Placing a cache at a Police Station

[+WeatherednBoston]

I recently found out that a new cacher in my area is a Police Officer. He stated in one of his find logs that he wishes that there were more caches in my town.

 

Today while driving by the station I saw that there is a guard rail in the front of the police station. Would I be allowed to place a micro there?

 

You dont have to go onto police station property to find the cache...just on the side walk out front. Is this allowed?

 

I also would like to call it " Officer Williams, This one's for you" Would that be allowed? ( by the way williams is not his real name but I would use his real last name in the listing if I could) Would it be wize for me to call it that? Dont want to cause any trouble for him or anything.

 

I dont want to place a cache there than later find out its not acceptable. I would even go to the station and ask permission if I need to....but would rather not lol I want it to be a suprise. Thank you.

 

Please dont scold me...im just asking!!!

Edited January 17, 2007 by WeatherednBoston

[+briansnat]

It's a violation of the guidelines.

 

From the guidelines:

Off Limits Areas

Caches near or under public structures deemed potential or possible targets for terrorist attacks. These include but are not limited to highway bridges, dams, government buildings, elementary and secondary schools, and airports.

 

Even if you can obtain permission for the hide, I'm sure there are better and far more interesting places in town to hide a cache than a guardrail in front of the police station.

Edited January 17, 2007 by briansnat

[+sbell111]

I would imagine that it would be allowed if you showed the Reviewer that you have explicit pemission.

[+swaninwa]

I don't imagine that there would be anything wrong with that, but if it were me I think I'd simply go into the station and ask. Or, what if you asked Officer Williams? I would think he'd be happy and complimented by your cache if he's a fellow cacher. I don't know if I'd just plant one there and not say anything though. The fact that it's in front of a police station might deter people from looking for it. If you had permission you could say so in the cache description -- then people would know that it's OK to be loitering around in front of the P.D. Otherwise, I think it's a neat idea. CHEERS!

Edited January 17, 2007 by swaninwa

[+The Leprechauns]

The listing guidelines prohibit caches "at or near" government buildings. I think most reviewers would count police stations as government buildings. A courthouse, police station or city hall would be a likely terrorist or bomber target.

 

That being said, permission goes a long way to convince a reviewer to make an exception. Because of the presumption in the guidelines, that permission should be VERY clear and convincing. For example, a letter from the police chief acknowledging that he or she is aware of the cache and has advised the staff not to worry about people lurking nearby with GPS receivers. "Officer Williams said it was OK" may not be good enough.

 

For an example of a police station cache gone terribly, terribly wrong, see this cache. The hider lives next door to the police chief and had permission to hide the ammo box on the grounds outside the police station. But the chief was out of town when someone who wasn't "in the know" called out the bomb squad.

 

So, even permission can't prevent problems. But it sure helps!

Edited January 17, 2007 by The Leprechauns

[Mushtang]

I did a multi once that had several stages at police headquarters in different parts of town. In one, the coords were in the bathroom, inside the building. I think they were under the TP dispenser or something. On two other stages the coords were on the front windows of the police office.

 

Glad I don't have to try that one again. It made me very nervous.

[+Team Perks]

"Officer Williams said it was OK" may not be good enough.

 

You'd probably have a tough time convincing THIS Officer Williams to give permission...

[+WeatherednBoston]

Thanks everyone for your fast replies. I think I will ask for permission if I decide to place it there. There are not any micros in my town and I'm thiking about placing some.

 

The thought of making my local paper over a bomb scare frightens me to the core. Nope dont want to see my picture in the paper and I dont want a picture of the bomb squad there either lol That wouldnt be good for me, the officer or the sport of geocaching.

 

Thank you all!

Edited January 17, 2007 by WeatherednBoston

[+StarBrand]

Gotta agree with Briansnat here - even if you managed to get permission and get it past the reviewers. There must be a better spot in town to draw cachers to.

 

I would walk away as soon as I saw it was in front of the police building.

[+Woodlit]

I'd scratch the guardrail idea. Like briansnat said, its not allowed and i'm sure there are at least a couple of better spots in that town.

I wouldn't use his real name. I don't think there is anything wrong with it, but I'd just use his geocaching name. I think there are a few caches around me that mention other cachers names in the titles, even reviewer's names.

[+WeatherednBoston]

I already put the micro there but I didnt submit it for review...I have come up with another good idea and I think its best:

 

I will contact him through his GC profile and let him know there is a micro cache there waiting for him to take and place anywhere in town that he would like. He could submit the cache himself or just give me the coords and I will place it for him.

 

That way I dont have to go back for it lol

 

Thought everyone would want to know....this is a better plan I think.

