Having To Explain Geocaching To Local Police

[+Thrak]

I was doing a micro in an alley behind some businesses about 10:00 at night. I found the cache and sat in my truck to sign the log. Just as I finished putting the log back into the film can there were LIGHTS. 2 patrol cars and 3 officers. I got out laughing and said, "Busted!" They said yep, I was busted and asked what I was doing. I explained geocaching (even though a local cop caches these guys didn't know what it was) and they asked, "Did you find it?" I showed them the cache and they watched me put it back. Not a problem.

[+CACHE KRAWLER]

ALL I GOTTA SAY, IS THAT THE FIRST TIME I EVER GOT PULLED UP ON BY THE POLICIA, I WAS PULLED UP ON 4 MORE TIMES THAT NIGHT. JUST SOME WORDS OF WISDOM.......DON'T GO GEOCACHING IN HOPKINSVILLE, KENTUCKY AT NIGHT. THEY DON'T LIKE IT. I REALLY ENJOY CACHING AT NIGHT, LESS TRAFFIC, BUT ALOT MORE CURIOUS MINDS OUT.

Edited November 16, 2005 by Jeeocasher

[+Patudles]

I had the opportunity to introduce two officers to geocaching the other night. I had just found a cache when I saw the lights of an approaching car. Somehow I just had that feeling it wasn't another cacher. After giving the young officers a bad time for hassleing a grandma, I explained the game to them. They replied with, "Oh so is that what you were doing in the park about 15 minutes ago?" After assuring them it was they went on their way to "protect" some other unsuspecting victim.

Edited November 22, 2005 by Patudles

[+Iowa Tom]

Since 1969, thirteen times (actually 13.5 times) I’ve had the police ask me what I am doing. No, it’s not what you think! E.g. long ago, twice they paid me a visit when I was at a quarry, in the dark, alone, at 1 AM. They asked me what was up. The stars, that’s what was up, and the meteors I was counting at the time! Then one time they said, “Yeah, counting meteors, that’s what a couple a few miles over said they were doing.” Every one of the 13+ times they have approached me I was doing something having to do with the hobbies I have that take me out of doors.

 

Around here in NE Iowa I wonder just how aware the police are of our hobby. Once when a policeman came to my door for me to report something stolen, he left with more info than he came to get. I asked him if he knew about geocaching and he said no. I told him he should find out so that when he sees someone aimlessly wandering about while holding a small item (a GPSr) he might suspect they are doing nothing dishonest. I gave him a printout describing geocaching.

 

Another time when geocachers were looking for my son’s cache in a pile of logs, on several occasions they found one or more purses that had been dumped there. I called the sheriff about it and they said, “Oh yeah, that must be the work of the beaver.” Apparently a certain local thief has a thing for log piles. When I showed them the spot they asked me how “I” knew about it. Of course I asked them, “Are you aware of the sport called geocaching?” They were not. It just so “happened” that I had a printout of the webpage for that cache reading to give to them.

 

One time I was questioned indirectly. I call that a half of a time, hence the 13.5. I was out in the woods a couple hundred yards from the school bus that I had driven to the location. “Why a bus,” you ask? I had just dropped off the basketball players and headed out to hide a cache, in the dark, in the woods, in the snow. I was expecting that someone would wonder why there was a big yellow bus parked next to a marsh at night. Sure enough, I was way back in the woods when I heard the siren. He was trying to call me in. Needles to say I headed back to the bus shining a flashlight to my face and saying, It’s me!” After walking 100 feet or so I thought, “Oh no! I forgot the geocache!” I needed that as evidence that I indeed was on the straight and narrow. Of course I couldn’t find it! I hadn’t made a waypoint yet and my tracks lead everywhere. By the time I did, and got back to the bus the officer was gone. Only his tracks proved to me that it was indeed for me that the siren wailed. When I rolled back into town I began watching the game. Then some of my students excitedly asked, “Why was a cop talking to coach about you?” The policeman had asked why our bus was out near the marsh. The coach told the officer, “Yeah that’s our science teacher. I don’t know what he’s do’n. Probly fish/n or somthin.”

 

The last time a policeman made the all to familiar inquiry was recently when I was trying to set up my “See the Light” cache. He asked my student and myself in a parking lot at 10 PM, “What are you guys up to?” As always, I excitedly told him the truth. I asked him if he wanted to see the blinking light off in the distance. He didn’t take up my offer, nor did he seem to be aware of geocaching!

