Do the Cops Even Care Anymore?

[pitbull]

How much do you think the cops really care about the hobbying world these days? There are a lot of crimes with true victims, and I can't fathom that they are all fired up to spend time and resources to thwart this particular activity.

[Real Colorado Guy]

Let's hope so. It seems lately the ones in Colorado are too busy shooting defenseless animals. Cheap shot? ;-)

But seriously, I would be great if police, lawmakers, etc would really focus on the important things instead of what the hot topic is when it's not important. Disclaimer: I think gun control/these shootings are important to discuss right now. I was really thinking like how illegal aliens can get in-state tutuion rates. Really? That is so important vs other things? Just saying.

[stevie]

All depends when one officer gets horny and decides do the stings

[pitbull]

Let's hope so. It seems lately the ones in Colorado are too busy shooting defenseless animals. Cheap shot? ;-)

But seriously, I would be great if police, lawmakers, etc would really focus on the important things instead of what the hot topic is when it's not important. Disclaimer: I think gun control/these shootings are important to discuss right now. I was really thinking like how illegal aliens can get in-state tutuion rates. Really? That is so important vs other things? Just saying.

Well, it's a pretty big deal if a kid from Wyoming is paying out-of-state tuition and an illegal alien is not. Seems patently unfair, but now I'm going off topic on my own topic.

[ddog]

How much do you think the cops really care about the hobbying world these days? There are a lot of crimes with true victims, and I can't fathom that they are all fired up to spend time and resources to thwart this particular activity.

I suspect that the cops do care and will make whatever busts that they choose to and when they choose to do it.

whether or not it is worthwhile for them to do anything about the crime of prostitution, could be a different story.

[boink36]

Let's hope so. It seems lately the ones in Colorado are too busy shooting defenseless animals. Cheap shot? ;-)

But seriously, I would be great if police, lawmakers, etc would really focus on the important things instead of what the hot topic is when it's not important. Disclaimer: I think gun control/these shootings are important to discuss right now. I was really thinking like how illegal aliens can get in-state tutuion rates. Really? That is so important vs other things? Just saying.

The discussion of gun control would not only be off topic for this thread but off topic for the forum in general.

[Crazy Horse]

Of course they care... They care about next year's budget funding request for in this case the Vice Department. To keep the local politicians that control the purse strings happy all of LE but in particular the VD police have to produce a certain number of busts to prove that they don't spend all of their time in doughnut shops. Now it would be better for society at large if the VD police went after hard drug dealers or closing down meth labs but it is a bit dangerous trying to bust tweeked out criminals that own guns. It's much safer to pad those bust numbers with providers and the johns that see them. Lakewood PD seem to specialize in these kind of "safe" busts to justify their existence which is why we always tell newbies...Stay out of Lakewood.

...Happy Hobbying...

...Crazy Horse...

[mikey_likey]

If they care or not really is not the issue. LE is doing a job based on current societal values.

Let's all be safe and have fun!

[Pandora]

Yes they do care just go to DTC and look @ all the cops @ the fucking hotels just watching & waiting!

[Guest Jake]

When "this" is done properly between two (or more:D) consenting adults...society is none the wiser, and targeting these individuals (us) has no financial or moral value. The fines associated on a single individual wouldn't cover the costs of the sting, paperwork, and prosecution (God bless bureaucracy). I don't believe there's a strong interest in truly victimless crimes, but human trafficking is a serious problem requiring a sizable budget. Sometimes, the net they cast to catch the real criminals pulls in a couple of us as well.

Of course they care... They care about next year's budget funding request for in this case the Vice Department. To keep the local politicians that control the purse strings happy all of LE but in particular the VD police have to produce a certain number of busts to prove that they don't spend all of their time in doughnut shops. Now it would be better for society at large if the VD police went after hard drug dealers or closing down meth labs but it is a bit dangerous trying to bust tweeked out criminals that own guns. It's much safer to pad those bust numbers with providers and the johns that see them. Lakewood PD seem to specialize in these kind of "safe" busts to justify their existence which is why we always tell newbies...Stay out of Lakewood.

...Happy Hobbying...

...Crazy Horse...

[Vic Kosslovich]

Politicians care more than cops do. And they mostly care around election time. Cops care when people complain. Most cops realize that there are bigger fish to fry than this.

[The Oxymoron]

Most Cops don't "care" much (and would rather be focusing on more serious crimes), but it's still a part of their job whether they like it or not.

[gr8owl]

Most are just trying to do their job like the rest of us. But they are sworn to enforce laws, not make them. As with most government "services" they can be VERY complaint driven. If you are being a clear and blatant irritant to your neighbor and said neighbor has plenty of time and inclination to call the cops and complain they will be visiting you. If you are not out in their face and are not generating complaints from the public and/or neighbors or causing problems for hotel staff and management, etc. most cops most places are happy to pretend you don't exist. There are exceptions where politicians make it a priority for the cops for whatever reasons - see Lakewood for instance. Use a little discretion and frequent ladies that do as well and you should be fine.

