Friday, March 30, 2007

Angles on Corrections

Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books, added three writers who give different perspectives on the corrections system; one is a cop who is an expert in conducting investigations in prisons; one is a cop who went to prison; and, the third wrote a thriller were the offenders skip the prison experience.

William Bell comes from a family whose involvement with law enforcement dates back to the Civil War. His own education and career spans more than thirty years. Greatly influenced by his father, a retired Police Inspector, he began with the Dearborn Police Department (Michigan) where his responsibilities included work in road patrol, SWAT, undercover narcotics, and pattern crime. For nearly twenty years the author has been employed by the Colorado Department of Corrections, where he ultimately gained his expertise with the Criminal Investigation Division. He is noted for taking the investigation of prison crime into the streets. He reflects is practical as well as academic excellence in his book, Practical Criminal Investigations in Correctional Facilities.

Lines Crossed is the true story of
Alex Richardson, a Lake County Sheriff’s Department (Indiana) a narcotics detective who was ultimately sentenced to federal prison for taking a bribe from a drug dealer. His book, Lines Crossed: the True Story of an Undercover Cop, describes the activities of the County drug task force; and, “he also reveals his gambling habit, and the corruption that takes place while working narcotics.”

Alex Richardson grew up in Gary, Indiana. He left at the age of 18, joining the Army where he was a military policeman. He graduated Airborne School becoming a paratrooper, then finished his enlistment by serving in a special operations unit at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. After his military duties he served as a patrolman on the Lake County, Indiana, Sheriff’s Department before serving over two years as an undercover detective on the Lake County Drug Task Force.

Mark Osterman, a Detroit Police Department police officer wrote two crime thrillers: Happiness is a Green Light and Justifiable Homicide. According to the book description from Justifiable Homicide, “In this sad aftermath, Jack began his secret war on crime. He joined the Detroit Police Department and rose through the ranks to become a detective. However, Jack's after-hours activities included a different method for reducing crime statistics. This one-man crusade served as judge, jury and executioner.

Police-Writers.com now hosts 429 police officers (representing 189 police departments) and their 908 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written
books.

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Midwest Crime, Drugs and Fiction

Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books, added three cop writers from the Midwest: Baird Davis, Greg Ferency and Mel McNairy.

Baird Davis retired from the Muncie Police Department (Indiana) at the rank of Captain. His book, The Middletown Myth: Based on True Events, is tale of corruption and conspiracy in Muncie, Indiana. According to one reader/reviewer, “The story involves Davis' search to discover who planted the bomb that nearly killed his police officer father. His quest takes him on a journey through a small-time world of corrupt politicians, corrupt labor unions, bad cops and greedy businessmen. Add an assortment of prostitutes, hit men and petty thieves and you'll see why Muncie has been nicknamed "Little Chicago."

Greg Ferency has been a police officer for the Terre Haute Police Department (Indiana). His assignments have included a county-wide Drug Task Force. He has extensive experience in drug related crimes as both an investigator and undercover officer. Greg Ferency has specialized police training and experience in methamphetamine related investigations. He has certifications from the DEA Clandestine Laboratory Enforcement Team in the area of Basic, Site Safety and Tactical Operations. Greg has been at the scene of over 550 methamphetamine lab scenes as both lead investigator and site safety officer since 1999. He is a court certified expert in methamphetamine and its associated clandestine labs. Greg has trained law enforcement, civilian groups, educational system employees, medical staff and correctional personnel in methamphetamine and other drug related topics. Greg Ferency is the author of Narc Ops: A Look Inside Drug Enforcement.

Mel McNairy joined the Indianapolis Police Department 1980. In addition to being a field training officer for the Indianapolis Police Department, he has been a air traffic control in the military, martial arts instructor and a student of creative writing, commercial art and Japanese. His book, Art of Vengeance, is billed as a “fast-paced novel crafted by an 18 year veteran of the Indianapolis Police Department.

Police-Writers.com now hosts 426 police officers (representing 187
police departments) and their 904 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Over 900 Cop Books

Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books, surpassed a listing of 900 books written by police officers. According to the website’s editor, Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA, “It’s quite a milestone, but there are over 250 police officers whose works are yet to be included!”

The 901st listed book was written by
Robert R. Surgenor, a retired detective from the Berea Police Department (Ohio). In 1987, he was one of the first police officers to mount a video camera in his police vehicle; and, in 1988 that camera captured one of the world’s first police chases. In 1995, Robert Surgenor was assigned to the detective bureau and was placed in charge of the juvenile crime unit. His extensive studies on juvenile crime, gangs, parental authority and discipline led to the writing of his book No Fear: A Police Officer’s Perspective.

He has made numerous television appearances supporting his position that “spanking is a necessary part of child rearing.” As an example, he has appeared on MS-NBC, Fox News and other talk shows. According to his website, “he continues to educate parents, police officers, prosecutors, and judges, about Ohio's Child Abuse laws and parental rights in raising children.”

Ovid John McLaughlin, known as O.J., is a 34 year veteran of the Toledo Police Department (Ohio). O.J. attended the now closed DeVilbiss High School in Toledo where he was All-City in both Football and Wrestling.

He attended the University of Toledo, where he played football for one year before playing two years of semi-professional football in Toledo. He joined the
Toledo Police Department and during his career has worked in Communications, Traffic Section, Records Section and Street Patrol; and, had a number of commendations during his career

His book, Tales from the Bat Cave, is a look at policing during the 1960s and 1970s. According to the book description, “The “kick ass and take names” days are gone. Police work nowadays is more the “touchy-feely” way. During this era of police work the Officers carried .38 revolvers, did not have portable radios, copy machines, computers and bulletproof vests were the exception rather than the norm. The vests that were worn by officers in this era were the old-fashioned flak vests that weighed about thirty-five pounds.”