 

-it

[+maggieszoo]

I got an interesting phone call this am and just gotta tell you! The Pike County (Ohio) Sheriff himself called me. Seems someone made an anonymous call about "suspicious activity" in a local cemetery. They thought someone was hiding drugs under a tree. The sheriff found the cache and took it back to the office to investigate. He put on gloves and a mask and very carefully opened the container. Then got confused! He followed the direction inside to go to www.geocaching.com and found me on the profile page and recognized me (local fire department member), so I got a phone call. He's hooked! We won't get a minute of work out of him ever again......but I bet I don't get any more phone calls!

Edited November 27, 2005 by maggieszoo

[+maggieszoo]

Since I posted the above, my caches have been found by at least two deputies, one firefighter, and the county clerk of courts! So much for being the only cacher in the county!

 

Of course, they may put out their own hides and I won't have to drive 30+ miles to get to a cache I haven't found....

[+snowfrog]

3 years caching and finally nailed by the county police about two weeks ago.I was doing a quick guardrail cache when up he comes, blue lights and all.He had never heard of geocaching and let me go back to my truck to get a listing page to show him.I gave him a 5 minute crash course, satisfied his curiosity and he left with no problems!I do think the ammo box containers, down the road will be a no-no.

[+pwcorg]

I have been stopped, questioned, observed several times. Once it even cost me a FTF! I, along with two other local cachers, was searching for a small cache at night. Local LE approached us and asked what we were doing. I too take the honest approach when dealing with LEO's. As I and one of the other cachers explained the game the third cacher netted the find.

[+gof1]

We once tried to explain geocaching to a Canadian boarder guard.

Guard-"Purpose for your visit?"

I-"Geocaching"

G-"Geo what?"

I-"Geocaching, It's a sort of scavenger hunt.You go on line and get coordinates and then use a GPS receiver to..."

G-"Go ahead. Enjoy your visit."

[+EricsBrat]

What a fun topic... I have been stopped twice...

 

The first time, my geocaching buddy and best friend (KaeSky) were trying to find a series of caches. There was one that was in a cul-de-sac where a bike trail ends and there are mobile homes. It's a strange place to be at night. I had an eerie feeling that the cops were going to show up because 1) it was midnight and 2) we were climbing the gaurd rail that was over a creek with our flashlights (the cache was called down-the-chute and we suspected it to be in a fence pole). Low and behold, the police show up. We started to walk back to the car until he lit us up with his spotlight and said, "Are you ladies okay?" KaeSky bravely said, "Yes, we're just playing a game!" Oh boy, that lead to more questions. "A game? What kind of game?" rather than going into great details, I asked him, "Have you ever heard of geocaching?" He smiled and said, "Yes. Good luck hunting." and drove away. WHEW!

 

The 2nd time I was in Lake Tahoe (Tahoe Visita) and it was in the middle of the day. The cache was near the Sherrif's office. I was walking down the side road with GPS in hand and the SHerrif drove by. He quickly threw his Bronco into reverse and pulled up next to me. He said, "Are you a geocacher?" I said yes. He said, "Well, IF you find it, there is some cool stuff in there. Have a good day." When I finally got to the cache, I knew what he meant when he said, "IF". My gps'r hadn't settled down and I was slightly off course. HA HA The cache was large and had a ton of DARE and saftey stickers, magnets, and things for kids. Looks like the local Sherriff's department stocks that cache frequently.

 

I think I'll order some of the geocaching brochures - they would definately come in handy when being quetioned.

 

-EricsBrat

[+Iowa Tom]

I think I'll order some of the geocaching brochures - they would definitely come in handy when being questioned.

 

About the geocache handouts: I make my own and keep them in my billfold.

 

Hilarious stories, especially the "I Dare you to find it one"! I have never heard of such a pastime as this that seems to hook so many people. I wonder how many police geocachers are reading these stories?

 

Merry Christmas

 

-it

Hey, I just noticed that I made the 100 post mark.

Edited December 22, 2005 by Iowa Tom

[+Wadcutter]

I wonder how many police geocachers are reading these stories?

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=107808

 

You might be surprised how many cops are using GPS everyday on the job and how many of us are cachers.

[+Iowa Tom]

I wonder how many police geocachers are reading these stories?

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=107808

 

You might be surprised how many cops are using GPS everyday on the job and how many of us are cachers.

