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9/14/2018 0 Comments LAW ENFORCEMENT DATABASES, MOONLIGHTING, AND OFFICER MISCONDUCT - EPISODE 008 -TRANSCRIPT:
This week on the Writer's Detective Bureau: Law Enforcement Databases, Moonlighting, and Officer Misconduct. I'm Adam Richardson, and this is the Writer's Detective Bureau. Welcome to episode number eight of the Writer's Detective Bureau, the podcast dedicated to helping authors and screenwriters write professional quality crime-related fiction.
Each week I mention that listeners help me with covering the cost of this podcast by supporting me for as little as $2 per month through Patreon*. In addition to my first supports, Joan Raymond and Guy Alton, I have to thank authors Natasha Bajema, Natalie Barelli, Joe Trent, Siobhan Pope, and Leah Cutter for their support of this podcast. As of this week, these Patreon patrons are actually covering the monthly podcast hosting fees I incur, which is so awesome! Many of them have author websites, which you can find in the show notes by going to writersdetective.com/8. Thank you all for your support. It really means a lot. In particular, I want to thank Natasha Bajema for the post in the Writer's Detective Facebook group that prompted so many of you to consider using Patreon to support this project. Natasha noticed that when we get to 500 Patreon patrons, I'll be able to drop episodes twice a week. That was her motivation for making that post. That's a long way off still, but I'm looking forward to it because I'm really enjoying putting these episodes together. Before I forget, be sure to join our Writer's Detective group on Facebook. Everyone in there is super supportive, and I have a strict no a-hole policy, but I digress. You're probably listening to this podcast because you are a creator of some sort. Give you tribe of fans the chance to support you and your creations by using Patreon. Learn how to set up your own Patreon* page by visiting: writersdetective.com/patreon
Before I get started with the first question this week, I have a correction to make. Last week I talked about kidnapping. When I cited the U.S. code the covers kidnapping, I cited the wrong section. The correct section is Title 18 Section 1201, not 1034. I got the number wrong because I was looking at the U.S. Attorney's Criminal Resource Manual, which you can now find in the show notes of this episode. 1034 was the section of the U.S. Attorney's Criminal Resource Manual, not the actual crime section. All of that said, none of you should be concerned with the number because that kind of minutia will bore the crap out of your reader to the point of putting down your book or script. I only mention this stuff in the name of you being able to find it for research.
Caro asks, "Could you summarize various databases that U.S. police officers would have access to and the kind of information contained in each? For example, a patrol officer can probably access some databases from his car computer, but I suspect a patrol officer wouldn't be able to access the same databases that detectives would have access to." Caro also asked, "It is true that ViCAP doesn't include a large portion of crimes? In 2018, can a
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TRANSCRIPT:
This week on the Writer's Detective Bureau: K9 searches, kidnapping, and arresting foreign nationals. I'm Adam Richardson, and this is the Writer's Detective Bureau.
Welcome to episode number Seven of the Writer's Detective Bureau, the podcast dedicated to helping authors and screenwriters write professional, quality, crime-related fiction. I use Patreon to help offset the costs of hosting this podcast and creating the transcripts by having listeners like you support me for as little as $2 per month. I even offer semi-private Q&As for my bigger patrons. How will you use Patreon to connect with your fans? Learn how to set up your own Patreon page by visiting writersdetective.com/patreon.
Last week, I mentioned how we conduct searches using the helicopter, and in doing so, I touched on the topic of K9 searches. This week, we're going to go more in depth on how law enforcement uses canines. As you are undoubtedly aware, one of the key uses for dogs or canines in law enforcement is detection, namely detection through their nose. I have never worked as a K9 handler. But when I was a rookie, I was a volunteer for the bite suit. So I got to attend quite a few trainings with the K9 team.