Joseph Niehaus is a lieutenant with the Kettering Police Department (Ohio). He has authored five books. Two of Lieutenant Joseph Niehaus’ books concern hypnosis; and, one, Investigative Forensic Hypnosis, looks at the use of hypnosis in law enforcement. He is also the author two novels, Beware the Whale’s Wake and Fade Out.

Police-Writers.com now hosts 423 police officers (representing 185
police departments) and their 901 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Ohio Police Writers

Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books, added three police writers from departments in the state of Ohio.

Drafted into the
United States Army at age 19, and the height of the 1968 Tet offensive in Vietnam, Joseph Reass found himself suddenly transformed from a naïve teenager into a rifleman in the 25th Infantry Division, 9th Infantry Regiment. Arriving in Vietnam as a Private First Class, he survived a year of combat with the famed “Manchu” Regiment and returned to the United States with the rank of Sergeant. Back at home, he readjusted to civilian life by continuing his education. Earning a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Capital University and a master’s degree from Ohio University in Political Science, Joe put the war behind him and reentered the world.

After a 25 year career with
Columbus Police Department (Ohio), including 13 years as a criminal investigator, he retired in 1997. Returning to Ohio University as a member of the faculty, he currently teaches in the Bachelor of Criminal Justice Program and is the director of the Southern Ohio Police Training Institute.

Joseph Reass’ first novel is Dragon Men. According to the book description, “In it he depicts real events pulled from long clouded memories of his combat experiences in Vietnam. Pieced together and told by a fictitious protagonist, David Reno, the story brings into perspective, true events, honest, tragic and even humorous that young men of Charlie Company, 4th Brigade, 9th Regiment, faced in the unconventional combat of the Vietnam War.

Along with graphic descriptions of combat and death, there are insights into men who served and how they coped with difficult situations of surviving not only the fighting, but the arduous life in the boonies. Live with young soldiers who deal with extreme situations of war, weather and military life.

It is an honest story that will interest anyone who served in combat, who want an unglorified glimpse of combat life or anyone who likes personal adventures told by real characters.”

David Swords is a retired Police Lieutenant, having served thirty years with the Springfield Police Department (Ohio). Nearly half of his police career was spent as an investigator, working on cases ranging from simple vandalisms to armed robberies and murders. His varied experience has given him a unique understanding of human nature; an understanding that brings the characters of “Shadows on the Soul” to life in the mind of the reader.

In
David Swords’ book his proposes the questions what would have happened in the Nazis had won and the United States was occupied territory. According to his book description, “the story takes you with John as he tries his best to live a normal life as a government official in the 1960’s America that might have been - Nazi occupied America. John’s normal life is disrupted as he reluctantly helps a prisoner who has escaped from a labor camp; a man imprisoned for no crime, except the color of his skin.”

Edward A. Stein, Sr., a 35 year veteran of the Cleveland Police Department published an autobiography entitled My Badge is My Intergity.

Police-Writers.com now hosts 420 police officers (representing 183
police departments) and their 894 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

Law Enforcement Jobs

So, you’re seriously considering a job in law enforcement. But, you have questions – What’s the job really like? How do I apply? Where can I find openings? What is the process like? How can I score the highest possible?

These are important questions. Indeed, anyone who has gone through the application process for a
law enforcement job knows it is critical to score as high as possible. It’s your score that gets you in the door. Remember – the highest scores are passed on to the next phase of the application process for a law enforcement job and they are the ones who ultimately become the cop on the beat, the homicide detective, SWAT or tactical officer; or, even a future chief of police.

But, those dreams never happen if you don’t score as well as possible. Every cop gets asked these questions and two of them have taken the time to write down the answers. First, the Police Officer Exam, 3rd Edition, was edited by Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA. Many of the questions were updated to reflect current testing. More importantly, entire passages were re-written or developed to give you practical, down-to-earth advice on the process. Detective Lieutenant Barry Baker, Baltimore Police Department (ret.), has written “Becoming a Police Officer: An Insider’s Guide to a Career in Law Enforcement.” Lieutenant Baker’s book not only helps you with the process, but helps to visualize your career and to make that career happen.

Lieutenants Foster and Baker give you a coast-to-coast perspective on a career in
law enforcement and the one-two punch you need to score high, get the job and begin your career. You need both books to be successful. Order both books today!

Click here for more information on the books

Police-Writers.com now hosts 420 police officers (representing 183 police departments) and their 894 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

Crime fiction and other police procedurals

Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books, added three writers of crime fiction.

Robert Ruble quit high school to join the United States Marine Corps (USMC), where he was hoping for Korea, but instead was selected to be a Drill Instructor at Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD), San Diego. Later he changed his specialty to Tank Crewman. He left the Marine Corps and joined the Tampa Police Department. After a few years as a police officer he re-enlisted in the Marine Corps and served a 20 year career, including two tours in Vietnam.

After retirement from the USMC, he worked for a variety of law enforcement agencies culminating his law enforcement career as the Chief of Police of the
Kennesaw Police Department (Georgia). He was their chief from 1980 through 1986. He has written two thrillers - Have No Mercy and Black Rosebud: Have No Mercy II

George Galjan was born in 1942 in Berlin, Germany. In 1956, he immigrated to the United States with his family. After high school, he enlisted in the Navy. He served two tours in Vietnam and later transferred to the Navy Reserves. He retired from the Reserves with the rank of senior chief. In 1969, George Galjan joined the Cleveland Police Department. He retired in 1998, at the rank of lieutenant.

