Training of the Week 1-24-16 – Conduct a Neighborhood Patrol

Patrol your neighborhood or property, ideally with a fellow Militia member or neighbor.  Carry a flashlight and cell phone. Be highly visible if on foot, drive carefully and deliberately if mounted. Use wisdom in how you dress and how it will appear to your neighbors. Suggestions for what to be on the lookout for:

  • Street lights that are out of order
  • Vehicles driving around with out of state plates
  • Vehicles with expired tags
  • People loitering, looking into backyards
  • Note details (SALUTE)
    • Size of Group (one guy, two guys)
    • Activity (Looking into backyard)
    • Location (street address)
    • Uniform (jeans, blue hoodie)
    • Time
    • Equipment (on foot, in a car, carrying a prybar)
  • Notes for urban residents: Thieves will park their booty by dumpsters for later retrieval, so look for stuff that is not exactly trash sitting next to a dumpster. In one incident, several dumpsters had items such as a chainsaw, toolbox and a lawn mower all sitting out, back by a dumpster, alerting the neighborhood patrol to a crime in progress.

Post your 1 paragraph reports as comments by end of week.

Please send your suggestions by way of our Contact Page – your ideas will be forwarded to MO 3/2 staff.

Author: Michael Hamilton

7 thoughts on “Training of the Week 1-24-16 – Conduct a Neighborhood Patrol

  1. I only have 1 neighbor, that being said, I patrolled the property on my ATV, and have 16 acres on the opposite side of the road which attaches to the Bourbouse River. There are 4 cabins there that are only used during the summer and during deer season, and we share a locked gate, each with our own locks. During my sweep of the area I discovered that someone had NOT locked their padlock when leaving, so by doing this check I was able to secure the gate. Otherwise, only familiar folks from the area have been seen on our road, so I have nothing else to report at this time. Did ask the neighbor to keep an eye out for anything suspicious, which they assured me they always do, but I did ask them if they saw anything not normal to share that information with me.

  2. I did a 1 1/2 hour patrol of my neighborhood on foot. I have a pointy stick and a bucket that I use to pick up trash, so as I walked I tidied up the place. My thought was that neglected neighborhoods attract miscreants – something akin to the broken windows theory of community policing.

    I encountered mostly individual civilians, occasionally dogwalkers. A number of them were heading out to work either alone or with children.

    While picking up trash a youth approached and I was surprised that I had not noticed her closing in, teaching a lesson about letting yourself be too distracted with other tasks while on patrol.

  3. Been patrolling my neighborhood (dead end gravel road) while out for a walk with my wife. I have about a third of a mile to travel to our mailbox. When I pick up the mail, weather permitting, I use that as an opportunity to get out for a short ride on my motorcycle, and take that as an opportunity to check out the neighborhood. Have met several of the neighbors so far. Since moving here we have also set up a prepper networking group. So far we have nine VERY enthusiastic people. We are getting together once a month.

  4. I usually “patrol” my neighborhood when returning home. I drive around and notice anything that seems out of place. Being a former St. Louis Police officer, this comes natural. I also look for any obvious hazards such as utility poles leaning, power lines hanging low, changing weather conditions, etc. If there is any credible threat, I warn neighbors and nearby relatives.

  5. I patrolled my neighborhood and the woods behind my house. I live in a neighborhood in which there is one street. The area behind the houses is where I patrol regularly. In the past I have found 2 mobile meth labs, a stolen vehicle, and a pair of women’s clothing including the panties. Did not find the woman that they belonged too. This patrol was uneventful, I let my neighbor know of any meth labs, he reports them to the police so that my address is not registered in the county’s meth lab busts.

  6. As my time is split between city location and rural, I patrol both locations. At the city location I travel thru a well populated neighborhood where I take notice on my walks as garage doors opened in the late evenings, Usually the same ones. Any vehicles that are not regularly there. number of empty or for sale homes so to remind myself to take notice of new arrivals. I also note that at this location the distance to a major highway and different exit routes to make it to my rural location as the street layout looks to be a challenge to set up defense perimeters with 7 different entrances to this subdivision. Also noted are that there are no visible HAM radio antenna’s in the area a;though there is the emergency radio location .4 miles away. I have gotten to know the neighbors on the nearby streets that fly American or Military flags and during the month of November who had green porch lights on in support of the military. At the rural area I am on a dead end road with few neighbors and an easily defended location with only one entrance and surrounded by wooded hilly terrain. I walk my perimeter once a week checking fencing, status of a small creek and to remove the usual deer stands that are often put up in the back area overlooking same creek during seasons . I have followed the same rules on getting to know the neighbors as to know who can be helpful, allies and/or what equipment they have in tractors, trucks, 4 wheelers, etc. that may be of use. .

  7. I did a 1 hour patrol of my neighborhood. I circled the outer drive then walked up and down the cross streets. Unfortunately my neighborhood has no street lights and its fair share of expired plates and broke down cars. I did not notice anything out of the ordinary but I will be making the patrol a part of my weekly routine.

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