The "neighbors" upstairs...

[TheYoungGuy]

I use the term neighbor loosely as I often pair it synonymously with "friend", but, nevertheless...

I am crashing at my gf's place for a little over two weeks as my old lease ended today and my new one doesn't start until 8/15. Her upstairs neighbors are constantly noisy, both day and night, and they're always out on their balcony smoking cigarettes and tossing the butts three floors down into the grass. [SIDE NOTE: I have not one single problem with cigarette smoking; not one. But by God as my witness, there is not much more that gets me angry than JERKS who flick their cigarette butts onto the ground as if they aren't trash. Butts, Burger King bags, styrofoam cups... I don't care, it's all trash-- DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS, you jerks.] Anyway, the cigarettes and noise upstairs irritate me, but cause no "concern". What does concern me is that my gf said the before I was here, she had seen the main guy do what was almost certainly a drug deal on at least two separate occasions. She says different cars on different days rolled up and he ran down, glanced around, and then exchanged something for money. I made minimal small talk with the guys one time as we both exited our vehicles. Commented on his Astros bumper sticker and how I was a fellow fan. He was short and impolite; desperately attempting to seem tough. He was one of those... Last night while I sat on the porch enjoying a cigar and a few chapters of David McCullough's 1776, I couldn't help but overhear them talking about Bloods, Cryps, and how one of their houses (back in Houston) had been shot at with an "AK" in a drive-by.

So my questions are: What do I do in order to make myself more aware of what's going on with these possible drug deals and who do I speak to about this? What do I do to prepare myself and my gf to be more aware of our situation? She wants to complain about the noise, littering, and possible drug trafficking, but is concerned she will be fingered as the "complainant", even though they are done anonymously through management. I said if she does, she'll have the option of arming herself in her home (more than her current mace set-up), or no longer answering the door for anyone but family, friends, and persons sporting a badge.

Lots to say tonight, sorry for ranting. As usual, I'll now turn it over to my pseudo-family on the TX-CHL Forum for sound advice.

[DaveT]

Subscribe to

http://www.publicdata.com,

or to

http://www.police-record.org/index.html

and start running license plates of both cars parked there, and of the 'quick stops' where money is exchanged.

Then run the registered owners.

Begin by gathering information and taking notes. At some point if you feel you have enough to go to the police, by all means - do so !

We have the 'rent house from Hell' right across from our home that we have owned for 26 years. Lots of bad types have lived there, lots of drug deals have gone down. Lots of arrests have also been made because I have presented good information to the local police and gotten them interested in watching the house.

It also helps that I used to be the Police Chief here. I'm assuming you are not L.E., so don't try to assume that role. Just be a good witness and gather information that you can present to L.E.

[AEA]

You are not the Police. You and your GF are just in the wrong place.

Take her with you to your new lease and forget about it. You will read about it later on in the news and you will be glad that you were not involved.

[TheYoungGuy]

You are not the Police. You and your GF are just in the wrong place.

Take her with you to your new lease and forget about it. You will read about it later on in the news and you will be glad that you were not involved.

With all do respect, you don't know anything about where I am, so I'll ask you kindly not to tell me that she or I are "in the wrong place". We live in an extremely nice, six month old apartment complex in downtown Austin and work hard for our money to do so. I am renting a unit here on the 15th and intend to stay. And when did I say or even infer that I was "the police"??

DaveT, thanks for your comments; I will heed your advice.

[srothstein]

Youngguy,

I don't care if it is six months or six decades old. If it is an apartment complex where people are doing drug deals, it IS the wrong place. On that advice, I would have to agree. And I realize that the drugs are being used almost everywhere in the US now, and you did not mention whether he was buying or selling the drugs. Either way, it is bad, but if he was buying, it is not nearly as bad as if he is selling.

Now, if it is really a nice complex, and the management seems to care, you might go talk to the manager about the situation. Especially mention the littering and the noise, since those are easily proven. If the management is not willing to address the issue, it might really be time to cancel your new lease and start looking somewhere else. In cases like this, the management is your best bet for any reasonable action.

Your other option, instead of trying to run people through the public databases, is to call the APD Narcotics Division and ask them about the situation. Especially if you are willing to gather info and testify for them, they should be more willing to work with you on the drug issue.

Good luck.

[DMG]

YoungGuy:

You asked for advice; do not get mad when you get (good) advice that you do not agree with!

If that is how you reply to solicited advice you do not want to hear, with that temper I would say you are definitely in the wrong place.

David G.

[seamusTX]

I don't care if it is six months or six decades old. If it is an apartment complex where people are doing drug deals, it IS the wrong place. On that advice, I would have to agree. And I realize that the drugs are being used almost everywhere in the US now, ...

We have had drug dealers on our block. They eventually got busted. New ones will probably move in at some point.

Honestly, if we moved every time we spotted undesirable neighbors, we'd have to live in a motor home.

The only difference between good and bad neighborhoods is the frequency of this kind of activity, and how visible it is. Brentwood is a pretty high-rent town, and look at the headlines coming from there.

