I attended the Spring Klein chamber luncheon today. Our speaker was Carl Pittman a Criminal Investigator/Deputy Sheriff at Harris County Sheriff's Office. He spoke to us about business safety.
He started out asking if there's was any CSI watcher's in the room. Of course a bunch of hands went up. He went on to say it is television; crimes are not solved in 38 minutes. As a criminal investigator he wants to make sure that he has solid evidence to make the most solid case possible so criminals are locked up for a long time.
DNA is the fastest growing science in law enforcement. Many cases would have gone unsolved except for
DNA. He told us that if we got up from our chairs his investigators could come in and swab the chairs and decipher who was sitting where. Fingerprints use to be the standard but not any longer; if the crook has enough money they can remove their fingerprints.
Here in Texas every time an offender goes to prison a biological sample is taken. This profile is then uploaded in to a state system. It use to take 6 to 7 months to get a hit using DNA and now it can take as little as 30 to 50 days. He stressed to us that if we are robbed either in our business or our home DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING. It is our natural tendency to want to clean up but DON'T. Everything the crook has handled gives the chance of getting good DNA. They can then take these unknown samples and compare them with profiles and they get matches. He is then able to get a probable cause warrant. This puts a warrant in the system for the person's arrest. Every state maintains a state database of these profiles which they share with a national database; that does take a little longer though.
The question was asked if a suspect came in for questioning could you give them a glass to hold to get the DNA. He said it is perfectly okay to get DNA that way. He also said that when people do come in of their own free will it is amazing what they will tell you; if you just know how to ask.
I am highlighting this next tip as I thought it was a GREAT suggestion.
He asked us how many people had their electronic signatures captured. Not a soul raised their hand on that one. He told us a good many of us had smart phones and we should go around our home and office and capture all those electronic QR codes for our items. He suggested keeping that record right there on your cell phone. Should you be robbed you immediately have a record to share. By doing this you have a good chance of recovering your items. He said that typically the criminal will immediately take these items to pawn shops. The pawn shop must wait 30 days before they put the items up for sale. If you have these signatures saved this lag time could get your item back to you.
The last thing he talked about was for those businesses who deposit quantities of cash. It is good to have two different banks that you go to and it is also good to not have a routine. A crook will look for routines. You don't want to send someone to the bank at the same time every day. Also don't put cash in obvious envelopes; you want to keep your deposits nondescript.
He believes in our second amendment right to bear arms but he said if you are going to use that right you need to know how to use your weapon. In closing he said to be a good witness but there is nothing in our home or office that is worth dying for. If you have someone who is robbing you just give them what they want. It is just stuff!
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Copyright © 2010 Marchel Peterson, All Rights Reserved. *Spring Klein Chamber of Commerce - Criminal Investigator Carl Pittman - Business safety!*
Marchel: We all need to be more alert to our surroundings and practice constant safety. Thanks for sharing.
Marchel
Thanks for the great tips. It has been awhile since I attended a meeting on safety. However, my self and a friend went and got our CHL concealed handgun license. I feel more secure now that I really know how to handle my new friend and he goes with me everywhere.
Thanks for sharing
Marchel, I am featuring this on silent majority; lots of good stuff!
Marchel, great suggestions. QR codes went to the first priority on my to-do list. Thanks for sharing.
Marchel sound like an informative talk. I love the suggestion about keeping the record on the smartphone.
Hi Marchel, I agree that it is just stuff. Nothing is worth dying for.
CARL & CEIL, I thought Carl gave some wonderful practical advice.
DEB, My husband is in the process of getting his license.
MIKE, Thanks for the feature. I thought it was good stuff also!
ANNA, I have to stop and take time to figure out how to do the QR codes. There's a group here on the rain for QR codes now.
JENNIFER, I loved that tip for saving the codes on your smart phone also. Now I just need to do it.
LIZ, That was probably the best tip of all. It is the natural tendency to want to protect our stuff but it is just stuff.
Marchel--Thanks for such a thorough post! I felt as if I attended! Like you, sometimes I am so busy that I do not need one more thing to attend, but I am usually glad after I do. I really appreciate the new use for a QR code. I certainly would not have thought of that on my own!!
Good Marchel! I'm still stuck on how they can get DNA from a person sitting in a chair! Did not know that! A criminal investigator is a solid choice to have at a chamber meeting for these days and times. You're giving me ideas!