You would be a good one to ask. Once I hauled my mountain bike up a bluff and about half way up I had to take a long breather. My heart was pounding. I had my GPSr on and got my cell phone ready just in case. If I made an emergency call would it have helped if I could say what my coords were?

 

-it

[+Wadcutter]

You would be a good one to ask. Once I hauled my mountain bike up a bluff and about half way up I had to take a long breather. My heart was pounding. I had my GPSr on and got my cell phone ready just in case. If I made an emergency call would it have helped if I could say what my coords were?

My agency could find you. All our cars have computers with mapping software and GPS. We'd just have the closest car punch in your coords and we'd find you just like a cache. Not every agency has their squads so equipped with GPS so you might not get so lucky everywhere. However, even if they didn't have GPS in their squads if you could give your coords any agency would be able to get someone with a GPS to locate you. The coords would be a lot better info than saying you were stranded on trail such and such about 1 to 2 miles from the parking lot at wherever. That would be particularly true if the trail you're on had several side trails or there was a shorter trail and route to get to you.

We locate all our crash reports by GPS coords now. No more crash occurring 200 yds south of the intersection of 4th and Main in Podunkville. It's by GPS coords. A lot nicer for plotting crash statistics. Shows exactly where the crash occurred. We were suppose to be up and running by now with even marking tickets and warnings by GPS coords. Been a slight glich in the system but eventually that will happen too.

[+Horn229]

There's a first time for everything. I was out with some other cachers looking for Fourteen Minus Six (GCR7B7), when six University of Delaware cops rolled up. Apparently wandering around the middle of the streets on campus at 2 in the morning is acting "suspiciously." They just ran our names and DL numbers for warrants, then said, "have a good time."

 

Very polite, though completely unimpressed with the idea of Geocaching. I kept getting these wierd "people shouldn't do anything 'different'" vibes from them. Which is very odd, given what I really do for a living.... I generally don't have bad reactions to cops, but these guys left me feeling vaguely oppressed. Maybe it's just me....

Seeing as I was one of the other cachers.. that was an interesting night. I was busy looking at a cement wall, then some light/telephone poles then look up and see the cops have surrounded PRM and myself, and the other geocacher (my brother) somehow evaded the whole thing and was already in his jeep driving away.

 

After about 15 minutes, the cops quit bugging us, but they didn't exactly go away anytime soon.

[+BilboB]

Here's a good one and this just happened last week!

 

I was caching off of I40 in a little town in Arkansas, when I went to look for a 1/1 cache under the corner of a building (actually right outside the window of the cacher that works inside). I read the logs (there were quite a few finds without incident) and it specifially stated, "the local police are aware of this cache." I pulled up on a lazy Sunday morning and scoped out the site. It was a building on the main street (and quite conveniently the building shared itself with the police deparment HQ). I waited a few minutes, got my bearing and walked across the street. I found it in less than 30 seconds, and walked back across the street to open the cache in my car. I had just sat down in my carseat when this police cruiser comes screaming into the parking lot blocking me in. The police officer started to emphatically ask me for some ID. Luckily I am on active duty in the Army and after a few tense moments of explanation, I was able to talk my way out of it by believe it or not, telling the truth about what I was doing.

I would have been pretty pissed to if I was a cop driving by and see this guy nosing around a town building, reach down quickly and come up with a green ammo can, walk casually across his town's mainstreet and get into an out of state car. YIKES!!

Obviously, he had no idea what I was talking about but after I showed him the printout (with the statement about the police knowledge), I had to walk across the street to have my name run for any outstanding warrants. It ended with a handshake and a good luck, but for obvious reasons, I was pretty miffed.

I emailed the owner and told her not to, but the cache was archived the next day. This is not my first run in with the law either. I have all the luck.

[+bblhed]

The only time I had a run in with the police was when I was caching in a local that has a section that closes at 4:30. Being that most parks close at sunset and that was at 7:?? I really didn't pay attention to the sign that said the gate would be locked at 4:30. After a cell phone to the local police I was released about 20 minutes later no questions asked. I guess I am not the only one to have gotten locked in there.

 

As for the brocure, I cary it with me always, and I have only showed it once. Someone I was caching with asked me what I would do if stoped by the police and I told him I didn't wory too much because I cary my retired military ID at all times (as I am required to do by law). Also I said I had a brocure that explains what Geocaching is far better than I could. When he asked to see the sheet I showed it to him and he just sort of chuckled. I had been caching with CBret of Geocaching U fame for the better part of the day and didn't even know it. Well, how was I suposed to know? He lives in Ilinois, and I was caching at an event in Connecticut.