- Jim

[TX Rancher]

Youngguy,


Now, if it is really a nice complex, and the management seems to care, you might go talk to the manager about the situation. Especially mention the littering and the noise, since those are easily proven. If the management is not willing to address the issue, it might really be time to cancel your new lease and start looking somewhere else. In cases like this, the management is your best bet for any reasonable action.

Your other option, instead of trying to run people through the public databases, is to call the APD Narcotics Division and ask them about the situation. Especially if you are willing to gather info and testify for them, they should be more willing to work with you on the drug issue.

Sounds like good advice to me...

I beleive AEA's advice, which basically is leave the location, is also valid...but as Jim points out, there's the chance or running into the same thing at the new place...but then again, maybe you wont...

Sounds like you GF wants to stay silent...also a viable option. After all, there's really nothing you can point your finger to that indicates either of you have been theatened...although I personally don't put this one high on the list of options...but that's just me. This is what a majority of folks would do, and in your case is probably what all your neighbors aredoing...I just don't like that option.

Stay silent, go to the management/police, or move...they all have their pros and cons...You and your GF are the closest ones to the situation and are best able to make the judgement call on which course to take. Choose wisely, you'll have to live with the outcome...

[tomneal]

"You're not the police"

This is one of the lines CHL instructors tell their students. (At least all of them that have taught me.) There is usually a long story that goes with the line but, now it's just short hand for "Don't try to arrest someone just because you have a gun because you will regret it."

No one was trying to imply that you said you were in law enforcement, they were just using a short phrase they had heard before.

[Photoman]

With all do respect, you don't know anything about where I am, so I'll ask you kindly not to tell me that she or I are "in the wrong place". We live in an extremely nice, six month old apartment complex in downtown Austin and work hard for our money to do so. I am renting a unit here on the 15th and intend to stay. And when did I say or even infer that I was "the police"??

If this reply is any indication of your temperment, I would advise you to ignore the situation as best you can and do nothing.

[TheYoungGuy]

Just forget it, I didn't want this to turn into an argument about my temperment. I'm actually a very laid back guy. I just don't like being told I'm in the wrong place; would you? I guess we should just pack up and move and do so anytime there is a possibility of anything less than perfect going on in our area. Great advice...

[phddan]

I would be willing to bet that ANY apartment complex and most neighbor hoods have dealers and users in them. Seems a little silly to have to move to accommodate punks, heck, you would be moving all the time.
Get with management, see what happens.

Dan

[Big Calhoun]

I'm actually in the midst of the same. I don't know but the last 4 months or so, we've gotten some real winners moving in. The nieghbor upstairs from me I believe is a prostitute. Lots of 'goings on', many visitors, and she rarely leaves her home. At the same time, she's the least of my worries. There's another nieghbor directly behind us but in a separate building who possibly seems to be dealing drugs. I started notcing an increase in people parking for quick jaunts shortly after he moved in. Nothing concrete but having grown up in, umm, interesting hoods, all the the actions and signs ring a alarm bell. Another nieghbors son (they live next to us) seems to be getting involved in gang activity. My wife has frequently seen him hanging out in the front with a few of the thugs that live in the rear of the complex. Only reason that has bothered me is because a few times when I've left to go to the range, him and his mother have left to go somewhere and noticed the gun case -- I don't always take a full range bag. So my concern is that if he is getting involved with the local Future Inmates of America crown, he might think I'm an easy lick for some firearms.

Quite honestly, I pretty much feel powerless. I work a '9-5' which is more like 7-7 with travel often mixed in there. When traveling, I especially get a little nervous leaving my wife and son behind, but even when home, I don't have the time to sit and surveil. Irving PD has a link to contact the beat officers via e-mail and I have sent my concerns about the drug dealing. Can't say that I've noticed any follow-up but then again, why make it obvious if there was follow-up activity going on.

So aside from doing detective work on your own, my advice would be to get in touch with your local police and air out your concerns. At the very least, maybe it would cause an increase of patrols. I know at one time, Irving PD had a few officers that lived in the complex. I know one definately moved out, but maybe that's an option that can be brought up.

[Paladin]

I sympathize TYG.

It's been a lot of years since I lived somewhere where ALL my neighbors were decent people that respected each other.

seamusTX is right. You'd probably have to live in a motor home to avoid undesirable neighbors.

You can't always run.

DaveT and phddan's advice sounds prudent.

[TheYoungGuy]

Thanks for all the thoughts, folks. Something Big Calhoun said got me to thinking. Without bombarding me with two-dozen posts about the legality of flashing or intentionally not concealing, tell me what ya'll think about people (specifically in my type of situation) who do their best to "make it known", if you will, that they own/have/carry/use/etc. firearms of some sort. I am NOT saying I did this or would do it, I'm just curious. I discussed the situation with my dad, and he said if there were ever an issue to leave that _____ gun alone. It was one of perhaps three times I've ever heard him use that word, and I knew he meant business. He has his CHL but I think wanted to clarify that unless I were being attacked or mine/my gf's home was being broken into, there would be no reason to have a gun involved; simply to avoid dangerous escalation of the situation. I think he's on the ball there, because isn't that the core idea of most CHL classes? That it is our right to carry a gun but that its use should be a LAST resort? Thoughts...?