[mustang]

Ask the hobbiest in New Mexico if the cops care.

[N6_in_the_village]

I think that's a good answer, also the above comments by Kosslovich and Oxymoron. (Although I don't know individual cops well enough to say what percentage "would rather be focusing on more serious [such as violent] crimes", I expect that's true of many.) Decisions on which crimes to "care more about" and target as top priorities, of all the criminal laws on the books, are made by officials such as mayors, governors, prosecuting attorneys, attorneys general. Police chiefs may have some say in these decisions. But rank and file police are employees and are expected to carry out the policies established by their bosses. And, because their top bosses are elected officials, they care about public opinion, and are "complaint driven" ("squeaky wheel gets the oil").

To make a loose analogy, suppose you don't like some privacy policy on Facebook. (For example, some users of Facebook photo sharing services have been asked to prove their real identity by sending scans of their drivers licenses or other photo ids.) Would it make sense to complain (specifically) about the Facebook software developers? "I can't understand why those geeks want so much personal information from me!" No, the complaint should be directed to Facebook management, who establish their company's privacy policies, the developers are employees and their job is to implement the policies set by management.

[irisheyes]

Why in the hell would the cops bother me? I'm just paying for a date, no different than any other date really, and if anything more happens on that date...........icing on the cake

[mustang]

While that may be true, it will not keep you from being detained, booked, and identified on LE web pages and television news. The "case dismissed" stories are never televised and buried on page g - 55 in newspapers.

[Flanker]

Most Cops don't "care" much (and would rather be focusing on more serious crimes), but it's still a part of their job whether they like it or not.

It's likely just another "chore" for them, but has to be done because it is required, just like many of our jobs that have their good/fun parts and other parts we do because we have to. But that's what the FNG's are for, eh??

[Guest Jake]

If you do or say something stupid...yes...you will be detained, booked, and identified on LE web pages. At that point...you probably have false hopes of a dismissed case.

If you don't do or say anything stupid, you may be detained. If there is no evidence of a crime...you won't be arrested, booked, or identified on LE web pages.

If they shoot your family pet...you may make the television news:mad:

While that may be true, it will not keep you from being detained, booked, and identified on LE web pages and television news. The "case dismissed" stories are never televised and buried on page g - 55 in newspapers.

[Dash Riprock]

I'm sure LE checks this board, maybe we should just ask them.

Any estimates on how much Hobbying would bring in in terms of tax revenue if it were actually legal in all 50 states and providers needed to charge some sort of a surtax?

Smartphone swipe of the card and off we go! We'd have the budget balanced and deficit paid off in a week!

Blows my mind how someone can legally buy a 12'er of Bud, slam it all, and start driving a vehicle, but I can't legally Hobby or throw $20 on my favorite NFL team to cover the spread (unless I live in Vegas or go to an offshore online site).

[pitbull]

I'm sure LE checks this board, maybe we should just ask them.

Any estimates on how much Hobbying would bring in in terms of tax revenue if it were actually legal in all 50 states and providers needed to charge some sort of a surtax?

Smartphone swipe of the card and off we go! We'd have the budget balanced and deficit paid off in a week!

Blows my mind how someone can legally buy a 12'er of Bud, slam it all, and start driving a vehicle, but I can't legally Hobby or throw $20 on my favorite NFL team to cover the spread (unless I live in Vegas or go to an offshore online site).

Well, drunk driving is illegal, and should remain illegal. Although 12 oz will probably not get you to the legal limit. I agree that hobbying should be legal and gambling should be a city-by-city decision.

[2Big]

Any estimates on how much Hobbying would bring in in terms of tax revenue if it were actually legal in all 50 states and providers needed to charge some sort of a surtax?

Providers have little interest in legalizing prostitution. They want "decriminalization", meaning: let me make my tax-free money without having to pay taxes.

Let's assume for the sake of argument that Colarado offers every prostitute the chance to register her business as a "small business owner".

What is the chance that that offer would be taken up by the girls? Fat chance, I'd say.

Because you can't really run a business by posting to an online john board, getting up at noon, and not answering emails.

[louisville42]

But rank and file police are employees and are expected to carry out the policies established by their bosses.

Yep. I once lived in a city, where when my next door neighbor started to run a meth lab out of his house, with the attendant traffic (30-40 cars between 2AM-6AM), condoms in the alley out back, suspicious characters with pagers, crack whores running out and being dragged back in--all I ever got from the cops was "not enough for a search warrant but we'll keep an eye on it".

The "not enough for a search warrant" was clearly not the undercover cop's opinion, it's what he was getting from his superiors, because of a new administration that wanted to focus on touchy-feely events for disadvantaged youth.