During that time, the explanation I heard for their scent abilities was similar to something like: you come home, and you smell something cooking in the kitchen, and you're pretty astute. You're like, "This smells like stew." Well, that is the human ability for scent correlation. A canine could distinguish between the different smells. Well, obviously, if it was a talking canine, that would be one thing. But their smelling... 8/31/2018 0 Comments SEARCHES FROM THE AIR, DIFFERENCES BETWEEN WARRANTS AND SUBPOENAS, DETECTIVES WORKING WITH PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS - EPISODE 006 -TRANSCRIPT:
This week on the Writer's Detective Bureau. Searches from the air, the difference between warrants and subpoenas, and cops working with private eyes. I'm Adam Richardson, and this is the Writer's Detective Bureau.
Welcome to Episode Number Six of the Writer's Detective Bureau, the podcast dedicated to helping authors and screenwriters write professional quality crime-related fiction. My friend, Danny R. Smith, is a retired Los Angeles Sheriff's Department homicide detective that just released his second novel. It's called Door to a Dark Room*, which is available now on Amazon* or at his website, dickiefloydnovels.com. Door to a Dark Room* is the second book in the Dickie Floyd Detective Novel series. So you'll also want to check out the first novel, A Good Bunch of Men*, which you can get as an ebook right now for 99¢ on Amazon.
This week's first question comes from Chris Niles at nileswriter.com.
Chris asks "How does law enforcement go about setting up aerial searches and what would they likely be able to see from the air? How different are rescue operations versus recovery searches, and what variables would make it easier or harder for them to search or find their objectives?" Before I answer this I want to mention that Chris Niles had a pretty big role to play in my deciding to start a podcast. She's part of Sterling & Stone, the folks behind what was the Self-Publishing Podcast and what is now The Story Shop Podcast. My very first podcast experience was talking to Sean Platt, Johnny Truant, and David Wright on the Self-Publishing Podcast a few years ago and I had an absolute blast, but it was all because Chris made that happen. So you guys have her to blame -or excuse me, you have her to thank for me getting into this podcasting thing. So, thanks again Chris for your support. Now she also knows (which you may know if you followed my writing work prior to my starting this podcast) that back in 2017, I guess it was 2016 or 2017, I transitioned from my 17 year career of being a detective in my 20 plus years of law enforcement to becoming a flying pig. So by that I mean I fly now in police helicopters doing exactly what Chris is asking about. So this is kind of in my wheel house. And this week I'm actually on the road recording this in my hotel room in downtown Portland, Oregon because I've been attending a FLIR operator workshop. Now FLIR is the technology known as forward looking infrared but it's also the name of the company that makes forward looking infrared... 8/24/2018 0 Comments TACKLING INVESTIGATIVE WRITER'S BLOCK, MODERN MURDER BOOKS, DIVULGING INFORMATION TO WITNESSES - EPISODE 005 -TRANSCRIPT:
This week on the Writer's Detective Bureau. How to tackle investigative writer's block, modern day murder books, and divulging information to witnesses. I'm Adam Richardson, and this is the Writer's Detective Bureau.
Welcome to Episode Number Five of the Writer's Detective Bureau, the podcast dedicated to helping authors and screenwriters write professional quality crime-related fiction. My friend, Danny R. Smith, is a retired Los Angeles Sheriff's Department homicide detective that just released his second novel. It's called Door to a Dark Room*, which is available now on Amazon* or at his website, dickiefloydnovels.com. Door to a Dark Room* is the second book in the Dickie Floyd Detective Novel series. So you'll also want to check out the first novel, A Good Bunch of Men*, which you can get as an ebook right now for 99¢ on Amazon.
Both are fantastic reads! Danny is a great author and a good friend. I'd love it if you check out his books.
Before we get into this week's listener questions, I would like to wish a big thank you to Guy Alton and Joan Raymond for supporting the show through Patreon. The money raised through Patreon helps offset the cost of hosting this podcast and creating the transcriptions, so I really appreciate the support as it allows this podcast to continue. If you would like to support the Writer’s Detective Bureau podcast for as little as $2 a month or to learn more about how you can set up your own Patreon page, go to writersdetective.com/patreon.
This week's first question is really more of a statement: "When I sit down to write, I'm not quite sure how to go about investigating the case. I've been embarrassed to ask questions because I think the answers may be obvious, but not to me."