[+Jayrod7]

One nice warm christmas day in omaha nebraska, 2 families were geocaching on the UNO campus. We drove along until we came to a parking lot closest to the cache when a campus guard pulled his truck and walked over to us (did i mention he had his siren going?) this is what he did

1)took liscence plate numbers

2) called local police

3) checked to make sure all the doors were locked around us

4) made us show him what we were doing

5) called off the local police after we showed him the gc website.

 

WATCH OUT FOR CAMPUS SECURITY ON CHRISTMAS

 

we got in alot of trouble that day. we decided to drive off. we came back when the guard left and quickly got the cache done.

[+Chuy!]

On my way to Las Vegas in 5/04, I was caching on a side road hitting some desert caches along I-15. At my second stop, A State Trooper pulled behind me with lights on just as I was opening my door. I couldn't have said I was stetching my legs, but I decided to tell all - after all, my GPS was prominently sitting on my dashboard. He said it was okay; so, me and my then 6 yr old daughter walked over and made the find. When I returned to my vehicle, another Trooper had pulled over. They were chatting and said goodbye.

 

The few times I have run into security guards or muggles, I just say I'm on a scavenging hunt. With security guards, I always offer to remove the cache if they feel the cache should not be on the "guarding" property. This includes a grounds keeper at a local cemetery who initially said "NOT ON MY CEMETERY" when I told him I was on a scavenger hunt. Amazingly, no guard, or grounds keeper, has decided to "throw" out the cache. It must be my charm (Don't laugh San Diego cachers.)

Edited January 4, 2006 by Chuy

[+badlands]

On my 100th Cache I parked here.

 

 

My log entry:

[11:10 am Found parking right next to the cemetery (see photo). The Sheriff was kind enough to stop by to check on me. He asked if I was geocaching, said he didn’t know that there was one in the area but that he used to geocache. He said there are too many caches now to keep up with it (Too many caches? Is that possible?).] Naljnl – vg vf bx gb cnex gurer.

[+Skeeterbait2]

I had several run in's with local law here in NY but the kicker is I went on a power trip to erie PA and caching at 4 in the morning we ended up with 50 for 22 hrs and NOT ONE COP ! do you believe that guess it just depends on where you are,,,

[+5]

You would be a good one to ask. Once I hauled my mountain bike up a bluff and about half way up I had to take a long breather. My heart was pounding. I had my GPSr on and got my cell phone ready just in case. If I made an emergency call would it have helped if I could say what my coords were?

My agency could find you. All our cars have computers with mapping software and GPS. We'd just have the closest car punch in your coords and we'd find you just like a cache. Not every agency has their squads so equipped with GPS so you might not get so lucky everywhere. However, even if they didn't have GPS in their squads if you could give your coords any agency would be able to get someone with a GPS to locate you. The coords would be a lot better info than saying you were stranded on trail such and such about 1 to 2 miles from the parking lot at wherever. That would be particularly true if the trail you're on had several side trails or there was a shorter trail and route to get to you.

We locate all our crash reports by GPS coords now. No more crash occurring 200 yds south of the intersection of 4th and Main in Podunkville. It's by GPS coords. A lot nicer for plotting crash statistics. Shows exactly where the crash occurred. We were suppose to be up and running by now with even marking tickets and warnings by GPS coords. Been a slight glich in the system but eventually that will happen too.

Sweeet!

[+CacheBurns]

I've had a couple of times where the area's finest check up on what I was doing, and a couple of times where a neighbor was interested in what I was doing. I guess that's not to unusual after over 900 finds. I guess my favorite story is below from GCNT1M... It's not me, but one of my friends from the DFW area... I'm reposting his log for you to enjoy. Now what you have to understand about this post is that this cacher is a dog (Wee Wiley, who goes along with his owner Hikeaday - get it? )

 

This really shouldn't be an exciting cache, but for us it was. Someone reported seeing a man carrying a dog and a handgun across Stanford. We get pulled over, while walking down Sanford, after leaving the cache. Sirens, flashing lights, policeman saying keep your hands where I can see them, and all that stuff you see on TV. Hikeaday gets searched and questioned about where is the gun and what are we doing here? Stuff about walking in the park, GPS receivers and Geocaching go right over the policemans head. Anyway after checking Hikeadays ID and calling in for wants and warrants the cop lets us go. We usually end our comments with something like thanks for the cache and the adventure. Well in this case, we really-really mean it. Left a clone of LT. Col Geo Dee to watch over the cache and report on the progress of the stadium.