[+Snoogans]

Hmmm,

 

 

I have contacts at the HPD Bomb Squad because they infrequently conduct training courses for me and my fellow Officers. Since I have been caching, we have not had this training and we are wayyy overdue.

 

 

I wonder if they hosted a cache right in their office, if it would be approved. It could even be by appointment the way Groundspeak Headquarters is handled. I envision it as a way for THEM to network with local geocachers to: A) Give them a resource to tap in case of a report of a suspicious item "in the woods." B ) To enlighten them to the nature of geocaching C) Give them a PR outlet to improve local hiding techniques to proactively AVOID blowing up a cache in the future.....

 

 

If it were departmentally approved, don't 'cha think Groundspeak would make the exception? I think they just might.

Edited January 17, 2007 by Snoogans

[+sbell111]

...If it were departmentally approved, don't 'cha think Groundspeak would make the exception? I think they just might.

I think that if Lep posted to this thread that he would agree with you.

[crawil]

I already put the micro there but I didnt submit it for review...I have come up with another good idea and I think its best:

 

I will contact him through his GC profile and let him know there is a micro cache there waiting for him to take and place anywhere in town that he would like. He could submit the cache himself or just give me the coords and I will place it for him.

 

That way I dont have to go back for it lol

 

Thought everyone would want to know....this is a better plan I think.

 

I think that's a great way to solve your problem. Way to use the ol' noggin!

[+WeatherednBoston]

My email to the geocaching officer in question:

 

Hi *******,

 

I placed a cache for you today in ******. After I placed it I had a concern about it being allowed under Groundspeak rules. I would like you to consider the following:

 

1. I placed it right outside the ******* Police Dept grounds because I know you work there. (You helped me with an accident once a few years ago)

 

2. I wanted to call it "Officer *******, This Ones For You.

 

Now I asked a few people at Groundspeak and they MIGHT consider approving it but only if I get permission from the Police Dept. Not your permission...but permission by the Dept.

 

I would completly understand if you dont want this "attention". My intention was to suprise you and put a smile on your face. But now I have come to realize that this could lead to a bomb scare or even worse. I dont want that type of attention and im sure you dont either.

 

If you dont think a cache placement there is appropriate I will give you the coords...you can get the cache and place it anywhere in town that you like. You can submit the cache for approval yourself or provide me with the coords and I will verify and submit it myself.

 

It's up to you. Any way it turns out....

 

Officer ********, This Ones For You!

 

Hope this put a smile on your face today

[+tomfuller & Quill]

About a month ago I DNF'd a cache that is in the parking structure across the street from the Sacramento PD.

(around the corner from the Sheriff's HQ) I didn't spend too much time looking since it was 7:50AM and officers were just coming to work. I don't know if the city owns the parking structure. I don't know how long this cache has been there but I don't think many LEO's know about it.

[+Wacka]

There's one in my area that a local Police Department put out themselves. It is right outsude the main entrance. They stock it with PO trading cards. I got it on a Sunday afternoon when most of the station is closed.

[+pjcow]

I recently found out that a new cacher in my area is a Police Officer. He stated in one of his find logs that he wishes that there were more caches in my town.

 

Today while driving by the station I saw that there is a guard rail in the front of the police station. Would I be allowed to place a micro there?

 

You dont have to go onto police station property to find the cache...just on the side walk out front. Is this allowed?

 

I also would like to call it " Officer Williams, This one's for you" Would that be allowed? ( by the way williams is not his real name but I would use his real last name in the listing if I could) Would it be wize for me to call it that? Dont want to cause any trouble for him or anything.

 

I dont want to place a cache there than later find out its not acceptable. I would even go to the station and ask permission if I need to....but would rather not lol I want it to be a suprise. Thank you.

 

Please dont scold me...im just asking!!!

 

I know you came up with a solution, but another idea (if you want to place another cache) would be to place it in the vacinty of the local donut shop and dedicate it to all of your local officers. (or, if there is a diner or some other place they frequent use that location - I was just thinking donuts becaue of the cop=donut cliche).

[+sbell111]

I know you came up with a solution, but another idea (if you want to place another cache) would be to place it in the vacinty of the local donut shop and dedicate it to all of your local officers. (or, if there is a diner or some other place they frequent use that location - I was just thinking donuts becaue of the cop=donut cliche).

It wouldn't be a cliche if there wasn't some truth to it.

[The Vargman]

I would walk away as soon as I saw it was in front of the police building.

