A couple of things about Session II
Had the second session of the Citizen's Academy last night. It was on narcotics and identify theft, embezzlement and fraud. Wow, even better than the first session! We got to see all sorts of street drugs (in plastic bags) including mushrooms, and the paraphenalia that goes with them all. We also got to learn all about meth labs, which are becoming a real problem here in the north part of the state, but not so much in the more heavily populated southern and south central regions.
The narcotics team are a branch of the Investigation Division and have the title "Investigator" _____(last name), while the other members of the Investigation team are "Detective" _______(last name). The school liaisons are "Officer" _______. There are two sergeants and the Captain, who heads the division. For some reason I found the organizational structure really interesting, too.
The costs of the street drugs (except for meth) are really high, so police believe that trying to get the money to buy drugs is what is causing much of the crime here and elsewhere. There were the obligatory shocking before and after photos of people addicted to meth--which were pretty horrible but we've seen them on TV and in print media.
The narcotics team were all pretty new, less than a year. That is one of the toughest areas to work because they receive calls and have to go out on "visits" any time of the day or night. It's hard on them and on their family. The guys were laughing and joking that they have to live the life of a druggie to be able to catch them. Of course they really do that, posing as undercover or surveillance is the usual method to catch drug sellers and buyers.
The identity theft, embezzlement and fraud portion was great too. Did you know that FAMILY are the top perpetators of identity theft? This can range from applying for credit cards under someone else's name to utility theft: applying for service under a different name (usually because they can't get the service under their own name anymore from slow payment or outstanding bills). Then, when the person falls behind again, which usually happens, the person whose name they "borrowed" has a huge black mark against their credit rating if not actual unpaid bills. I immediently thought of SLA, whose new phone is in her old boyfriend's name and they've been broken up for two years. Does he know she's using his name? This class is making me overly suspicious! But I'll "mention" it to her, that it's a CRIME of identity theft to do that, if that's what she's doing.
Well, my Mom is up and POS--we learned about internet fraud and child enticement too. It feels like Friday today but is not, yet. Have a good Thursday!
The narcotics team are a branch of the Investigation Division and have the title "Investigator" _____(last name), while the other members of the Investigation team are "Detective" _______(last name). The school liaisons are "Officer" _______. There are two sergeants and the Captain, who heads the division. For some reason I found the organizational structure really interesting, too.
The costs of the street drugs (except for meth) are really high, so police believe that trying to get the money to buy drugs is what is causing much of the crime here and elsewhere. There were the obligatory shocking before and after photos of people addicted to meth--which were pretty horrible but we've seen them on TV and in print media.
The narcotics team were all pretty new, less than a year. That is one of the toughest areas to work because they receive calls and have to go out on "visits" any time of the day or night. It's hard on them and on their family. The guys were laughing and joking that they have to live the life of a druggie to be able to catch them. Of course they really do that, posing as undercover or surveillance is the usual method to catch drug sellers and buyers.
The identity theft, embezzlement and fraud portion was great too. Did you know that FAMILY are the top perpetators of identity theft? This can range from applying for credit cards under someone else's name to utility theft: applying for service under a different name (usually because they can't get the service under their own name anymore from slow payment or outstanding bills). Then, when the person falls behind again, which usually happens, the person whose name they "borrowed" has a huge black mark against their credit rating if not actual unpaid bills. I immediently thought of SLA, whose new phone is in her old boyfriend's name and they've been broken up for two years. Does he know she's using his name? This class is making me overly suspicious! But I'll "mention" it to her, that it's a CRIME of identity theft to do that, if that's what she's doing.
Well, my Mom is up and POS--we learned about internet fraud and child enticement too. It feels like Friday today but is not, yet. Have a good Thursday!
7 Comments:
OOOOoo PBS, i bet the internet stuff opened your eyes. I think classes such as the ones your going to sould be avail to all. The public are so naive to many forms of fraud and many think they have some type of anonimity being on the internet.....wrong!!
Very informative stuff there...:)
And yes, my sis-in-law stole her mothers identity to get a credit card (because her's are all maxed out). It's horrible.
And yes, it feels like a Friday to me too, dang it! Wish it were! :)
Sounds like an interesting class. I know several people who have used other people's names to get utilities hooked up, even ones who have used their children's names, and runs their children's credit before they are at the age of consent. I think it's a shame, maybe people should pay their bills, then they wouldn't have to steal others identities.
Wow. That sounds interesting. I'd like to learn more about the drug world.
It was so interesting when we had a guest speaker in health class, back in high school. He told us about drugs and alcohol.
I went to a similar talk about drugs too, acouple of years ago. It was a real eye opener being that I knew very very little about them in the first place.
Tomorrow is Friday yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
thank goodness my identity isn't one anyone would want....
i bet the classes are opening your eyes to all the crime, i'd rather be blissfully ignorant as it would scare me half to death
iiiittttss Friiiiddayyyy
:0)
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