Sorry I posted this in the wrong forum.....some day I will figure out this damn computer. Anyway, With all the cars being stolen from events it has made it so we don't feel comfortable sleeping in a hotel room at night with our hot rods out of sight in the hotel parking lot. It also seems like hotel security is non existent and they even lack video survailance. Even if they don't steal the whole car sometimes parts come up missing the next morning. It has been suggested on previous threads that one solution might be for a group of attendees to kick in a few bucks each and hire their own security guard to keep an eye on the cars. So I am throwing it out there to see if this is a reasonable thing to consider and how many would be interested for the upcoming BP at Don's place. As I see it, we could contact the police chief in that town and ask if any of his regular cops do security work on the side. If he parked his squad car there (lots of cops are able to take their cars home at night) and made his presence known, it sure would be a deterent to anyone thinking of playing any games. What do you guys think of the idea............crazy or not? Don
The down side would be the "free loaders". See, if you get a group of people to aquire a security guard, are you going to restrict the guard to just protecting certain cars? It seems that people who didn't pay would be getting the same protection. What would make me pay, when a guard would be watching the whole lot? A better solution would be for everyone in a group to take 2 hour shifts watching the lot. Hell, with enough people maybe even one or half hour shifts would be alls that needed. Just a thought.
I thought of the same thing, Fred, how do you make it fair for everyone who paid and why should some reap the benefits of the money paid by the others? Maybe a better solution is for me to contact the two hotels that are adjacent to Don's place and see if they will kick in some security for that night. Even if they add a buck or two to every customer that night to cover it. I even considered hiring my own rent a cop, how much could it cost, compared to losing a car or losing sleep. We wouldn't even need him for very long. Hot rodders are hanging out in the parking lot until 1 or 2 generally, and it gets light about 6 or 7 am, so maybe 5 hours at the most? At $20 per that is only about $100. Don
That's a good idea as well Don. I'm sure that if word got out that you paid for the security, enough folks would chip in to probably cover it. And even if they don't, whatever the cost, it is cheaper than losing a car or cars. Sometimes it just takes one person to take a stand. Me, I'd try and park my car in front of my room and lose the few hours of sleep. I mean, who here has never pulled an all nighter?
At a place I used to work (Dicks Drive In) we would hire a couple off duty uniformed officers to be present on Friday and Saturday Nights. . It's not like they make tons of money putting their lives on the line everyday, so I think most Police DO moonlight work to help pay the bills.
I know police officers down here who are allowed to moonlight as guards and security officers, and I would hope the Ocala police chief would have no objections to one of his own making a few easy bucks. After Christmas I may call him and the two hotels next to Garlits place and run it by them. I slept in a tow car all night one time and washed up in a Walmart bathroom the next morning, just so I could keep an eye on the car..........never again, worst night I ever had and the longest ! Don
Don,don't mess with the Police Dept. In Marion County the Sheriff's dept has that area. Probably get a deputy that lives in the area.
Well, here's my $0.02. If you guys want more bang for your buck, why not pass the hat amongst all the folks in the near proximity of your guards? Tell them you hired a cop to watch the cars. This security is a lot cheaper to have than to have to go through the loss of a hard-to-replace car, legal matter, insurance issues, etc. By coughing up $20, it's peace of mind. FWIW: The off-duty Deputy Sheriff's up here in Okaloosa & Santa Rosa Counties earn extra pay by sitting and patrolling traffic in the 20 MPH zones up here. I think you should be able to swing something.
Vintage Chevy Club central meets I've been to for the last 15+ years always have a group of members doing 2 hour security shifts. They setup a few chairs, a pot of coffee and walk around & shoot the breeze while keeping watch. Its been successful and with 2 hours shifts you're still not too tired to enjoy the next day's events. Food for thought.