 

Actually, not to take the thread in a whole new direction, but this statement intriqued me based on a recent incident. I am newer to this sport and recently encountered a cache that made my wife and I feel uneasy. We were pretty certain that the cache had permission to be on the property (based on the owner name being the same as the business it was at), and it turned out that it did, but it still made us uneasy. I posted in the cache that it wasn't our type of cache and I'm just wondering if I crossed a line by doing that. I was repectful, wished the cacher well, stated I wasn't trying to deter others but I felt like I had to enter the shop to find the cache and it felt like trespassing. I felt so uneasy that when I asked if there was a cacher there and was pressed on what I meant, I basically said forget it and left. Turns out if I said GEO cacher he'd have understood, but I guess my initial understanding of the sport is that I shouldn't feel this way about a cache and if I do ignore it. Alright NOW I'm rambling. Just wanted to hear more experienced opinions on the subject.

[+sbell111]

I would walk away as soon as I saw it was in front of the police building.

 

Actually, not to take the thread in a whole new direction, but this statement intriqued me based on a recent incident. I am newer to this sport and recently encountered a cache that made my wife and I feel uneasy. We were pretty certain that the cache had permission to be on the property (based on the owner name being the same as the business it was at), and it turned out that it did, but it still made us uneasy. I posted in the cache that it wasn't our type of cache and I'm just wondering if I crossed a line by doing that. I was repectful, wished the cacher well, stated I wasn't trying to deter others but I felt like I had to enter the shop to find the cache and it felt like trespassing. I felt so uneasy that when I asked if there was a cacher there and was pressed on what I meant, I basically said forget it and left. Turns out if I said GEO cacher he'd have understood, but I guess my initial understanding of the sport is that I shouldn't feel this way about a cache and if I do ignore it. Alright NOW I'm rambling. Just wanted to hear more experienced opinions on the subject.

You did nothing wrong.

[+QuesterMark]

 

For an example of a police station cache gone terribly, terribly wrong, see this cache. The hider lives next door to the police chief and had permission to hide the ammo box on the grounds outside the police station. But the chief was out of town when someone who wasn't "in the know" called out the bomb squad.

 

 

What an excellent example of folks logging a find when they really didn't. Although the guy with only ONE find that did that can be forgiven.

 

But this is not the topic for THIS thread, is it.

[+QuesterMark]

 

Actually, not to take the thread in a whole new direction, but this statement intriqued me based on a recent incident. I am newer to this sport and recently encountered a cache that made my wife and I feel uneasy. We were pretty certain that the cache had permission to be on the property (based on the owner name being the same as the business it was at), and it turned out that it did, but it still made us uneasy. I posted in the cache that it wasn't our type of cache and I'm just wondering if I crossed a line by doing that. I was repectful, wished the cacher well, stated I wasn't trying to deter others but I felt like I had to enter the shop to find the cache and it felt like trespassing. I felt so uneasy that when I asked if there was a cacher there and was pressed on what I meant, I basically said forget it and left. Turns out if I said GEO cacher he'd have understood, but I guess my initial understanding of the sport is that I shouldn't feel this way about a cache and if I do ignore it. Alright NOW I'm rambling. Just wanted to hear more experienced opinions on the subject.

 

I did a cache once that turned out to require entrance to a shop. I was feeling sufficiently cocky that day, AND the hint pretty much ensured that I knew where it was, AND I shop there anyway. Pretty sure one of the empoyees had placed it, in fact.

 

But if it was a shop that I didn't go to for any other reason, I'd probably do what you did.

[+sbell111]

For an example of a police station cache gone terribly, terribly wrong, see this cache. The hider lives next door to the police chief and had permission to hide the ammo box on the grounds outside the police station. But the chief was out of town when someone who wasn't "in the know" called out the bomb squad.

What an excellent example of folks logging a find when they really didn't. Although the guy with only ONE find that did that can be forgiven.

 

But this is not the topic for THIS thread, is it.

Somehow I missed that post, but it doesn't bother me one bit when a cache that was placed with permission gets blown up by accident.

[+Moose Mob]

While in the bay area, I found a cache in front of one of the local police station. It took longer than expected since during our uncovering the tupperware container, we ended up chatting with three different police officers that were coming in and out of the building. Inside the cache were trading cards for each of the 15 officers based out of that office.

[The Vargman]

Thanks for the prompt reply and reassurance sbell111. Makes me feel like I wasn't just...I dunno not getting something. I suppose I'll be on the lookout for caches like this and just avoid them.

[The Vargman]

I did a cache once that turned out to require entrance to a shop. I was feeling sufficiently cocky that day, AND the hint pretty much ensured that I knew where it was, AND I shop there anyway. Pretty sure one of the empoyees had placed it, in fact.

 

But if it was a shop that I didn't go to for any other reason, I'd probably do what you did.

