An attorney once jokingly referred to me as ” Bulldog PI” to his assistant. They were speaking privately, but I happened to overhear him while sitting in the next room. It didn’t offend me. The comment struck me as a compliment. Bulldog persistent is perhaps the best way to describe me.
Why the nickname?
The attorney had hired me for an unusually difficult service of process assignment. The finer details as to why are confidential, but the recipient was a crucial witness. After wading through a trail of for temporary residences, “Bulldog P.I.” successfully located the homeless man departing a friend’s apartment. The subpoena was delivered in a stairway. Locating him had become a personal challenge. What was initially a routine task somehow helped me achieve a sense of self-awareness.
Since those early beginnings, one thing has led to another. Now at the helm of Bulldog Investigations and Security LLC, “Bulldog persistence” is my key philosophy to working cases. Years of experience with Internet research provide an ace in the hole: if something resides out there in cyberspace, I’ll find it.
I am the Bulldog: a bit rough around the edges, and a man of strong convictions. Popularity contests are not my forte, but when you have a question that’s difficult to answer… a problem hard to solve… you need someone determined on your side.
When on the case, I latch on and refuse to let go.
James Pollock, Bulldog P.I, is an active member in five professional organizations:
- PIAVA (Private Investigators Association of Virginia)
- PISA (Private Investigator and Security Association of Virginia)
- NAPPS (the National Association of Professional Process Servers)
- AUVSI (the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International)
- VSCA (Virginia State Claims Association)
Several people shot at Christiansburg Virginia Mall
Update 5:00 PM:
The alleged shooter taken into custody is one Neil MacInnis (age 18), from Christiansburg Virginia. Click the thumbnails of the attached images to view them. (Warning: Contains Graphic Language)
and his apparent Resume:
A source wishing to be anonymous has confirmed to me that the shooting does involve the New River Valley Community College satellite branch which is contained within the mall. Another source just called to let me know that all the store managers are being called in to an emergency meeting to discuss the situation and that ‘the mall will be closed until further notice.’
Story is still unfolding, here’s what we know:
1. Police have a young white male between the ages of 18 and 25 in custody. This individual was reportedly observed handcuffed and shackled by mall employees while the mall was evacuated.
2. There are multiple victims, including two women. One woman was apparently airlifted to Roanoke Memorial Hospital. A hearse was also reportedly on the scene
3. Mall property is under lockdown. Mall employees are being interviewed and being allowed to leave the property.
4. According to witnesses, the response by law enforcement was “massive.” Possibly the largest response by local law enforcement to any incident since the Virginia Tech shooting back in 2007. Police entered the stores within the mall itself with AR15 assault rifles at the ready and instructed the employees to lock the doors and take cover in back rooms.
Additional information:
The mall has no security cameras in the main hallways or outside the entrances. Allied Barton Security services provides unarmed security to the New River Valley Mall, currently owned by Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust (PREIT). Security at the mall is strictly unarmed (observe and report) security.
There has been a number of complaints in the past regarding mall security and their inability to respond to incidents and shoplifting. Out of fairness , I should mention the Christiansburg mall security officers are quite limited in their ability to respond per the terms of Allied Barton’s contract with PREIT mall management. As ‘observe and report’ security they lack the legal capacity to arrest, and in the past have even been instructed by mall management not to follow suspected shoplifters into the parking lots or attempt to obtain license plate information.
Thankfully during this particular incident, one of the mall’s security officer’s had the presence of mind to take action and subdue the shooter, a very gutsy move. The mainstream media has released no detail regarding to which officer took action. I have a very strong suspicion but will respect his desires for privacy. He remains an anonymous hero at the present time.
A confidential source at the mall has informed me that in addition to Christiansburg police, multiple law enforcement agencies throughout the New River Valley rushed to assist. Police responders included officers from Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia State Police, and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s department. A lone while male suspect, between the ages of 18 and 25 was observed under arrest and in shackles.
Police Officers have been observed entering stores carrying AR15 assault rifles. The mall property and parking lots are currently being evacuated.