Edited January 10, 2006 by CacheBurns

[G_and_the_Kids]

I once got caught by the DNR. I was caching in the sand dunes of Michigan when I found I had to descend a steep dune to get to the cache. As I approached the edge of the dune, I noticed a sign that said this was a protected area due to an endangered thistle. Although I spend a lot of money to keep thistles out of my lawn, I found it environmentally correct to continue on along the trail until the signs ended and then loop back around. When I crossed the valley I saw another person standing in the middle of the valley looking at me and writing in a notebook. As I approached I saw his green DNR hat. He wanted to know what I was doing. I said geocaching. He had heard of it so I didn't have to explain, but I did have to explain that I didn't come down the face of the dune, but really was environmentally concious. It turned out that that was only his secondary concern since the park I was in was closed! He said, "Didn't you notice the big closed sign on the entrance and the huge construction hole by the parking lot?" I told him that I had actually walked a mile down the beach and had seen no signs. After that he became quite friendly and complained about the liability laws that require the whole park to be closed because of one dangerous hole with a fence around it 1/2 mile away.

[earthlover747]

interesting experiences you guys. I am still a minor, but have had experience geocaching with my dad, family, and class. I hope i never run into any police, but if i do, i will heed your peoples advice. Thanks! -rachel

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

interesting experiences you guys. I am still a minor, but have had experience geocaching with my dad, family, and class. I hope i never run into any police, but if i do, i will heed your peoples advice. Thanks! -rachel

 

Like most of life, it's all in your attitude!

 

After over 50 years of a very active life I have run across a lot of police - of every nature in almost every conceivable situation, on five continents and seventeen countries, worked closely with them as a Case Monitor for the Department of Youth Services working with kids coming back to society after being in a lock-up school facility, and have never had a really bad experience with them!

 

Some situations have started out tense - but a cooperative and friendly, and I repeat COOPERATIVE attitude and demeanor defused them and all ended pleasantly enough... even when my wife and I were mistaken for Patty Hearst and her companion in California in the '70s and an entire SWAT team took us down on an interstate (That one certainly started tense!), or when I was stopped while driving back to the US from Guatemala late one night in Chiappas, Mexico by revolutionaries who thought I was a secret US agent (that one started downright scary and ended with their commander giving me his machete as a souveneeer!).

 

I hope i never run into any police, but if i do, i will heed your peoples advice. Thanks!

 

I hope the opposite will be true - that you'll meet lots of cops and come to find that our society is as safe and happy as it is because these men and women are willing to do a job few can even imagine!

 

Geocaching, especially at night, by its very nature makes you stand out and any behavior that stands out from the norm catches cop's attention - accept it, let them check you out, tell them about the game and invite them to play.

 

They will rarely go so far as to search you or your car, but if they do, pleasantly cooperate - assert your percieved "rights" later!

 

Any sign of fear, anger, resistance or argument will only escalate the situation... police call it "acting hinky" and it'll get their antenna up every time!

 

Get your folks to make you an ID card with your picture, address and their contact info on it - you can get them or make them at any photocopy shop or even on your home computer.

 

Some geocachers have advised that geocachers make up a story about why they are there and what they are doing - I can't stress enough how bad that idea is, especially for a teenager! Once they catch you in a lie it's like flipping a switch - you are instantly reduced in their eyes to just another jerk they have to deal with and you will rarely recover their respect... you become an instant suspect!

 

Tell them the truth, unless you know you are truly guilty of something really bad - then tell them nothing but your name, address and phone number!!

 

On that topic, I hope that you never commit or get involved in a crime, but if you do the cop's line about "I am your friend, you can tell me what you did" is rarely in your best interest (yes, the police can and do lie to get you to confess - that's part of their job).

 

If you are truly in big trouble let a lawyer explain for you! (I am just another geocacher, not a lawyer and this isn't legal advice nor advice from this site - It's just another geocacher's opinion!)

 

And, of course, make sure there is nothing on you, later on in your vehicle, in your backpack or bicycle knapsak or on your friends that is illegal when geocaching!

 

"That's not mine - I didn't even know that was there!" is an old and familiar refrain to a cop, and none will believe it.

