for the day: The missing biker has decided that exercise is highly overrated and he would rather be home watching TV anyway.

Nov. 23. Family disturbance: The caller states his inebriated date doesn’t appreciate being told about it and has now thrown a thermostat at him at 2:42 a.m. in the 800 block of Utah Street.

Abandoned vehicle: The older white car is left in a strange location off the roadway and is eventually towed away at 2:23 p.m. in the area of Nevada Highway and Quartzite Drive.

Thought for the day: Not sure I’ve had a projectile like that reported before.

Call of the week: Suspicious: The homeowner says a woman came to the door asking to plug in her phone and use the internet to pay some bills. After accomplishing her bookkeeping chores she asks for the homeowner to call a cab for her. When the very patient homeowner comes back to confirm the arrangements the woman is several blocks away on foot at 9:55 p.m. Nov. 21 in the 1500 block of Sandra Drive.

Tina Ransom is a dispatcher with Boulder City Police Department. She is coordinator of the Boulder City Citizen’s Academy.