More reassurance. Thanks! It really made me feel odd. It's the first cache like this I've seen and I guess I now have a better clue what to look for.

[+MissJenn]

K-9 Fetch!

[+Gator Man]

I have a TB Hotel very near a FIRE STATION in Jupiter, FL, TB SAFE PLACE, (http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=7cb46fed-62d7-4f08-9109-6583510dd341) One of the firefighters who was located there, FFBOBBY, got permission from his Supervisor. I wanted it to be inside the station, but FFBOBBY thought that was a bad idea, so it is very close instead, and the location is known to the firefighters in that station. The firefighters are very helpful, and have been known to show the cache to cachers if asked! If we could work out a deal like this with the Firemen, surely you could work out something with the Police?

 

What could be better than a cache watched over by Firefighters? Maybe a cache watched over by the Police!

 

GM

Edited January 17, 2007 by Gator Man

[+Snoogans]

While in the bay area, I found a cache in front of one of the local police station. It took longer than expected since during our uncovering the tupperware container, we ended up chatting with three different police officers that were coming in and out of the building. Inside the cache were trading cards for each of the 15 officers based out of that office.

 

 

That was my first thought for this type of cache. BTW- I just bumped my contact on the HPD Bomb Squad. It will be interesting to see if they will take me up on my offer.....

[+Harry Dolphin]

What an excellent example of folks logging a find when they really didn't. Although the guy with only ONE find that did that can be forgiven.

 

But this is not the topic for THIS thread, is it.

 

Ha! First thing I noticed when I read the page.

I have done one that's at the entrance driveway to a municipal building/police station. The police station is few hundred feet from the cache, and the cache is on an interesting historical artifact. But I did feel very nervous searching for the cache.

[+WeatherednBoston]

Well the Officer in question has moved the cache to a new location (pretty close to the old one) and given me permission to submit it for approval. He said that the micro would not cause a bomb scare.

 

I cant wait to go down in the morning and see where he put it before I submit it for review. I just wish it could have been a surprise.

 

He has also given me permission to use his name in the listing

[+Cpt.Blackbeard]

I did a cache once that turned out to require entrance to a shop. I was feeling sufficiently cocky that day, AND the hint pretty much ensured that I knew where it was, AND I shop there anyway. Pretty sure one of the empoyees had placed it, in fact.

 

But if it was a shop that I didn't go to for any other reason, I'd probably do what you did.

More reassurance. Thanks! It really made me feel odd. It's the first cache like this I've seen and I guess I now have a better clue what to look for.

 

Never look for any cache if you don't feel comfortable with it. I backed away from one this summer that l wasn't sure about and e-mailed the owner to verify it. After his reassurance I went back and found it with a clear conscience.

[Clan Riffster]

On a related note, there is a stream in Seminole County where I used to catch snakes as a child. Back then, there was absolutely nothing there but woods & water. A developer got hold of the property, and now there is a large strip mall there. In defense of the developer, they did an amazing job of saving the stream, and there are 3 untouched segments that wind through the parking lot, with rustic bridges spanning it. My Sheriff's Office has a substation in that strip mall, and I will be working with them to get permission to place a cache there. Not because they own the parking lot, (they don't), nor due to proximity issues, (it'll be more than 600' from the office), but as a courtesy. I figure since the cop shop is so close, they'll likely have an increased chance that folks will report cachers directly to them. By getting permission, I hope to avoid unpleasant surprises.

[+mikeslomka]

I work for a police department as a dispatcher, and I am a new cacher. I went around to all of the caches in the city I work in and dropped a plastic "Junior Police" badge into them(except micros of course). One of the officers I work with wants to put one close enough to the station that we can watch it, but far enough away so that it won't cause a stir.

[+Renegade Knight]

The listing guidelines prohibit caches "at or near" government buildings. I think most reviewers would count police stations as government buildings. A courthouse, police station or city hall would be a likely terrorist or bomber target.

 

That being said, permission goes a long way to convince a reviewer to make an exception. Because of the presumption in the guidelines, that permission should be VERY clear and convincing. For example, a letter from the police chief acknowledging that he or she is aware of the cache and has advised the staff not to worry about people lurking nearby with GPS receivers. "Officer Williams said it was OK" may not be good enough.

 

For an example of a police station cache gone terribly, terribly wrong, see this cache. The hider lives next door to the police chief and had permission to hide the ammo box on the grounds outside the police station. But the chief was out of town when someone who wasn't "in the know" called out the bomb squad.

 

So, even permission can't prevent problems. But it sure helps!

 

There you go. It can be done, if the circumstances are right.