Public Relations

If you are one of those guys or gals that likes to go out in uniform for patrols or charity drives, one of the best tools I think you can have on your hands is a good idea of positive PR. We are still a fairly unheard of bunch to the general public, so I thought it would be best to start a topic on how to speak to civilians, law enforcement, news media, homeless, etc. We are a strange looking set of folks, so one could expect to be asked plenty of questions. It is important to know how to respond to those questions, so that you not just get your message across and better connect with one another, but so you don't look like a crazy or an arrogant jackanape.
I open this for you folks to share your experiences, questions you have been asked, how you answered them, what you could have said had you been given ample time to think about it, etc.

Best places to go would be comicbook stores during events like May the 4th. My first experience out in costume well some of it anyways... haha. People were surprised to find that there were real heroes out there who were inspired by the comics they all loved.

Of course!

So, going to post some questions people on the street, reporters, and law enforcement may ask you. I am not telling you how to answer, but be prepared for these. Feel free to add your own.

What do you call yourself? Why?
Why are you out here?
Are you a vigilante?
Do you condone vigilantism?
What is with the getup?
Are you wearing armor?
Can I see you beneath the mask?
Do you have some sort of ID on you?
Are you carrying any weapons on you?
You know you look like a dork, right?
If you care about your community, why don't you become a police officer, paramedic, soup kitchen volunteer, etc?
Do you have superpowers?
Do you know Phoenix Jones?
You have any food?
Are you going to arrest me?
Can I take a picture with you?
Do you have a team?

I actually have a few answers for these. for one. I plan to carry business cards with my name and VLI's name and intent on them. Then I am going to make a plastic super hero ID. (Inspiration from The Tick Live Action Mini Series).

I'm currently working on forming a team in Vegas. I'm setting up stuff at Comic Book Stores... and uhm.. i don't know where else just yet. maybe a library. I don't know many people out here.

IronDemon wrote:

(Inspiration from The Tick Live Action Mini Series).

...and here I thought I was the only one that watched that. Any wonder it only lasted 9 episodes?

Since I don't wear a flashy costume, I don't tend to get noticed.

I would recommend that unless you are strictly doing homeless outreach, you keep the schmoozing to a bare minimum. This fraternizing detracts from your awareness.

Not to pick on Phoenix Jones, but how many times have we seen him -- on his video feed --basking in the adoration of his fans, only to miss the onset of a serious event? Many times, these distractions eat up precious time that could be used to evaluate a potential calamity, and those seconds could give an opening to prevent or lessen the escalation of an occurrence.

Again, this is not to focus oh PJ, I just use him as an example.

Gauge wrote:

I would recommend that unless you are strictly doing homeless outreach, you keep the schmoozing to a bare minimum. This fraternizing detracts from your awareness.

It seems that a lot of guys that do patrol tend to dress pretty flashy not unlike PJ himself. I can tell you firsthand, that if you dress anything other than the ordinary, folks are going to notice, and they are going to comment. And while it would be great to be able to patrol without playing 20 Questions *which is why I do the majority of my patrols out of uniform* I dislike telling someone to eff off because I need to patrol. It's bad on your image. So, these questions I pose so that any of you can think about them and know how to answer them in such a situation.

I certainly understand not wanting to put people off in a rude way, and I wouldn't treat a curious bystander as an intrusion. I would politely inform them that I am on patrol, and encourage them to research RLSH online. If they still had questions, I'd direct them to the forum, or to Facebook.

I'm called Polarman why should be obvious
Its minus 30 and I'm wearing a tshirt while
Clearing snow

I'm on my way to clear snow for someone

That depends how you describe a vigilante

If you mean by helping a kid who has been beat up by a bully
Then yes because its the right thing to do but
If you mean go after the guy for revenge and turn him into a
pulp Then no I don't condone it

I've always liked Superheroes and figured I'd use it to encourage
People to stand against bullies and other forms of abuse

I have a helmet to protect myself from falling ice and a light on the
Helmet so I can work late at night or early in the morning

No I'm so ugly that as a child I used to wear porkchops around my
Neck just so the dog would play with me

No I don't need to carry any I'd on me

No I don't carry any weapons My shovel is a tool for snow removal and
For sliding down the hills

I promise that if you repeat that phrase to a mirror
Something funny will happen

Cops carry weapons I do not I do my job my own way

Yeah I have the ability to withstand extreme cold
And I've been told that I have a warm heart like the sun

No I don't know or communicate with him at all

I have my food at home

Are you going to commit a crime If so I can do a
Citizen's arrest and hold you here until the police
Arrive

You can have the pic with me but don't expect me
To have my mask removed

No I work solo unless you have an intrest in joining me

I'd pay good money for a pic of Polarman posing with The Shoveler from Mystery Men.