George Galjan’s book, Cops, Donuts and Murder, is a mystery set in the City of Cleveland. As one reviewer/reader remarked, “This is the best mystery book I've read for quite sometime. It is filled with twists and interesting characters. The ending was a total surprise. The book is written using dialog and it is so true-to-life that I couldn't put it down.”

Earl Kratzer is a retired Detective Sergeant from the Cleveland Police Department. During his career he worked on a number of interesting cases and is the recipient of the Rotary Valor Award for Heroism Beyond the Call of Duty. His book, My Baby, My Baby, is a classic police procedural that follows “a fictional account of a child abduction that is set in Cleveland, Ohio. The twists and turns that develop while the detectives are investigating this case, show the reader what actually occurs while following leads a criminal investigation.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 417 police officers (representing 182
police departments) and their 891 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

Monday, March 26, 2007

A Look at Women Police Writers

March is Women’s History Month. Nearly 600 state and local police officers in the Untied States have written books. And, twenty-one of those police officers are women. Like their male counterparts, they have written fiction, autobiographies, academic texts and even poetry. Interestingly enough, the most successful writer of romantic fiction is a retired male motorcop. Put the motorcop aside for the moment and let’s take a brief tour of the history of women police officers as writers.

Women in Policing

There is some disagreement about who should be thought of as the first women police officer in the United States. In 1910, Alice Stebbin Wells joined the Los Angeles Police Department and was the first woman to be called a “Policewoman.” However, in 1905, Lola Baldwin was hired by Portland Police Department (Oregon), given somewhat limited police powers and put in charge of group of social workers.
It has been said that Baldwin was the first woman to have sworn authority. Still earlier, in 1893, Mary Owens was given the rank of Policeman in the Chicago Police Department. While Owens worked in the department 30 years, she had been given this title and job as the widow of a slain officer. At that time in our history, lacking today’s survivor benefits, some organizations took care of the police family by providing widows with jobs within the department.

READ ON

http://www.police-writers.com/look_women_police_writers.html

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Law Enforcement/Corrections Technology News Summary

"A.J. Police Going More High-Tech"
"Cameras Help Keep an Eye on Watts Complex"
"Ohio Hoping to Link All Courts on One Web Site"
"Nothing But Net"
"Pretty Soon, Prison Web Site Will Help You Locate Prisoners"
"State Attorney General Touts Online Sex Offender Updates"
"Paterson Will Add 30 Street Cameras"
"A View of Ripon Surveillance"
"Geospatial Data Sharing Comes of Age on Web"
"With Police Camera, It's Smile and Say 'Fees'"
"Cameras Monitor Streets for Paterson Police"
"Last Seen"
"Coming Soon to Video: Suspects in Northampton;
County Tests System Enabling Judges to Arraign People From Home"
"Police May Get New Computer System"
"Pin the Tail on the Speeder"
"Legal Implications for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Offenders in Corrections: Risks and Opportunities"
"What's New in Specialty Police Vehicles?"
"Autonomous Robotics for Law Enforcement"

The following stories can be found here:
http://criminal-justice-online.blogspot.com/2007/03/law-enforcementcorrections-technology.html

Saturday, March 17, 2007

In Memory of our Fallen Brothers

Maxelliot Correa has contributed a poem, In Memory of our Fallen Brothers, to Police-Writers.com. You can view the poem here:

http://www.police-writers.com/poetry_fallen_brothers.html

Police-Writers.com now hosts 413 police officers (representing 179
police departments) and their 885 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

We Take an Oath, to Protect & Serve

When you threaten or take someone's life in your hands, it becomes our job to make peace or make an arrest. In a split second, the police officer on the scene can become a victim while attempting to contain and control a violent domestic situation or a hostile criminal who refuses to be arrested. In any situation we must always be alert, perceptive and ready to act. We know if we don't, we could lose our life in a split second - all in the line of duty. And what happens to our immediate family left behind?
READ ON

The Last Watch

It's now dark outside as you take your unit out on patrol to guard your beat. The night is starting off quiet when 1/2 way thru your shift, the radio blares SHOTS FIRED. You hear the radio number it's your friend, your heart grows icy cold with fear. I can not stop the pain and the anger - it is blinding my eyes, but I have to keep my cool. There is a criminal on the loose who needs to be caught.

READ ON

My Daddy is Gone

This story actually begins on December 13, 2000, in a south Texas prison 50 miles southeast of San Antonio. Where seven violent inmates, two of them convicted murderers would soon overpower a guard tower, confiscate an arsenal of weapons with ammo and make a daring escape in a white prison vehicle. A couple of days later near Houston, Texas, two of the escapees would rob a radio shack store for police scanners. For eleven days, they would evade detection by any law enforcement officer.

READ ON

Friday, March 16, 2007

A Letter To My Daddy

You gave your daughter a very special gift that of a fathers unconditional love. You did not unfairly judge me for my mistakes you taught me right from wrong. You were always there for me no matter what. You taught me life is an exciting journey from the day we are born until we take that last breath.

READ ON

The Loss of Family in the Line of Duty

Today, I witnessed the personal emotions of a 7 year old little boy, the nephew of a police officer killed in the line of duty. Who after staring for sometime at the enormous memorial quilt on display, began to choke up
READ ON

What is a Hero?

As I think about what emergency responders do for a chosen career, it tells me that all of us who wear or have worn a badge over our hearts are the real Heroes!