 

Regardless of age, if you are in a car or house and somebody there that you might not even know has some sort of illegal drug in their pocket, though it may be total news and a surprise to you, you'll still get to ride in a police car!

 

I keep a licensed handgun in my truck, and rarely think about it being there - when my son borrowed the truck to go to McDonalds and was stopped at age 16 for failing to stop completely at a stop sign and failed to tell the policeman there was a gun in the car it took a lot of explaining on my part to get it resolved!

 

Talk to your parents or whoever you ride with and make sure that nothing in the car could cause police concern and you can relax and even enjoy police stops while geocaching!

 

Have fun, see you on the trails!

Ed

Edited January 11, 2006 by TheAlabamaRambler

[earthlover747]

thank you very much, i actually want to become a cadette when i turn sixteen. i didn't mean not actually running into policemen(or women) was a bad thing, and i hoped i never woudl run into them, my thought process was simply that i hoped i was never in that sort of situation where it may be difficult. I had known about what to do in a situation like that, but i merely thought the ideas for the sheet on the window, and the printed paper where good ideas for better understanding. I personally wouldn't mind talking to them about triangulation, and what geocaching is, in fact, i just wrote a paper all about it fo rmy science class. lol, thank you ch97405! (my teacher) anyway, thank you for your concern and your input once again, safe travels!

ps. do you know what college might be good to go to for forensic studies?(criminology forensics) or maybe where a good place to train to be a cadette would be in oregon?

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

Getting off topic, but maybe the moderator will allow this!

 

do you know what college might be good to go to for forensic studies?(criminology forensics) or maybe where a good place to train to be a cadette would be in oregon?

 

I don't, but here are some links you might find interesting!

 

Correspondence with people that actually work in and do the hiring for whatever specialty you find interesting can tell you how and where to train!

 

The US Navy Judge Advocate General (JAG) to Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) to FBI is not only a great career path but a good path to learning on the internet about your options.

 

http://www.forensic-evidence.com/site/Link_wo.html

 

http://www.jag.navy.mil/html/njs.htm

 

http://www.forensic-evidence.com/site/MasterIndex.html

 

http://www.court-martial.com/research_links.htm

 

http://www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/handbook/intro.htm#forensic

 

http://www.law.umich.edu/thayer/

 

Lots of links on those pages to just about every kind of Forensics!

 

Thanks for your patience, moderator - we now return this thread to its regularly scheduled programming!

Ed

[DAD-DONT-GET-US-LOST]

At a Myrtle Beach Cache, we were looking for a cache at a closed miniature golf course. The police circled about 3 times before finally stopping and asking us what we were doing. I didnt think of telling the truth, I just said, studying palm trees, we're from West Virginia. The license tags say that....

 

He said, oh okay. I thought you were geocaching.... I said, we actually were, but didnt want to let the secret out. I said, we're not supposed to tell ya know. They laughed and said look over there and pointed in the right direction. donno, maybe they placed it....go figure.

 

I wonder how many City Cachers have had to fess up. Looking in nooks and crannies does look suspicious.

 

Dad-dont-get-us-lose

[+WeR3]

We’ve been Geocaching since Christmas Day.. When we started we were a little nervous about muggles and law enforcement wondering what we were up to. Now with a mere 20 finds under our belt we are inspired to keep on geocaching and confident that we can navigate the muggles and law enforcement officers as well.

 

You see, two days before new years we were in Virginia Beach gecaching at Beach Garden II. What was to become our second ammo can find, we were a little stumped when a Virginia Beach officer pulled up and asked us what we were doing. My wife explained rather excitedly that we were Geocaching and the officer smiled. She said, “Oh, that!” with a big grin on her face. She pulled up hundred feet and started to work in her car. After our find was back in its safe hiding spot we went to talk with her. Jackie my oldest offered her a purple frog toy. And Alsion my youngest asked about her uniform patch. She handed us a business card and said, “send me an email and when I get a new batch patches I’ll send one to each of you”. .

 

Well today we got a card and two nice VA Beach police patches. My daughters will wear them with pride. Officer Paniza wrote in the note:

 

“Hi Alison,

I hope this card finds you and your family well. I’m glad you enjoyed VA Beach. There is a lot to do here. Thanks for the Purple Frog, he rides in my car. And thank you for the compliment I think it’s cool that your family geocaches together.”

 

WeR3