Ever see "The Shining"?

Longstreet · 01-26-2009, 17:28

While I love my job as a teacher, it is not the highest paying job in the land and to help myself 'get ahead' I have been working a second part-time job as a night watchman for a local private golf club.

I have been doing the job for many years and until recently I have had no problems with it. It is a simple job where I assist members with their bags and later make sure all doors are closed and locked. I am not a security guard as I have no training. Should a situation arise that I cannot handle, I simply call the police and they come . . . fast. There is something to be said for allowing higher up police officials golf privileges . . .

During the summer the job is great as there are always people around; however in the winter, the place is locked up and I am left to myself. The clubhouse is an old mansion that was built around 1910. The floors creek, the wind blows through doors and the windows shake - hell parts of the crawl space still has a dirt floor. Some say the place is haunted, but I have never seen anything. To put it in the right perspective, the clubhouse looks like the hotel from 'The Shining'. And this is why I am starting to have issues.

Lately the place is starting to worry me. Several times each shift I have to make my rounds which include going outside and checking two other buildings. The site is located a kilometer in from the main road and is completely secluded. There are no cameras and the house can easily be broken into (it is not uncommon for me to arrive and find doors open or unlocked). And if anyone was to break it, I would never know due to the size of the building. I have been given a cell-phone and a large maglite flashlite. As mentioned I have no security training and even my military training is next to none. Needless to say it would not take much to overpower me and people would only find out about it the next morning (I work from 9pm - 6am) around 9am if I was to be knocked unconscious.

Now there have never been any break-ins or any issues of the sort. In the past few years I have only had to call the police once as some strange people were snooping around the proshop at 9pm in the rain (the SWAT team responded, but that is another story). However there have been squaters in the ravine the mansion backs onto and people make use of the course during the winter to toboggan on.

So I am asking you all is first, am I crazy to be working this job with the resources I have and second, what do you think I could do to help the situation? I hate to give up the job as the money is great and the golf perks are awesome. I have spoken with my boss regarding cameras, but they are always shot down. I told him as well that I felt uncomfortable about going outside to check buildings alone and again nothing was done. In Canada it is illegal to carry a firearm and even if it wasn't I would not be interested in this as I have no training and would probably just make any situation worse. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

BryanK · 01-26-2009, 17:43

Pepper spray?

PSM · 01-26-2009, 17:46

An axe comes to mind.

Pat

**Pete** · 01-26-2009, 17:52

By now you should know every nook and cranny of the place, which boards squeek when you step on them, how things should look going both directions, where it's dark, where the switches are, etc.

You have that advantage over anybody if they are sneaking around.

Make a fast round when you get there make sure everything is tight and then made scheduled rounds at odd times. Use your ears as you make the rounds.

Longstreet · 01-26-2009, 18:18

An axe comes to mind.
I thought about that, but did not think the boss would be too impressed if he ever found out. Somehow walking around the place with an axe held over my head would leave a somewhat negative impression. Although I would admit that it would be great PT walking around for 20 minutes with it in that position.

Pepper spray?
I hadn't thought of that. I can only get access to 'bear repellent' though. Any idea if it is pretty much the same thing?

zauber1 · 01-26-2009, 18:29

An old trick that I used for years on patrol was to stretch a strand of thread across a choke point or bottleneck of your area that you have to protect. Then all you have to do is check the intersections for broken thread. I used this even to protect narrow alleyways behind businesses. Burglars and sneak thieves won't notice breaking a thread stretched across at shin level and all you have to do is periodically check if your threads are intact.

An alternative is to get a small chihuahua. A burglar that I had caught once told me that they are as alert as a large dog but they dance away when you try to catch them and THEY NEVER SHUT UP! Good qualities in a guard dog alert system.

Outdoor alert systems that I have encountered in 20 years as a LEO include using peacocks and guinea fowl as outdoor alarms. Drug dealers along the SW Border area would use these as an alternative to an electrical alarm to protect their stash houses. After a while, that was one of the dead giveaways that a dealer was storing a major cache of drugs in a location - noisy large birds!

BEAR Repellent is the same ingredient as people pepper spray only more concentrated. The concentrated agent is Oleoresin Capsicum. Oleoresin Capsicum is extracted from chili peppers and is the chemical that gives peppers their hot quality. That is why it is called pepper spray. Also, Oleoresin Capsicum is known as “OC” for short. That is why pepper spray is commonly referred to as OC pepper spray.

Sdiver · 01-26-2009, 20:50

Redrum !!!!

Redrum !!!!!

Redrum !!!!!!

**The Reaper** · 01-26-2009, 21:02

Pete has some excellent points.

Louisville Slugger, anyone?

TR

Longstreet · 01-26-2009, 21:26

Quote:

Redrum !!!!

Redrum !!!!!

Redrum !!!!!!