READ ON

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Hollywood Police and Others

March 13, 2007 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books added three writers; one from the Hollywood Police Department (Florida), the Clinton Township Police Department (New Jersey) and the Chicago Police Department.

Lieutenant
Ryan Melsky, of the Clinton Township Police Department authored Common Sense Wisdom for the New Officer. According to the book description, “Ryan Melsky knows how helpful hard-earned life lessons from veteran cops can be for young officers, so he decided to share them. This treasure chest of arm-around-the-shoulder advice will help keep you safe and make your career shine!”

Ernie Dorling was a Special Agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and is now a supervisory Special Agent with the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. He was also a police officer with the Hollywood Police Department (Florida). Ernie has worked as a federal agent since 1978 with assignments in Washington, DC and Germany where he earned his Masters Degree in Public Administration. Ernest Dorling has authored two true crime books, With Consciousness of Guilt and Murder: A Family Affair.

According to the book description of With Consciousness of Guilt, “The first time Sam Consiglio assaulted a woman, he was 13-years-old. He would grab women by the breasts and run. When caught, he promised the
police and his father he would never do that again. It’s probably the one promise Sam made to anyone that he actually kept. For over 25 years, Sam preyed upon unsuspecting women from Michigan to Florida to California. Using his wit and charming personality, he gained their confidence and trust before turning violent whenever he needed to satisfy his sexual urges. With almost every arrest, Sam was able to beat the police and the prosecutors as they tried in vain, to have him incarcerated. And with each failure of the courts to keep him behind bars, Sam grew more confident that no one could ever keep him locked up.”

One Amazon reader/reviewer remarked of Murder: A Family Affair, “a must read! Mug Shots on Court TV and A&E's City Confidential did a disservice to the truth in this case. Ernie Dorling's accuracy and writing style brings the characters alive. Everyone that I spoke to, said once they started reading; they couldn't put it down. Two women reading the book at the same time called each other every night to talk about every event in the book. Each chapter is more unbelievable than the one before.”

Thomas J. Cline, a 30-year member of the Chicago Police Department authored a collection of short stories about life as a police officer in Cop Tales. According to the book description, “Cop Tales is a unique, empathic look into the harsh realities and aberrant adventures of a big city patrolman. Whether as a recruit training at the academy, a rookie going through his baptism of fire, or an officer with years under his belt, Thomas Cline paints a vivid picture of his encounters, thoughts, and opinions.” Bill Nolan, the President of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 7 said of Cop Tales, “sometimes too revealing, nails what being a cop is really about including the laughs, triumph and tragedy.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 407 police officers (representing 174
police departments) and their 877 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

A Police and Military Writer

Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books added a writer who has served in both the military and domestic law enforcement.

Robert S. Stering served in the United States Air Force from 1968 to 1972. He enlisted again, in the USAF(R) in 1982. He served as a Special Agent for the Air Force Office of Special Investigation; and, was honorably discharged as an E-5 in 1985. In addition to his military service, Robert S. Stering was a police officer for the Waltham Police Department (Massachusetts) for 25 years.

Robert S. Stering has a Masters degree in Criminal Justice and is a certified criminal intelligence analyst. In addition to his writing, Rob Stering is an adjunct professor for several colleges teaching Profiling Serial Offenders, Crime Analysis, Intelligence Analysis, Introduction to Terrorism and other courses. He is also a consultant to the Municipal Police Training Committee (Massachusetts) as the state coordinator for patrol procedures.

His first book, a Police Officer's Handbook “provides you with an understanding of the situations, problems, and conflicts that police officers face daily. This is an indispensable resource for law enforcement students and professionals. The Police Officer's Handbook is divided into two parts. Part One discusses what police officers do and how they accomplish their tasks. It also takes a closer look at the role of the
police officer today. Part Two offers you an opportunity to put yourself into the role of the police officer. Through scenarios you will examine some of the day-to-day incidents that police officers face on the street. After reading this text, you will gain practical knowledge and understand how to resolve a variety of conflicts.”

Robert S. Stering’s second book, Imagen: A Serial Killer Leaves Puzzling Clues, is a fictional work that takes the reader inside the mind of both the killer and the victim. According to the book description, “A serial killer is stalking the community. He leaves subtle clues. Or are they? The murders are perfect, the clues and evidence left, break all traditional investigative formalities. The book is unique in the way you interpret the emotions. With a clever switching of tenses, the author allows you the reader to be the victim and the killer. You feel the pain, and emotions of the victim. You experience the excitement, the thoughts and the reasoning of the Killer. Both visions bring you to the point of death. With the author’s experiences and knowledge of the field, the book offers a close-up and front seat realistic view of the investigative process.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 401
police officers (representing 171 police departments) and their 864 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books. Military-Writers.com now lists 20 active, retired and former military personnel who have authored 20 books.

Monday, March 12, 2007

Voice-to-Voice Device Provides Successful Combat Language Translation Capability

Editors Note: A version of the device is being tested and deployed for law enforcement.

The Voice Response Translator (VRT) has provided important voice-to-voice language translation capabilities for
US military personnel engaged in direct action combat operations, according to reports provided by military personnel. The 11-ounce VRT was developed over the past 12 years with National Institute of Justice and Defense Department funding and is the only eyes-free, hands-free voice-to-voice translator in existence. This unique capability enables users to maintain weapon readiness and situational awareness while providing instructions, information and asking short questions of foreign nationals in hostile and potentially hostile situations.

