This is something I would normally post on my blog, but will purge here instead; you will soon see why.... despite my joke in the title, this isn't funny.

My closest friend is flying into PCB to spend a long weekend with us on our vacation. I couldn't be happier. Seems strange we've never traveled together; while she's in town we will cram in all sorts of activities and relaxation, and we've been planning it all in email.

She's been dating a cop for several months. I met him early on, he's in the IT division, and being in the same field we exchanged business cards. So I get an email from him quite awhile ago wanting help w/ a technical issue, and a few cell phone calls for the same. My cell # is private and not on my business card, but I figure he got it from her, and I'm happy to help, so I don't complain.

She and I email back and forth regularly, relationship stuff, the weather, this upcoming trip, whatever. Brutally honest stuff. And I tend to forget she's a loveable user that can barely turn on her pc. So she's regularly asking her new boyfriend for help, and I don't realize it. Never even occurs to me that this entire time, he has her email password, voicemail passwords, and probably has a freaking keylogger on her pc... I figure anything technical she'd ask me, since I've always handled her support.

I guess he saw something in email between us he didn't care for and couldn't keep his spying a secret any longer, because he called her, reading our email exchanges over the phone wanting explanations... she obviously dumps him, and his answer is to stalk her, calling, texting, and staying out in front of her house for hours. He's now emailing and calling me, as if I'm not aware of the situation... I ignore the email, and don't take the calls... and when I mention this to her, she asks me how he got my unlisted cell phone number... she never gave it to him. And some other stuff isn't jiving, like how my CC # just happened to be stolen a week after a trip down to see her, and some of the charges came out of that state...

While this isn't travel related, I purge here because I'm sure he has all my personal weblog links and lord knows what else. He doesn't have a clue about this forum, she's not a member...

So how do you deal with a cop stalker? Any thoughts?

I usually follow these forums via RSS feed because I love the Emerald Coast. But since you asked ...

Take everything you have (I trust you printed out as much as possible ... making about 10 copies of each) to the division of your local law enforcement that handles invesigations and/or domestic violence and/or stalkers.

Fed Ex a packet containing such to the chief of police or sheriff. The top guy. Why Fed Ex (even if you live close enough to drive it over)? Proof of reciept of information.

Then ... just in case you are worried that the entire police force would cover for the one cop, you take it to the local investigative reporters of every TV station and newspaper within 200 miles of you. You know ... the reporters who have no fear of exposing some or any of the insider politcs of a given area. If driving it around to drop it off is out of the question, mail it. 99% of postal make arrives. Even if one got lost, plenty of others got the packet.

Then send off copies to a couple of trusted friends/relatives who are well out of state (out of the time zone or region even better) with a note about why you need them to hold the info. Do not leave any record that you sent it to them. Simply put it in a manila envelope and fire it off. No reciept stuff. No way for someone to trace of they go through your stuff.

With that much info around and that much of a paper trail, it will be looked into. And you shouldn't be in danger. Because everyone will know that way too many people (outside of the friends/family holding stuff for you) with the info and the odds are no one will dare touch you.

How do I know all of this? I've lived in Las Vegas for a long time. I have friends in media. I have a friend who is a good friend of a probable (U.S.) Presidential candidate in 2008 ... somebody who gets regular national coverage. I have other friends who know people in other offices, and who have power.

Not talking the mob ... we chased them out of Las Vegas long ago.

But ... I've been the guy who has held the info when a friend in media was putting his a@@ on the line about something. And kept quiet when other friends needed to confide about the ups and downs of their jobs (none of which had anything to do with breaking the law ... I mean basic corporate or political stuff).

Final Advice: If you try to turn this into a scene or use it get attention or get on TV, the media will turn on you. You will look bad even if you are in the right.

Simply get the info out to protect yourself ... with no aim at publicity. In that way, you will be best protected while getting the situation taken care of.

Hope this helps!

God bless you Ted, thank you do much for the in depth advice.

that's horrible trishben
and WOW Ted, that's some pretty thorough advice!
(I'll be answering your email soon, been in Orlando for a week, just got back. Will be in Vegas in about 3 weeks )

How in the heck can you guys afford to go on trips so much??? Man, I have to scrape from year to year to be able to come to the beach for one week. And cannot do that every year. I am having to settle for 3 nights away in a cabin at a state park at $264.00 compared to 7 nights on the beach. One of these days I am going to win the big lottery and then not have a money worry in the world. You guys must make some good money. I do for the easy job I have. Between my income and my husband's combined we should have plenty of money but live paycheck to paycheck, have for years. That sucks.

Listen to tedinvegas and report his a double s!!!