EACH ONE CATCH ONE

I was doing the 11 route last week. I had this kid get on and try to use a Go-to card to pay the fare. It came up hot listed. I informed him that the card was reported lost or stolen and he couldn't use it. He handed it to me and said "Want it? You can have it. I just found it." I took the card and he paid his fare in cash.

While sitting at a red light, I looked at my card pertaining to these Go-to cards. It says if it is hot listed to have the Transit Police come get it. I called Control and told them the situation and they sent the police. In the meantime, my mind went on a little trip. I started thinking maybe the card was taken in a high profile crime! Maybe this kid was one of the muggers that have taken over the University of Minnesota area! Maybe he took it in a home invasion robbery! Then I came back to reality and thought...he said he found it. He probably did and the person who lost it reported it as lost and the card was turned off and flagged.

Then my mind went out there again...what if EVERYONE reported on what seems to be a small thing? Better yet, what if everyone reported crime every time they saw it instead of turning away and not getting involved? Maybe the criminals would realize they are the minority and don't have the power over the overwhelming number of GOOD people. I came up with the idea of "Each one catch one". If you have drug dealers, prostitutes or other obvious criminals where you live or work...report them...every time! If every decent person turned in a criminal, just think how many would be arrested! Sure, they might just move. Undoubtedly, they would move to where there are more decent people who, in turn, could turn them in. Eventually, they'd either earn an appropriate amount of jail time or just decide it wasn't worth it. Either way, they'd be out of our hair.

Here's a good example of something I did not too long ago. I live in a semi-rough area in Minneapolis. Most of my neighbors are good, honest and decent people. Every now and then, some idiot decides to rent a home to the losers. I had the guy across the street rent out his home to drug dealers. It was quite obvious what was going on. The home next door to them had a family with two little boys. I knew their mother was worried. She wrote down license plates and turned them in to the police about every week. That didn't seem to work. I thought I'd try to help before one of those kids got shot or something because of the nature of the "business" next door to them. I put up motion flood lights, pointed the motion sensor and lights up toward the drug house and it ruined their business. They were gone in about a month.

Do what you can. Be creative. Criminals are not that hard to outsmart. If they were smart, they wouldn't be criminals! If we had all the decent citizens "Each one, catch one" the streets would be safer and life would be much better for everyone! Just do it!

Amazing where my mind can stray when it goes out alone!