Voice Response Translators “contributed immeasurably to the success of more than twenty direct action raids in Iraq in support of national level objectives,” according an after-action report by a Ranger Captain. “In addition to sparing precious time on the objective, they reduced collateral damage by bridging a tremendous language barrier therein resulting in the detention of more than fifteen members of the local insurgent network. The VRT proved invaluable in multiple roles as not only a tactical questioning tool but also as a force protection multiplier used both on objectives and from blocking positions.”

Users speak short commands into the VRT, and translated instructions and questions are produced by it. The system has been deployed with
US Army, Special Forces, Marines, Coast Guard, and Navy personnel. The current version translates limited spoken Iraqi responses into English as part of advanced research funded by the Defense Advance Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

The VRT is highly miniaturized (it fits in a standard M4 single ammo pouch) and can be integrated fully with MICH tactical headsets without interfering with communications or fast roping operations.

The system is produced by IWT, Inc. and Laguna Industries, Inc. IWT, Inc., a Fremont, CA-based company, specializes in the development and production of miniaturized speech recognition devices that work in high noise environments. IWT was founded in 1992 by Silicon Valley pioneer John H. Hall, who developed the first successful electronic watch, the first computerized heart pacemaker, the first radiation-hardened computer and other civilian and defense electronics systems. For more information visit their website:
http://www.i-w-t.com/

This article was sponsored by
police and military personnel who have written books as well as criminal justice online leadership.

400 Police Authors and Women’s History Month

Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books added three women police officers. Coinciding with National Women’s History month, the 400th police writer is a women.

Volitta Fritsche is a detective sergeant with the Morgan County Sheriff’s Department. In addition to her 18 years with the Morgan County Sheriff’s Department (Indiana), she has an additional 8 years experience in the criminal justice system having worked as a dispatcher, corrections officer and court reporter. She has written two books, Deadly Decisions which is the story of a mother’s search for her missing son; and, a children’s book, Genuine.

Donna Wudyka was hired by the Detroit Police Department in 1987. She retired on a duty-related disability in 1997. Donna Wudyka’s book is Shattered Badges, Broken Hearts: An Officer's Nightmare. The book is the true-life account of a January 1996 officer-involved-shooting that claimed the life of police officer Patrick Prohm. According to Donna Wudyka, her book, “describes the aftermath of the shooting, and the hell that the City of Detroit put my partner and I through: Injustice, discrimination, harassment, numerous violations of the union contract, embarrassment, and mental anguish. My partner and I thought the incident was traumatic enough. Wait until you see what came after it.”

In 1992,
Maureen Tracy joined the San Diego County Sheriff's Department as a deputy sheriff. She is the 400th author to be added to the list of state and local police officers who have written books.

After the academy
Maureen Tracy worked in a correctional facility and was ultimately transferred to a specialized unit. Her book, The Department, is an account of her experiences on the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department. Maureen Tracy stated about her book, “One fall morning I received the phone call that changed my life. In turn of personal traumatic events I made a mistake on the job. However, despite the mitigating circumstances discovered through the Internal Affairs investigation, I found myself on the chopping block and headed toward termination. Was my mistake immoral? Yes. Were the actions of many people on this Department immoral? Absolutely. This is a story about the "good" of my job and the love I had for it. It is about the "bad" in the harassment, animosity and jealousy I experienced. This is the "truth" as to why I left the Department.”

The March newsletter from
Hi Tech Criminal Justice will feature an article about the 21 women police officers who are currently listed on Police-Writers.com

Police-Writers.com now hosts 400
police officers (representing 170 police departments) and their 862 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

Policing Paradise and other Non Sequiturs

Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books added four police officers whose work covers policing history to fiction based in policing.

Edward F. Connolly, former superintendent of the Boston Police Department. His biography, Cop’s Cop, includes “stories he never even told his wife.

Edward Anthony Gibbons was a Boston Police Department police officer for ten years. He has written two crime novels, Crime, Passion & Conscience and Betrayal and Revenge: Mysterium iniquitotis. According to one reviewer, “Gibbons last novel, Crime, Passion, and Conscience revealed a corrupt Boston Homicide cop and tainted politicians. With Betrayal and Revenge, Gibbons continues with his first hand knowledge to thrill the reader.”

Peter Mars, a thirty year veteran of law enforcement, has an undergraduate degree in criminal justice and police science; masters degree in public administration; and, doctorate in sociology. He began his law enforcement career with the Yarmouth Police Department (Massachusetts). After 12 years with Yarmouth, he moved to Maine where he became the Chief of Administrative Services for the Kennebec County Sheriff’s Office (Maine). He has authored six books: The Tunnel, A Taste for Money, The Key, The Best Suit in Town, The Chaplain and Alternative Measures.

According to the book description for Alternative Measures, it “opens the door into a world unknown to most civilians, a secret underworld with deep-rooted connections in Maine, where the seemingly most innocuous residents are responsible for some of the most potent activities for guaranteeing the security of this country. Written as a fictional account to protect his sources, you will wonder where the truth ends and the story begins.”

His fourth book, The Best Suit in Town, is the history of the
police officers who worked for the Mansfield Police Department (Ohio) and was written with co-author Chief John Butler, Sanibel Island Police Department (ret.). As their book, “tells the story of a great generation of cops who policed a mid-sized, Midwestern industrial city after World War II through the time of the conflict in Vietnam. It was a time of change and turmoil that included the civil rights movement and society's general rebellion against authority.”

John Butler was the chief of police for the Mansfield Police Department (Ohio). After retiring from Mansfield, he started the Sanibel Island Police Department (Florida). Upon retiring from the Sanibel Island Police Department John Butler wrote a book about his experiences starting that department called Policing Paradise.