I'm betting this sounds familiar. You probably have a great idea for a crime story, but now even outlining the scenes of the story has your head spinning. What am I supposed to write? In what order does all of this happen? CSI, DNA, GSR, ADW, DRT. The acronyms alone are enough to make your head spin, so it's easy to feel lost in all of the investigative minutia, and I want you to know you're not alone. That's what this podcast is all about. I equate it to trying to watch a baseball game with a bunch of diehard fans and not knowing the basics of the game. Yeah, I get that the guy with the bat is trying to hit the ball, but then what? If he hits the ball, which way does the batter run? What happens if the ball is caught? Does it matter if the ball hits the ground? What the heck is a walk? RBI, ERA, DL, DH, WTF. If someone could just explain the basics of the game, this would make so much more sense. If you feel something similar about writing police procedure, then, for your crime story, the goal of the game is to learn the truth and to be able to prove it. That's it. You're probably thinking, what about the culprit? What about DNA? What about the right to remain silent? What about the clues that need to be in my story? All of those things are important, but your story's North Star is the full truth of what happened. All the rest are tools, tactics, or rules to discover that truth. Let's start with a vocabulary term for you. It's in Latin, so standby. It's called corpus delicti. It's the legal term that refers to the facts or information showing that a crime was committed by a specific person. You're probably thinking, great. How does that help me? The way we us 8/16/2018 0 Comments PROBABLE CAUSE FOR WRITERS, WORDING FOR WARRANTS, CHAIN OF EVIDENCE FOR MURDER WEAPONS - EPISODE 004 -TRANSCRIPT:
This week on the Writer's Detective Bureau. What writers need to know about probable cause, the wording for warrants, and chain of evidence for a murder weapon. I'm Adam Richardson, and this is the Writer's Detective Bureau.
Welcome to Episode Number Four of the Writer's Detective Bureau, the podcast dedicated to helping authors and screenwriters write professional quality crime-related fiction. Before we get into this week's listener's questions, I'd like to wish a big thank you to Guy Alton and Joan Raymond for supporting the show through Patreon. This show would not be possible without the support of listeners like Guy and Joan. thank you so much. If you'd like to support the Writer's Detective Bureau podcast for as little as $2 a month, or to learn more about how you can set up your own Patreon page, go to writersdetective.com/patreon. What an amazing week this has been! This episode, Episode Four, is the first one I've recorded since launching this podcast, and I've been blown away by your feedback. I honestly wasn't sure how many people would even listen to this, and to be honest, it's weird to sit here all alone in my home office talking into microphone. I kind of just figured I was a high-tech version of the people I normally deal with on the street that talk to themselves. But you're really out there, so thank you so much for listening, for reviewing the show on iTunes and Stitcher, and for being so kind. Above all, I want to encourage you to send me questions for future episodes. I read every single one, and honestly, I love helping you with getting these 8/10/2018 0 Comments ANTIFREEZE AS A POISON, WHEN A CASE GETS PERSONAL, AND NETWORKING WITH COPS - EPISODE 003 -TRANSCRIPT:
This week on the Writer's Detective Bureau: Antifreeze as a poison, when a case gets personal, and my super ninja trick for networking with cops.
I'm Adam Richardson and this is the Writer's Detective Bureau. Welcome to Episode #3 of the Writer's Detective Bureau podcast, which is dedicated to helping authors and screenwriters with the craft of writing crime related fiction. You can submit your own questions at writersdetective.com/podcast and I'll do my best to answer them on an upcoming episode. Before we get into this week's listener questions, I would like to wish a gigantic thank you to Joan Raymond at joanraymondwriting.com. She is my very first patron over at patreon.com. This show would not be possible without the support of listeners like Joan. Most listeners of this show are writers and we all know that writers make the best readers so please consider checking out Joan's website at joanraymondwriting.com to learn more about her work. If you'd like to support the Writer's Detective Bureau podcast for as little as $2 a month or to learn more about how you can set you your own patreon page, go to writersdetective.com/patreon.