Yeah, that comes to mind every once in a while. I decided long ago that if my finger ever starts talking to me, it is time to 'finger' in my resignation. Ohhh that was bad.

Longstreet · 01-26-2009, 21:34

Quote:

Pete has some excellent points.

Louisville Slugger, anyone?

TR

Come on Sir, this is a high class golf course. There are the likes of British Royalty who make up some of the members. I'm thinking more a Callaway Big Bertha. I just hope I do not slice or hook.

ZonieDiver · 01-26-2009, 23:35

Quote:

An alternative is to get a small chihuahua. A burglar that I had caught once told me that they are as alert as a large dog but they dance away when you try to catch them and THEY NEVER SHUT UP! Good qualities in a guard dog alert system.

I could go along with a dog, however it wouldn't be a Chihuahua - unless there were to be TWO dogs. A deep bark or growl would serve to dissuade prowlers.

An axe worked pretty good for "Jack" in "The Shining" - well, up to a point!

JJ_BPK · 01-27-2009, 05:25

Correct me if I'm mis-interpreting your note..

1)you'v had this job for many years with out major problems and only a few minor one

2)your in Canada,, presumably during the winter this place is snowed in??

3)it's remote " kilometer in from the main road and is completely secluded"

4)your worried

5)it's a golf course?

6)you have said nothing about anything that needs fixing.

I think a little late nite companionship is in order,, As the boss probably does not want to pay for anything, get a dog as a pet,, preferable one that is suited for the cold and can be trained to be lethargic. You do not want a Hi-Speed yapper that wants to run all night,, you also don't want a big-ol hound that sleeps thru the night. Maybe a Husky, Malamute, or Akita. A dog that is curious and alert, but low maintanance..

Additionaly:

I agree with zauber1, some simple alarms.. But be advised, shin hight is also coon nose, dog chest, bear knee hight. So if there are critters about, low trip lines are only going to up your nerves..

Maybe photo sensors on some outside lights. the adjustable type, so you can
de-sensitize.

Maybe a game trail camera with flash..

If you have the bucks,, at least qty(10) sentry points. preferable with cross interlocking fire and auto-reload.

http://www.gods-inc.de/macavity/Isle...ns/sentry.html

http://www.engadget.com/2005/09/23/h...try-gun-turret

The real solution might be to get a partner with experience in golf courses, I think Carl Speckler is available..

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ON-qGVCdVPY

Good Luck,, Let us know what you chose and what works..

alright4u · 01-27-2009, 06:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by JJ_BPK

Correct me if I'm mis-interpreting your note..

1)you'v had this job for many years with out major problems and only a few minor one

2)your in Canada,, presumably during the winter this place is snowed in??

3)it's remote " kilometer in from the main road and is completely secluded"

4)your worried

5)it's a golf course?

6)you have said nothing about anything that needs fixing.

I think a little late nite companionship is in order,, As the boss probably does not want to pay for anything, get a dog as a pet,, preferable one that is suited for the cold and can be trained to be lethargic. You do not want a Hi-Speed yapper that wants to run all night,, you also don't want a big-ol hound that sleeps thru the night. Maybe a Husky, Malamute, or Akita. A dog that is curious and alert, but low maintanance..

Additionaly:

I agree with zauber1, some simple alarms.. But be advised, shin hight is also coon nose, dog chest, bear knee hight. So if there are critters about, low trip lines are only going to up your nerves..

Maybe photo sensors on some outside lights. the adjustable type, so you can
de-sensitize.

Maybe a game trail camera with flash..

If you have the bucks,, at least qty(10) sentry points. preferable with cross interlocking fire and auto-reload.

http://www.gods-inc.de/macavity/Isle...ns/sentry.html

http://www.engadget.com/2005/09/23/h...try-gun-turret

The real solution might be to get a partner with experience in golf courses, I think Carl Speckler is available..

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ON-qGVCdVPY

Good Luck,, Let us know what you chose and what works..

Good ideas. It is not hard to devise early warning systems. Maybe a few webcams would make you feel better. Plenty of lighting outside detracts most folks. However, if someone really wants to break in they will. I am afraid this nation is headed to the same gun ban law(s) as Canada has. Once that happens only criminals will have guns. Australia banned guns and their crime rate soared. I just do not know. Many have posted good ideas. I do not leave my wife without a pistol in the house.

Blitzzz (RIP) · 01-27-2009, 06:25

Motion activated lights and a (SKI) walking pole. simple enough. Blitzzz

Moving Target · 01-27-2009, 08:38

Elaborating on Zauber1's method a bit, you could add string firecrackers to any tripwire you have set up. I'm not sure about their legal status up in Canada, but they are small, harmless, and relatively loud, making a great low budget security solution.

The sudden bang is guaranteed to scare the living daylights out of an unaware intruder, and alert you to his presence.