Police-Writers.com now hosts 397
police officers (representing 168 police departments) and their 858 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

Sunday, March 11, 2007

Three Florida Cop Novels

Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books added three Florida police officers who have written fictional novels.

Lieutenant
Steven H. Richardson, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (ret.) (Florida) is the author of Crossing the Chalk Line. Although a work of fiction, it has been described as “closer to reality than fiction in describing what happens when police do the wrong thing for the right reasons.” According to the book description, “When Deputy Mark Jacobs finds his training officer lying dead in the panhandle mud, he must patiently wait for the criminal justice system to prosecute the murderer. Unable to place the murderer at the crime scene, the prosecutor is forced to release the murderer back into the Olustee communities.”

Derwin J. Bradley is a police officer for the Orlando Police Department Florida), a former military bodyguard and counter-terrorist specialist with extensive experience and travel in Africa and Europe. Derwin Bradley has trained hundreds of police officers in defensive tactics and has provided advanced tactical police training to U.S. Army Special Forces, British Army Special Forces, Police SWAT Teams, and military bodyguards during his 23 years in law enforcement. He has lectured at national conferences on juvenile crime and unconventional gang enforcement tactics, and has written several police training and program manuals.

Derwin Bradley is the author of two books, Black and Blue: Understanding Modern Law Enforcement in your American and The Operator Fear No Evil. Bradley’s book The Operator Fear No Evil is a novel of political intrigue. That includes, according to the book description, “hardball politics, advanced technology, unconventional tactics, and a secret state-of-the-art operations center.”

G.J. Herrey is a retired police officer from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office (Florida). His novel is Sins, Stones and Glass Houses. According to the book description, “This novel begins in a city in Florida, where Zachary Naccarato, a decorated veteran, has just been awarded honors for catching a serial murderer. Shortly thereafter Sergeant Naccarato finds himself involved in a high stakes game of corruption, conspiracy, and murder. He is lured into the game of a madman, baited by his only true seduction: his quest for the truth. After a series of ritualistic murders are blamed on Naccarato, he is forced to resign from his career with the possibility of his arrest looming ever near. His life in disarray, Zach sets out to clear his name. Slowly, from the peripheral corners of each turned page, the killer emerges for an ultimate showdown. Conspiracy, betrayal, corruption, and the ultimate sin: homicide, are interwoven within the plot.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 393
police officers (representing 166 police departments) and their 848 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

Soldier, Cop and Author

Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books and Military-Writers.com, a website dedicated to military personnel who have written books, added a prolific author who has served our country both as a soldier and police officer.

After completing
military service in Viet Nam, Cherokee Paul McDonald joined the Fort Lauderdale Police Department in 1970. Rising to the rank of sergeant, he left the department in 1980, becoming a full-time writer. In addition to his fiction novels, Cherokee Paul McDonald has written two books about his life experiences. One reader comments on Paul’s In Blue Truth: Walking the Thin Blue Line-One Cop's Story of Life in the Streets, “I was about sixteen years old when I first read this book. Twelve years later, I am a cop myself, and have read and re-read this book at least twenty times since then. This book is the real deal...it doesn't glorify our job like other books have done...just the real and the raw. It gets to the bottom of what cops have to put up with every day.”

Cherokee Paul McDonald explores his military service in, Into the Green: A Reconnaissance by Fire. In 1968, he arrived in Vietnam a U.S. Army second lieutenant, assigned as an artillery forward observer. After a year service, he fell victim to malaria and was evacuated. According to the Library Journal, Into the Green: A Reconnaissance by Fire, “speaks volumes about the stress and terror of war while also reminding the reader of the touching humanity of the erstwhile civilians called upon for military service. In place of an exhaustive, day-by-day account of the war, McDonald introduces Vietnam through a series of vignettes on life in and out of the firing line. This is Vietnam as it has rarely been described, and each short narrative offers an eloquent testimonial to the conflict.”

In addition to his autobiographical accounts,
Cherokee Paul McDonald has written one true crime novel, Under Contract: The True Account of a Cop Hired to Kill. This work is the tale of Al Smith, a Fort Lauderdale Police Department detective who posed as a hit man. According to Kirkus reviews, “What terrifies here is the repeated verification of the old saw about the banality of evil. In one memorable case, a sweet, petite, under-20 blond, answering an ad placed in the personals by a love-hungry bachelor, makes a request for the murder of her husband; short of cash, she wants to finance the crime on the installment plan.”

Cherokee Paul McDonald’s fictional works include Summer’s Reason, Gulf Stream and The Patch.

Police-Writers.com now hosts 390
police officers (representing 163 police departments) and their 844 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books. Military-Writers.com lists 10 former, active or retired military personnel and their 18 books.

Florida Cop Autobiographies

Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books added three police officers who have written books about their careers in Florida law enforcement.

Nick Navarro served as the sheriff of Broward County, Florida from 1984 through 1992. Navarro oversaw a period during which Broward County Sheriffs Office grew both in size and in prominence as a local institution. While Navarro was sheriff, the BSO's staff doubled to 3,000 and its budget eclipsed $200 million. As sheriff, Navarro courted public attention and often attracted controversy. The television show COPS was first filmed in his jurisdiction, with his approval and support. His autobiography is called Cuban Cop.

