WHATS IN THE NEWS
DOES YOUR CAREER PUT YOU AT RISK?
On Thursday September 25th a real estate agent in Arkansas, Beverly Carter, met a client at a home she had listed under the pretense he was ready to buy. Later that evening, her husband determined she was missing. This past Tuesday they found her body, having been kidnapped and murdered by a prison parolee who is now charged with Capital Murder. The accused stated that he had kidnapped her because she was a “woman who worked alone” and a “rich broker“.
Any career where one must deal with the public on a regular basis has a certain level of risk associated with it that is higher than those who don’t. In the example above, it appears that Ms. Carter worked in a nice part of town near Little Rock where the likelihood of this type of crime is very rare. If one works in an area where a particular crime is common or not, in this case it was irrelevant. The accused found an opportunity to do harm and the victim was unable to defend herself from him.
In reaction to this tragic incident, some realtors are now getting a permit to carry. I would say that this is a wise choice.
There are other things you can do. Document your client’s personal information. Have your clients meet you at your office prior to showing the homes. When there, introduce them to other people in the office. Set specific start and end times for your appointments and have someone to be able to check in with you if you miss checking in with them. Take a co-worker with you. Perform a quick background check at the Minnesota BCA website: Minnesota Public Criminal History. With the individuals name and address, check the National Sex Offender Registry: Family Watchdog.
Trust your gut. If you get bad feelings about the client, end the discussion and arrange for another time when you can meet them with a partner or co-worker.
Another option would be to switch jobs. In a high profile position such as a real state agent, you will always be in a postion where total strangers will have direct access to you alone and in private.
As our society continues to change, we must accept that there will always be individuals out there looking for an opportunity to take advantage of others. Unfortunately, we can never know ahead of time what type of people we are going to encounter or what they are capable of. We can only prepare ourselves and stay vigilant so give ourselves the best chance of avoiding our disengaging from people who intend to do us harm.
GUN CONTROL ADVOCATES ADMIT BANS WON’T WORK
In a recent interview by Jake Tapper of CNN, Mark Kelly responded to a question involving “mass shootings” and “school shootings” by stating that gun control laws are “never going to stop” all gun violence.
Mr. Tapper asked Mr. Kelly to respond to the question “When you hear about ‘school shootings’ or other ‘mass shootings’ in public, what law can actually stop them?”. Mr. Kelly responded Kelly responded: “You’re never going to stop all of them.“, then changed the subject and never answered the question.
The answer that gun control advocates avoid is this: An armed adult who is properly trained is what will deter mass shootings. When individuals consider that they will only die in a hail of gunfire should they attempt a mass shooting, for most it will be sufficient motivation not to do it.
THE ATF IS AT YOUR DOOR, NOW WHAT?
Every Federal Firearms Licensed (FFL) dealer must maintain written documentation of every firearm transaction. What do you do when the ATF shows up at your door demanding an inspection of your records? Every FFL should watch the video below from FFLGuard to learn more.
A note to the rest of you private owners out there. Ever sell a firearm or give a gift to your loved one? Please make sure you have a bill of sale that includes important information such as the permit to purchase or permit to carry information from the person buying the gun. You must have documentation to prove that the firearm was legally transferred to an individual who can legally own it. If you do not, you risk being charged with a crime.
Be Safe. Be Prepared. Get Trained. – You are the One.
Click Here to sign up for the monthly newsletter
UPCOMING COURSES
October
11th – Defensive Handgun II