http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object/article?f=/c/a/2009/01/22/SPNV15EG24.DTL&o=2

( I would rather get physical in rugby than at work!)

I have had two physical confrontations on the job in nearly 15 years of doing this work, the last one being about seven or eight years ago. I do not carry a gun or any other weapon in the line of duty for several reasons. The first reason is I do not put myself in harm’s way. If I have to go to a dangerous part of town I go during the day, announce myself and am super-polite. I know, certainly not a guarantee given the way things are going.

I am not adequately trained. People without training should not be running around with weapons, seems more likely you will get hurt if you don’t know what you are doing. I include myself in this category.

Confrontation 1 was a long ago. I squared off against a guy who had just caught me taking some photos inside his business. He tried to prevent me from leaving. I knew that I had not trespassed or broken any other law. Police arrived, arrested me but all charges quickly dropped. I so badly wanted wanted to elbow my way through the guy’s throat but thought better of it.

Confrontation 2 was also long ago, about seven years. I had to serve some garden variety papers on a woman, whose husband was a cab driver of Nigerian descent. Nationality had nothing to do with his attitude; he just saw me as someone bringing trouble to the Mrs. This was in a not so nice part of Brisbane not too far from SF Airport.

Mr. Nigerian grabbed me, and I countered with the bearhug of my life about to hip-toss. I broke contact and ran for it. Maybe he was going to stab me or go Mike Tyson and bite off an ear. I charged the attorney extra for combat pay.

Be prepared, know your surroundings and live to work another day as a private investigator.