[Noisebridge-discuss] Interaction with the police during the night of the 31st in regards to the fire escape and ladder to roof.

[Rubin Abdi]

At some point in time during the night a police officer came up to our 
front gate on the ground floor. He wanted to talk to someone in charge. 
I went ahead and told him that was me.

He stated that as he was passing by in his squad car he observed someone 
climbing our fire escape ladder onto the roof. I profusely apologized, 
explained that I had the area roped off and the door was locked, but 
would be more then happy to go up to the roof and get that person down. 
His reply was that he didn't want anyone hanging out on the fire escape 
nor using the fire escape ladder to get onto the roof, and that if he 
saw anyone else go up he'll want to enter the building and investigate 
himself. I thanked him for his time, told him it wont happen again and 
he left.

Afterward Andy I, Josh M and I checked the area with the ladder that was 
still roped off. Andy and I got onto the roof and found someone that has 
at some point in time been a Noisebridge member (unsure if this person 
still is), explained to this person that no one was allowed on the roof 
unless doing maintenance work. The person's response was that they were 
under the impression access was allowed for anyone part of the space, 
and that they didn't know it was actually not allowed, and thus began to 
apologize and got down and back into the space.

Knowing that the police were surely in a perky mood for the night I 
double checked that the roped off caution tape was still up. I didn't 
bother putting up a sign or anything thinking lighting wasn't going to 
strike twice. Sure enough an hour later I was on the street seeing what 
kind of crap the Guardian Angels where getting themselves into, when I 
looked up and noticed a hand full of people hanging out on the fire 
escape. In a lovingly pissed off tone I asked everyone to get the fuck 
back inside. Later on I found a few of the people (for the most part 
Noisebridge members or guests not part of SF0) that were on the fire 
escape and explained why I didn't want them there for the night. I then 
proceeded to caution tape the fuck out of the glass door and kept an eye 
on it for the rest of the night.

Anyhow, as far as my interactions with the officer went it sounded like 
he was just really on edge during that particular night and didn't want 
anyone hurting themselves. He didn't state that any laws had been broken 
of violated, but did make it clear that if he saw anyone going up via 
the fire escape, he wanted to be let into our space.

Also again I want to state that the person found on the roof is or was a 
member and not someone through SF0 or the game, and those I could see on 
the fire escape later on were also very much Noisebridgers and again not 
just part of the game.

A side note, this was the same officer that pulled me over and ticketed 
me for running a red light on my bicycle. Good times.

-- 
Rubin Abdi
rubin at starset.net