Author Kim Hunt Harris writes, "My murder victim was given antifreeze in an alcohol drink. Then was suffocated with a pillow to finish him off. My amateur sleuth performed CPR. Would my sleuth be able to taste or somehow know that the victim had ingested antifreeze? Would it, for instance, cause a tingling sensation or anything like that?"
That's an excellent question and I cannot say that I have ever encountered an antifreeze case so I don't know if it tingles or not. I do know that it tends to be sweet and as a result, it actually kills a lot of cats and dogs because they're attracted to the taste. As of late, antifreeze manufacturers have actually tried to add a bitterness taste to keep that from happening at least for children, but I believe it is still rather sweet to the taste, but I don't know about it actually tingling. Doing some online searches, I'm seeing that the antifreeze would very likely cause nausea and vomiting. Your sleuth would most likely find signs that they had thrown up and actually, the descriptions of ingesting antifreeze, which is ethylene glycol, often presents itself very much like alcohol poisoning. It's a good call of having it go into an alcohol drink so your sleuth would most likely believe that it was strictly just over-drinking with the alcohol. I don't know that they would detect the taste by any means, especially if the victim had vomited. You then went on to say that there was suffocation with a pillow. Now the suffocation with the pillow would actually be the indicator that... 8/10/2018 0 Comments NEXT OF KIN NOTIFICATIONS, NOIR HARD-BOILED THRILLERS, AND MONEY LAUNDERING - EPISODE 002 -TRANSCRIPT:
This week on the Writer's Detective Bureau: Next of kin notifications, Is the noir genre dead? and money laundering. I'm Adam Richardson and this is the Writer's Detective Bureau.
Welcome to episode number two of the Writer's Detective Bureau podcast which is dedicated to helping authors and screenwriters, just like you, with the craft of writing crime-related fiction. You can submit your own questions at writersdetective.com/podcast. Before we get into this week's listener questions, I would like to wish a gigantic thank you to Joan Raymond at joanraymondwriting.com. She is my very first patron over at patreon.com. This show would not be possible without the support of listeners like Joan. Most listeners of this show are writers and we all know that writers make the best readers. Please consider checking out Joan's website at joanraymondwriting.com to learn more about her work. If you'd like to support the Writer's Detective Bureau podcast for as little as two dollars a month, or to learn more about how you can set up your own Patreon page, go to writersdetective.com/patreon
Richard Harris asks, "How do police handle it when they need to inform someone of a friend or family member's death?" That is an excellent question and it's one of those things that we also often see portrayed incorrectly in television and movies. We don't do it by telephone. We go out and contact that family member or that close family friend in person.
Very often we will bring a chaplain with us as well and if you read any of Michael Connelly's books, you'll hear him refer to it as the dirty work and it really is one of the absolute worst parts of the job. The thing about doing this that makes it so tough is that you have to be clear with what you're telling the person. You can't hem and haw and beat around the bush or use euphemisms for death. You literally have to ... You can't say "passed on" or "is no longer us" as it's like, "What does that mean?" You literally have to say that your loved one is dead or your loved one has died and it's... 8/10/2018 0 Comments detective character career path and multi-jursidictional murder investigations - episode 001TRANSCRIPT:
I'm Adam Richardson and this is the Writer's Detective Bureau.
