This is our final week on the subject of bias and how it impacts all of our lives. We have been looking specifically at: implicit, preconceived beliefs; explicit, personal preference; and illicit, breaking standards.
You, the citizen, see something that doesn’t look right in your neighborhood. You call dispatch and ask for an officer response. The officer arrives and notices something amiss and conducts a preliminary investigation. Each of these steps expresses a level of bias. As I have mentioned before, bias is a naturally occurring process in each of us, built in as a type of survival mechanism.
Sometimes our initial investigation provides a satisfactory conclusion: The person lurking about might be looking for a missing cat or child. Other times, the “trail” from one situation leads right into another that we have no idea about. Please do not assume the worst. If an officer is speaking only to elderly white females, it is, most likely, that the identification fits the suspect.
We are well aware that sometimes people lie to the police. That is why we investigate. One last note: We know it is upsetting when someone tells an untruth about you. More often than not, the officers discover the real story and it hurts the other person’s credibility much more than yours. So just keep doing the next right thing.
Dec. 1. 911: The belligerent caller wants dispatch to know they have one more chance before he calls the judge at 5:13 a.m. in the 700 block of Capri Drive.
Suspicious: The caller states a man was walking around the yard and boat but sped away when he saw the homeowner at 7:37 p.m. in the 1000 block of Keys Drive.
Thought for the day: It’s usually good to let us know what you want us to do before giving us one more chance.
Dec. 2. DUI: The wrong-way driver is not under the influence; however, the revoked license is a problem at 12:04 a.m. in the area of U.S. Highway 93 at mile marker 10.
Family disturbance: The parties are divorcing but the vehicle is still community property at 4:59 p.m. in the 500 block of Sixth Street.
Thought for the day: Community property, with or without the windows broken out.
Dec. 3. Drugs: The two subjects are acting funny and it’s soon apparent why at 12:37 a.m. in the area of Elm Street and Nevada Way.
Keep the peace: The officer assists in the turning over of property involved in an estate at 11:01 a.m. in the 1000 block of Arizona Street.
Thought for the day: The officer is praised for assisting in the spiritual battle but is advised that a judge will have to assist in the future.
Dec. 4. DUI: The driver attempts to escape the long arm of the law but learns we are not easily detoured at 4:48 a.m. in the area of Ville Drive and U.S. 93.
Petty theft: The patron decides not to pay for the beer and ends up with a no trespass by the end of the evening at 10:31 p.m. in the 900 block of Utah Street.
Thought for the day: It’s going to be a long walk in the cold to get the next beer.
Dec. 5. Assist: The patron arrived with a suitcase and now claims it is not his at 2:56 p.m. in the 900 block of Adams Boulevard.
Family disturbance: The parties just can’t live together or without each other at 7:13 p.m. in the 500 block of Avenue I.
Thought for the day: If anyone is missing a suitcase from Greyhound, we may know where it is.
Dec. 6. Animal: Officers are out numerous times already with the mountain sheep alongside the highway at 11:18 a.m. in the area of U.S. 93 and Ville Drive.
Welfare: The caller wants to check on the welfare of the mutual children of the marriage at 7:36 p.m. in the 800 block of Montera Lane.
Thought for the day: Custody issues bring out the worst in many people, Keep doing what is right for the kids. In the end that is all that is important.
Dec. 7. Fraud: The employee’s quick thinking likely saves the business lots of money at 4:51 a.m. in the 900 block of Utah Street.
Fraud: The local resident is notified of someone using their personal information to open a bank account at 1:23 p.m. in the 1000 block of Arizona Street.
Thought for the day: Good job today of keeping the bad guys’ pockets empty.
Call of the week, DUI: The officer conducts a traffic stop on a suspected drunk driver. The significant other joins them in another vehicle. Now the original driver is fine to drive and the second driver gets a night at the crossbar hotel at 1:07 a.m. Dec. 1 in the area of U.S. 93 and Veterans Memorial Drive.
Tina Ransom is a dispatcher with Boulder City Police Department. She is coordinator of the Boulder City Citizen’s Academy.