Dennis Wise is a 35 year veteran of law enforcement and the former Public Information Officer for the Walton County Sheriff’s Office (Florida). As a police officer, he worked a variety of departments in Florida, including Lauderdale Lakes and Pembroke Parks. According to Dennis Wise, his book Honor Above All Else: Removing the Veil of Secrecy, is an “account of life in the crosshairs of the street thugs and drunk drivers.” He also remarks that, “Everyone who has ever been a cop soon learns that many times his worst enemy actually wears a badge, and so the joust begins. Not only does he have to watch his back from the public, he has his own kind to fear.”

Gary Jones was a Fort Lauderdale Police Department (Florida) police officer for over 26 years. In the mid-1970’s, as a member of his department’s new Tactical Impact Unit, he and his partner were twice named Police Officers of the Year. He rose through the ranks, eventually becoming a Captain, and he also earned a B.A. degree in Criminal Justice. Captain Jones retired from Fort Lauderdale Police Department in 1993.

Gary Jones’ book is Badge 149 - “Shots Fire!” According to the book description, “The 1970’s was the deadliest decade in modern law enforcement history and more police officers died than during any other decade of the 20th Century. In Fort Lauderdale, the “Venice of America,” violent crime was almost out of control and to stem this vicious tide the Fort Lauderdale Police Department created the Tactical Impact Unit. Written with all the drama and excitement of a novel, Badge 149 – “Shots Fired!” tells the true story of this small group of men and of the daring exploits that made them so well-known and respected.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 389
police officers (representing 163 police departments) and their 839 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

Saturday, March 10, 2007

Virtual Justice and other works

Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books added three police officers who have written books.

Richard Calvert’s thirty-five years of big city police work has given him up-front and hands on experience with all segments of criminal activity. As a lieutenant on the Miami-Dade Police Department, he was involved in the investigation of hundreds of crimes, complicated by the ethnic diversity of Miami; and, taking him to all corners of the United States and Puerto Rico. Richard Calvert was motivated by his disenchantment with the criminal justice system and his compassion for the victims of homicide, armed robbery, narcotics, organized crime and sexual battery, he felt compelled to write his novel – Virtual Justice. Educated at Virginia Tech and Florida International University, he holds a B.S. degree in criminology.

According to one reader of Virtual Justice, “A fine work that gives the reader a classic look at scenarios facing the big city detective. Police work, politics, and the justice system combine to make "Virtual Justice" an exciting, informative thriller. Though a work of fiction the players in this book could very well be real. I was continuously looking forward to reading the next chapter.”

Dale C. Carson was a Deputy Sheriff from 1974 to 1976 with the Dade County Public Safety Department (which later became known as the Miami-Dade Police Department) he has been an FBI agent, private investigator and criminal defense attorney. Currently, as of March 2007, Dale C. Carson, is running for Sheriff of Duval County (Florida). Dale Carson’s book is Arrest Proof Yourself. According to the book description, “This essential “how not to” guide explains how to act and what to say in the presence of police to minimize the chances of being arrested and to avoid add-on charges—which can often lead to permanent disqualification from jobs, financing, and education. Citizens can learn how to avoid arrest both on the street and when pulled over in a vehicle and are alerted to basic tricks cops use to get people to incriminate themselves. Sprinkled with absurdity and humor, this urgent, eye-opening book is a guide to criminal justice for all Americans.”

A 30 year veteran of law enforcement,
Alex J. McDonald, is a deputy sheriff with the Broward County Sheriff’s Office (Florida). He has published extensively in law enforcement periodicals, as well as magazines about karate and skin diving. According to the book description of his first novel, Sawgrass, “A missing cop is found dead in his car in an orange grove. Suicide or murder? The evidence points to murder but the bureaucrats want it to be suicide. Det. Sgt. Daniel Quinn is in charge of the investigation and sets out to prove murder. A second murder occurs and Quinn finds the two are connected. Quinn becomes embroiled in a drug smuggling investigation and is forced to battle politics, a smuggling group and even the D.E.A. All of this leads to a surprise ending.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 386
police officers (representing 161 police departments) and their 836 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

The Bear and I

I drove to the address I wrote down. As I pulled into the dirt drive and stared at the mobile home it reminded me of many of the homes I’d visited as a cop; run down and in need of repair. Indeed, in need of being torn down! The front yard was more dirt than grass. A few children’s toys lie about: A wagon with three wheels, a tricycle with only one pedal. I looked at the windows, either without curtains or with homemade coverings.

Read
Richard Huffman’s (former Bangor Police Department police officer) short story at www.police-writers.com/short_story_bear.html

Corruption, murder and tragedy

Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books added three police officers who have written books about corruption, murder and tragedy in American policing.

Antonio Bustillo is a former Miami Police Department police officer. His first novel, Renegade Crew, is based on the 1980s Miami Police Department corruption scandal often referred to as the Miami River Cops. According to one reader of his novel, “Books about cops are usually the same old re-hashed, ponderous stuff. Renegade Crew is the exception. It is fast-paced, action-packed and humorous all in one. The author allows the reader to feel empathy for any or none of the river cops in question. Whether you agree with how they went about arresting criminals or not, the story is different from any other cop book that is out there. Giving it even more credibility is the author who is a former police officer. "Renegade Crew" deserves five-stars. I did not want to put it down and I will be re-reading it again tonight. I'd like to read the sequel to see what ever happened to these guys. I wonder if they are swimming with the fish, yet?”

Antonio Bustillo’s second book is a Steady Training, and is “recommended for any karate enthusiast who wonders how to adapt his training to real fighting encounters. Bustillo’s advice: train realistically, keep in shape, and keep it simple.”