Hey, there. Welcome to the Writer's Detective Bureau. I am Adam Richardson, a veteran police detective and I'm here to help you write better crime fiction. This podcast is essentially going to be a series of Q&A's and then hopefully some interviews and some resources. So, if you'd like to submit your own questions, you're welcome to do so by visiting writersdetective.com/podcast. I obviously can't answer every single question I received but I'll do my best. So, let's get started with the very first question on the very first episode of the Writer's Detective Bureau. Caro writes and it looks like Caro is short for Caroline, I'm assuming. Caro writes, "What is the typical career progression for a police officer in a large US city like Boston, from Police Academy to beat cop to detective? More specifically, how would a typical police officer be when they join a precinct? How many years will they remain a beat cop before getting a chance to apply to become a detective? What's the typical age for new detectives and once a detective, how many years before they are the primary detective on a case? And how many years would be reasonable before they get promoted to sergeant or lieutenant?" I will take this in stages. The typical career progression for a police officer would be, as you mentioned, to start at the Police Academy and depending on where you are in the United States, you may attend the Police Academy through a college where you enroll as a private student. And then upon graduation, you seek employment or as in the case, for me, in my own career, I was employed by the police agency first and they paid me to attend the Police Academy. And while you're in the Police Academy, you're either called a recruit or a cadet but you're still a civilian in most cases. Upon completing the Police Academy, I then or all of the police cadets -your character or the police officer in this question, would be sworn in upon graduation and then they would start field training, so they would be assigned a Field Training Officer. And then by being assigned to a field training officer or an FTO, they then have a veteran partner to essentially teach them the practical side of 1/23/2018 1 Comment Crazy Shade of WinterIt's been a crazy Winter here in California. The State's largest wildfire happened on the Central Coast of California in December followed by catastrophic mudslides that killed 21...and two people are still missing. How does a small community like that handle such a gigantic catastrophe? The answer is Mutual Aid. Mutual Aid Agreements are in place between local, state, and federal agencies all across the United States. Which brings us to our first bullet point:
Have you found any incredible research links that helped with your story crafting? If you think they are worth sharing with your fellow writers, comment below or in the Facebook Group. I'd love to check them out! Write well, Adam 1/7/2018 1 Comment New Year 2018I hope you're having a great start to the New Year! I was fortunate to have Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and New Year's Day off work, which rarely happens. Despite catching the stomach flu, it’s been a great start to the year. I am not a big fan of New Year’s Resolutions. In fact, I tend to make my annual reassessments around my birthday rather than the First of January…after all, birthdays are technically our personal New Year, right? Looking back, 2017 was a pretty shit year for me having lost my dog and best friend. So I am happy for the fresh start feeling of 2018. That said, one really positive thing I discovered in 2017 is still going strong for me. Actually it is two concepts working together: 1.) The power of mini-goal momentum 2.) Turning your goals into systems So really, my noteworthy 2017 discovery is: The momentum of mini-goal-systems. Eighty-three days ago, I took on the challenge of completing one-mile-a-day for an entire year through a friend’s Facebook group. It doesn’t matter if I run the mile on a treadmill or walk the mile in the neighborhood. I started the challenge by running or walking immediately after work. I am obviously not limited to only one mile per day, but the point is that I have to get one little mile done every day. If I’m walking leisurely, that’s just 18 minutes out of my day. It’s a mini-goal, something simple and quick. Yet in the last 83 days, I’ve logged 102 miles. Prior to this challenge, I might have gone out for a two or three mile hike per week with the best of intentions to do more, but not making the time. This has led to the realization that implementing the system of getting the small task done every day breeds consistency, momentum, and a volume of work that felt easy to accomplish. The friend that launched the mile-a-day challenge is a fitness coach, and she said she’s never seen such a high percentage of people remain active in a fitness group. It's easier to stay on the bandwagon when the commitment is miniature. There is definitely something to the idea of committing to mini-goals that you can easily achieve daily. In mid-December, I started reading The Miracle Morning for Writers* (free for Kindle Unlimited members.) Around the same time, I was listening to the StoryGrid Podcast and Tim Grahl offhandedly said "make systems not goals." That little comment really struck a chord with me. I rescheduled my daily mile (often two miles) for 5am. I then implemented another mini-goal-system, one for writing my book. I write every morning as soon as I get back from my mile, usually from 6am to 7, before getting ready for work. According to Scrivener, I average 837 words per day which is done solely during the 6 to 7am hour. I am on track to complete my 60k word first draft by mid-March. So while I am still sticking to my No New Year’s Resolutions resolution, I highly encourage you to create mini-goal-systems for anything you want to accomplish. We all want to lose weight, get in better shape, and write more. What other mini-goals can you implement this year? Let me know in the Facebook Group or by replying to this email. I’d love to hear from you. Now on to this week's curated content:
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