Interesting article on Police use of online information sites.

USA Today has a story on how police departments across the US are adding a new tool to their crime-fighting arsenal: online maps. A few start ups out there are using public records to map out crime, which helps police departments track crime trends.

Police departments are then able to send out alerts to the community. The knowledge empowers communities to keep an eye out. It's a modern Neighborhood Watch program.

Almost 1,000 police departments have signed up for these services. Providers include CrimeReports.com, CrimeMapping.com, and SpotCrime.com.

Police have also used existing online maps to creatively solve crimes. Google Street View was used to help locate a missing child this past January.

Friday at home

I sent several people invites to be on my Linkedin site and got responses from all of them. One person I actually sent an email to yesterday about her job emailed me back with specific details of what her job is. I thought that would be a good way to find out if working in retail security was something I might be interested in doing. I do not want to sit behind a desk and monitor theft in stores so I now know that is a job I would not be interested in doing.

I finished reading the rest of the Internet Investigation section today to try and figure out what "it" all means. I think if I keep at it I might actually know some day!

Home today

Today I am sitting at my table working on my PI assignments. I had to actually get some things done other than my blog so I am working at home. Too bad, as they were giving away free samples at Panera Bread today and they looked good.

One of my kilns isn't working so I had to take apart the electric firing device and call the manufacturer to find out how to fix it. Then I am fusing a glass bowl as a gift for some people we are staying with for a wedding in Atlanta, so I had to work on that piece.

I also bought two shirts last weekend and their sleeves were too long so I shortened them........they look ok. 

I did decide to join twitter today as joining a social network is part of our assignment. I googled "social networks" and it gave me a long list of choices. I like to "tweet" but I am not sure it is going to work for this course. I have always wanted to twitter so at least I am learning now.

I have checked out two other students blogs and am impressed with their work. It is always fun to see how other people do a similar project. I always think mine is great until I look at others!

I still haven't heard anything from the TSA, but I will keep you posted. I really want to work somewhere where they do attitional training as part of your job. I'm not sure if I mentioned that when you work at the TSA they will train you to do all sorts of specialized jobs. That appeals to me as I don't like "standing in the same place a long time."

Back to finding another "social network" that might be more suited to this course.

Later

Later at Panera Bread

So, I had coffee this morning and soup for lunch and I have "sort of" figured out how to work on my new blog. I have finished reading the instructions several times but being a mac user, it isn't exactly like the program that Mark is using............oh well.

Tomorrow.

Sitting at Panera Bread

The BU private investigation course has gotten to be more time consuming than it was in the beginning so I have moved myself and my computer (it is an online course) to Panera Bread where there are no phone ringing or husbands demanding my time....and they have great food and drink. This is my second day here and already I fell like I am catching up to the internet research class.

This blog is a project for everyone in the class and I am sure all the blogs will be very different as are the people taking this course.

Welcome to Deb PI

Deb PI is an idea I had this Spring when I was floundering on what I was going to do with my professional life.

I started looking for a job in January. I actually came North to Rhode Island to sequester myself in my room, determined that I would find a profession that I would like to work in.

My friends laughed at me because I chose the wors't time in our lifetimes to find any job, let alone one that I liked. I figured I was smart, savy and had lots of skills that any company couldn't live without.

I was wrong.

I spent weeks in front of the computer looking for jobs online. I called everyone I know to ask them for help with finding a job. Nothing worked.

I changed course and decided that I didn't have the skills for the job I wanted so I had to find a way to get those skills and then get the job. I hunted through jobs online to just decide what I might want to do and then I was on a government job site and saw many different types of investigator jobs. When I researched what credentials I would need to apply, I decided I needed to take a new road to get there.

I looked online for a school to get the PI credentials and found BU. I signed up immediately only to find out shortly thereafter that the course was delayed until July because of lack of interest.

I started looking into government jobs that anyone could get and were at least related to private investigation. I found jobs available with the TSA (transportation security) at the logan airport. It is a long process to apply for that job but I went for it. I went through all the steps to apply but when I was finished, there were no spots available. I am in what they call a "waiting pool" for that job.
While interviewing for the TSA job, I found out that once you have a job with the TSA you can move within the government job base with ease. This combination seemed to be perfect for me.

Now I am waiting for a job to open up Logan International and finishing my Private Investigation course at BU. The whole experience has been uplifting.

I have even met a Professional Investigator who only does criminal cases and am getting a little insite from him.