As one would expect, numerous situations have happened on mall property over the years where security cameras would be beneficial to both mall security as well as responding law enforcement. A number of store managers have made formal requests of PREIT for increasing mall security as well as security cameras on the premises for the past few years. Their pleas have apparently fallen on deaf ears as no such cameras or improvements to security have occurred.
I distinctly remember Christiansburg Police department installing a small satellite office in the malls food court a couple of years ago. That satellite office has since been removed from the food court (Why?). If nothing else, the presence of the satellite office in the mall was a great deterrent to tragedies such as what occurred today.
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If Drones invade privacy then so do police helicopters
While browsing my group selections on Linkedin I came across the discussion of this article:
Senator Floyd Prozanski wants to ban privately owned UAV’s.
I don’t have a lot of tolerance of morons in political office. Not so not surprisingly, I will now share my reaction to Senator Prozanski’s proposed legislation:
As a private investigator this is something I’m keeping a close eye on. The ‘drones will invade privacy’ sentiment runs pretty strong among the American public based on everything Ive read, and politicans (looking for re-election) are following suit.
Images obtained by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles [UAV] aren’t somehow more revealing simply because no one’s on board. Unless the thing is flying in your yard, it’s camera aimed stealthly through your bedroom window, the observations and recordings obtained by the ‘drone’ can already be legally obtained by a manned aircraft.
The primary motivation in using a UAV or ‘drone’ is one of reduced cost, all other factors being equal. I have no problem with Federal or State legislators deciding that airborne gathering evidence without permission of the land owner below is illegal without a warrant… if those rules apply ACROSS THE BOARD. What does whether a person is physically present on the aircraft have to do with anything?
The United State Supreme court has ruled (and upheld their initial decision) that evidence of criminal activity obtained by law enforcement from the air is admissible. The court’s ruling stated that images obtained in this matter, or related eye witness accounts occurred in “public view” to the passengers/pilot of the aircraft.
So how can legislators/law makers/judges decide that images or video obtained from a UAV are somehow a terrible infringement on personal privacy simply because a person is not aboard the aircraft? Security cameras record parking lots, city streets, etc constantly without someone physically handling the camera… and as I already stated, aerial photography and evidence gathering from an airborne manned vehicle has already been ruled fair game.
To try to pass laws and regulations that state UAV’s are somehow violating people’s rights to privacy requires some sort of justifiable argument and “because no one is sitting on the aircraft” doesn’t cut it. Neither does “well, because I just don’t like it.”
James Pollock
Bulldog Investigations
Neither side will budge on the ‘Assault Weapon’ debate
Bloomberg, Politics, and the New York Marathon
Initially Bloomberg had a “the show must go on” stance in regards to the New York Marathon.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-bloomberg-new-york-marathon-20121103,0,7954084.story
I have no doubt in my mind this was not out of his desire for the big apple’s ‘symbolic victory’ over Hurricane Sandy, but private concerns of possibly loosing corporate backing of his future election campaign.
Apparently the mayor backed off after recieving tremendous (and well deserved criticism) of his misguided decision.
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/02/14880084-new-york-marathon-canceled-bloomberg-says?lite
I can’t think of any way to sugar coat my response.
New York City, during this time of crisis you have a horse’s ass at the helm.
Good luck with that.
-BulldogPI
America and NYC: Learn from Frankenstorm
My fellow Americans, learn from Frankenstorm. It’s time people relearned the lessons that their grandparents, great grandparents, and boy scouts immemorial already knew:
BE PREPARED
Quite frankly if you’re not prepared, in the end it’s your problem when disaster strikes. Please note I said when, not if. For the most part we live in as the Geico Commercial put it, Namby Pamby land. Consider taking some basic preparations life insurance in it’s most practical form. We go to the grocery store and assume there will be plenty of food (for those of us who can afford it). We flick the light switch and know with absolutely certainty that the lights will turn on.
Get out of the take it all for granted mentality.
It could get you killed when things go wrong.
Whether it’s Murphy’s law, my father’s ‘challenge fairy’, or just the occasional OOPS moment, life has a way of surprising us from time to time. My own perception is that unexpected surprises are on the rise.