Those are both good ideas. Thanks. I know police down here earn extra bucks also by directing traffic in and out of churches on Sunday, so I would guess most police departments have a policy that it is ok for their officers to earn a few extra bucks. The idea about taking shifts makes sense as well. Don
I like the idea of 2 men to a shift, works great if you have enough members to provide coverage and nobody is going to try to pull something with 2 guys on post. Bob
Don, you have a great idea, and I'm friends with a few of the Hernando County Deputies who do side work. One thing you have to consider in Florida is insurance. Most of the off duty jobs these guys work includes short term or long term disability insurance as well as workmen's comp., which is paid by the establishment hiring them. The last thing any Sheriff or Police Chief wants is one of his officers being unable to work his normal paid job because of a side job injury. The Chiefs will allow side work, but there has to be an insurance compensation of some kind before they'll allow it, in most cases. This covers the officer doing the work, and it also covers the department so the officers salary and sick leave won't be used, causing the department undue expenses for an officer that wasn't injured by an "on duty' claim. Check with the Sheriff and see what the agreements are. They may or may not require it, but it sure wouldn't hurt to ask, just in case. Local security company guards are covered under this insurance already by their companies when you hire them. The local hotels or landowners of the parking areas may want some proof of insurance also, so they don't have to pay out if something does happen and one of the off duty cops gets hurt. If you're going the route of having Hambers doing security shifts, then ask the Sheriff if he can have the deputy in that patrol area do some staggered drive by's and security checks of the grounds during the night. Of course it always helps to pass the hat and make a donation to the local PAL or their sponsored local charity for the service the officer provides, and make note of that to the Sheriff when you speak with him. Most of them will be more than happy to do it.
Just put a sign in the car window warning potential thieves that you have a concealed carry permit and are watching the car. Might give them something to think about...
We are out in front of the hotel at 5 am Saturday to start setting up, if that helps you with a time frame... I know a few years ago, there was a FED fired up at 3 am...
Another poster brought up a good point and I'll add to that. Gone our the days of under the table deals for security from police...too much liability in an litigous society. This is a process I have been through before so let me at least tell you what Jacksonville Sheriffs Office requires. You need to contact the Secondary Employment office (Off duty employment office, I'm sure that other agencys call it different things). And tell them what the job entails. You will need to sign a contractual agreement. Now a bunch of guys are pulling a $20 number out of their hat. Not the case. The officer gets a minimum of 28 dollars an hour for a minimum of three hours; that is up to negotiation though, depending on the gig it can go up to $50 and hour (I wouldn't see that as the case in this instance) Then the city will want you to pick up vehicle/equipment use and fuel fee, workmans comp fee and another $5hr fee that I don't remember what it was attached too. With the officer rate at 28 and hour it works out to be 50 bucks an hour to the city. If the officer rate per hour is higher than that adjust accordingly. This is for the department in my area, your results may vary.
I am not being a jerk or anything, but the show is in a fenced in lot.....He has locks on both ends not a big deal....
All of the hotels on his exit are less than 6 years old....so i am sure they all have surveilance cameras...( I live 2 miles away on the same exit)
I know where I live people go through the law enforcement agency and can hire off duty officers/deputies to work events or special patrol. Here in Kansas the going rate is $35 an hour per deputy/officer. The money is paid to the department and the officers are paid out of the government budget....just in case something happens they are covered under department policy....you know, In case the officer gets hurt it is covered under work comp, taxes, and they still are representing their department.
Yes Garlit's has lock's on the gate's. But that's not where the car's are at night . I dont think there is a problem with car's being stolen from the show itself.The problem is car's being stolen from the hotel parking lot.Myself I'm not gonna lose any sleep about it . Not that I want my car stolen but I have good insurance.
Greg is right, Garlits place is secure but the cars are not in there at night, and if you have been reading any of the threads on how good hotel security is you will see cars, trailers, and tow vehicles are disappearing never to be seen again. I have insurance but it will never replace the sentimental attachment to our cars. I got in touch with the Sheriff there and they get $ 35 an hour and I figure they should be there from 1 am til 6 or 7. Max cost is $ 210. People are hanging out in the parking lot until 1 or 2 am and we will be back awake at 6 or 7, so those are the hours needing coverage. Don
I'll pitch in... Let's get a list going... $35.00 x 5 = $175.00 10 people would be $17.50 ea. 15 people would be $11.66 ea. 20 people would be $8.75 Even $17.50 is cheap insurance... I'm in for $17.50... 9 more.
Just an update on the security situation. I have finalized the arrangements with the Marion Cty Sheriff Dept and sent them a check. The Officer will be there from 2 am til 6 am Saturday morning (2 hours after midnight Friday, to clarify). It was only $ 140 for the 4 hours, and if some of you feel like kicking in $ 5 or $ 10 that will be nice. I don't mind covering the bulk of the bill since I started this thing and I will sleep better knowing our cars are being watched. I'll be hanging out in the parking lot BS ing with y'all, so we can figure it out then. As I mentioned previously, we car guys will probably be out in the parking lot until 2, at least I will make sure I am, so we only need someone there after that, and until most of us are up and about at 6. Thanks for all the offers to kick in, much appreciated. With all the cars being taken at events I think this is a good thing to do..........cheaper than our deductibles. Don
We may be able to get the officer some motorized transport... If we have and outlet to plug it into and he promises to plug it in after he's done in the we hours.
The Jalopy Journal