Flashlights, batteries, extra food, stored water, and just in case… a means to protect yourself. These are not terribly expensive items. If you are relying on FEMA , and local authorities to bail you out when something terrible happens then quite frankly, you’re playing the part of a fool.
Long term, yes… the flood waters will recede and the damage in NYC will be repaired. However, I suggest that it’s time for people to focus a bit less on things like the stuporbowl, and a bit more on having some key supplies on hand just in case.
How many former and current rescue personnel have come down with all sorts of ailments which appear linked to the World Trade Center disaster in 2001? Is anyone paying attention to resultingl debate over whether or not the substantial increase in cancers, respiratory illnesses and other problems , were caused by inhaling particles of carcinogenic debris?
I’m not saying that you need to go overboard. I understand why one might question whether having a 6 month supply of canned and dried food is a wise investment. On the other hand, there is an awful big difference between two weeks of dried/canned food and 6 months. How many people out there don’t maintain the basic necessities on hand to substain themselves and their loved ones for a period of two weeks?
A major storm was coming. The east coast was warned, and people had time to prepare…. how many residents of NY and NJ are now kicking themselves in the rear for not having filled up their gas tanks before the storm? How useful would an extra 5 gallons of fuel in the garage have been?
Some things to consider:
Flashlights and batteries
Battery Powered Camping Lamp
Some candles ( Only as a backup. Battery powered lamps should come FIRST…. far safer and easier…. if there’s an emergency there is enough to worry about then having open flames spread out around the house). Don’t be stupid.
Kitchen Matches, and plenty of them.
A couple good reliable hunting style knives, sharp and sheathed.
(These don’t have to be expensive. In fact, I happen to have an ’Old Hickory’ butcher knife I put in a shearing sheath which I’ve come to greatly favor. I’d much rather have that knife, which I can easily sharpen to a sharp edge, then some shiny piece of ’made in Pakistan’ junk.)
A machete or two. (Capable of cutting down a small tree, branches, brush, and other possibilities)
A stout walking stick (such as the Cold Steel Walkabout, or a thick piece of waxwood)
What’s waxwood? Use the power of google searching and look it up.
A couple of small, battery powered transistor radios, capable of AM and FM reception
Warm clothes, some bandages, rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, etc… I shouldn’t have to come up with your entire shopping list here, these are not expensive items and my goal is to help change mindsets, not think for you.
Your well being is your responsibility. It’s time to ask yourself: ”In a time of crisis what things would I need?”
Basic coleman propane stove, and around 6 small tanks of propane
A basic propane torch ignitor which uses a flint (ability to light propane without matches)
In addition to these items, I would suggest a pump action 20 gauge or 12 gauge shotgun, with enough birdshot and buckshot to protect yourself if absolutely necessary. Firearms have become a very touchy subject, one that I will not debate here. I will say that if you’re goal is home defense and strickly home defense, forget the 30 round 9 mm Glock crap so sensationalized by hollywood. I’ll take the New England Firearms Pardner Protector in 12 gauge thank you very much.
Why? Because if things get bad enough you don’t have to go looking for trouble. Sometimes, in rough times, trouble comes looking for you….
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/brooklyn/klyn_bat_man_run_looters_VxfnY8FAH2MYZZ9GrKM6eJ
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/desperate_dash_for_free_fuel_l2MbJN8dRsSTYQW0lnsf0I
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/when_are_we_gonna_get_some_ing_help_T35TrXo1FCdu7YRBmQkQ8L
“They’re looting cars all over the place,” Morgan said. “This is New York City. They have to help us.”
Some Rockaways residents who work as firefighters in The Bronx and Manhattan were fuming yesterday — sitting idly in their firehouses while their neighbors and family members miles away struggled to get help.
“We’re all going crazy,” said one firefighter, who asked his name not be used for fear of retribution. “They’re not deploying any extra resources, and we’re just sitting around.”
At the risk of being a bit harsh, it’s time to call things like I seem them. Some people might call it all part of the
‘Bulldog experience.’
Well morons, your first mistake was putting all kinds of trust in Bloomberg to take care of you in the first place. Oh yeah, I guess you should forget about the shotgun suggestion. Not necessary. After all, the mayor has things well in hand.
NOT
-BulldogPI
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