Lieutenant
Nelson Andreu (retired) dedicated nearly his entire police career with the Miami Police Department to homicide and death-investigation cases. During his nearly 23-year tenure with Miami Police Department, Lieutenant Nelson Andreu spent over 21 years in the Homicide Unit. He investigated thousands of death cases ranging from routine natural deaths, accidental deaths, industrial deaths, murders and suicides, to his working on five separate serial killer investigations. His murder investigations culminated in 2002 with the conviction of Francisco Del Junco, a Miami serial killer who bludgeoned to death and then set fire to four women in South Florida.

According to the book description of
Nelson Andreu’s Dead Read, “Detective Peter Copeland wakes up on the beach one morning with a killer headache and no clue how he came to be there. Before long, he discovers that the exotic redheaded stranger he met at a party the night before is washed up on the beach, dead. What's this? Another detective mystery? But finally, here's one that departs from the mold. "Dead Red" is based on first-hand knowledge of solving mysterious deaths, thanks to author Nelson Andreu's twenty-two years in Miami's Homicide Unit. Readers who are curious about the workings behind crime investigations finally get what they want: insight on the inner workings of homicide(extracting answers from a reluctant witness, capturing an elusive fingerprint, distilling evidence from a mutilated victim) woven within an intriguing plot. Of course, Detective Copeland uncovers the answer--but that answer is what every cop dreads.”

According to the Library Journal, “On a summer day in 1986
Steven McDonald, a New York Police Department police officer, was patrolling his Central Park beat when a teenager whom he approached shot him, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down. This book, with its alternating voices, recounts how Steven and Patti Ann have survived the incident and its aftermath.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 383
police officers (representing 160 police departments) and their 833 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

Friday, March 09, 2007

Cops, Careers and Crime

Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books added three police officers who have written book.

Joseph Kaiser, a Suffolk County Police Department police officer wrote The Adventures of Sergeant Otto Wolfgang Snickerhaden. The book is his story of his career. According to the book cover description, “I doubt that in today's society, I could have done what I did then and gotten away with it. But things were very different some thirty or forty years ago. When a cop had a problem in his sector, he took care of it the best way he could. In many ways it was like the old west at the end of the last century. The sheriff or town marshal was hired to control the lawless and few cared how he did it. Similarly, in the early days of the Suffolk County Police Department, a police officer had pretty much a free hand when doing his job as long as he did it without hurting anyone.”

Anthony Zeoli is a retired Lieutenant with the New York Port Authority Police Department. He served the majority of his career assigned to the Bus Terminal Command in New York City. He is a graduate of John Jay College of Criminal Justice and the Police Command College at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. 625 8th Avenue is the address of the New York Port Authority Bus Terminal and the title of Anthony Zeoli’s first fiction novel. His book is a about the investigation into a “bizarre sex murder in the New York Port Authority Bus Terminal.” According to the back cover of his book, “Take some NYPD Blue, a little Hill Street Blues and a heavy dash of Barney Miller. This creates the only story ever written about one of New York’s most notorious landmarks and microcosms of urban American.”

Arnold M. Pine is a veteran of twenty years on the New York Police Department where he served as a very active "street cop". His experience with the criminal element on the street and in the department itself, enabled him to create memorable characters in thrilling situations. Arnold Pine attended Brooklyn College before and after his two year stint in the Navy during World War II. He lettered in Wrestling, which prepared him for the battles he encountered on the streets of New York City. Upon retirement from the Department, Mr Pine spent many years as the CEO of a water engineering business, before he engaged in writing as a full-time endeavor. His book is Cop on the Run.

Police-Writers.com now hosts 380
police officers (representing 159 police departments) and their 829 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

NORTHCOM Nominee Regards Command Position as 'Sacred Honor'

By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service

March 9, 2007 – The nominee to lead U.S. Northern Command and North America Aerospace Defense Command told the Senate Armed Services Committee here yesterday that he realizes the missions of both organizations are demanding and challenging, but that he would consider leading them to be a "sacred honor."
Air Force Lt. Gen. Victor E. Renuart Jr. said he would not let the country down if confirmed into the top position for the two commands focusing on homeland defense.

NORTHCOM was established following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, to provide for the defense of the United States and to provide military support to civil authorities when requested by the president or secretary of defense.

NORTHCOM also is responsible for overseeing
military responses to natural and man-made disasters, such as hurricanes and incidents involving weapons of mass destruction within the United States.

Renuart told the Senators that his service both in the Joint Staff at the Pentagon and within the Office of the Secretary of Defense has reinforced the value of close working relationships among combatant commands,
military services, defense agencies and Congress, in addition to governors and adjutants general across the nation.

"If confirmed, I'll join the men and women of NORAD and NORTHCOM in dedicating ourselves to the defense of the homeland," he said. "We'll work closely with our federal and state partners, our interagency partners, the National Guard, and the countries of Canada and Mexico, with whom we maintain a close relationship."

The general also told the members that he views intelligence sharing among relevant agencies as being vitally important.

Re-equipping National Guard troops and reservists also will be one of Renuart's focuses if confirmed for the position. "It will be one of my principal priorities to not only establish a better understanding on my behalf of the requirements for the Guard and Reserve," he said, "but to continue to be the strong advocate in the process for those requirements and to work towards getting them funded and resupplied."

The nominee assured the senators that one of his high priorities would be funding,
training and equipping emergency response teams designated to work with local citizens and state first responders in the case of chemical or biological threats, in additional to natural disasters.

"It is important to have good visibility as the principal combatant commander on the readiness of potential forces," he said, "and to also understand carefully how the individual states view their capabilities to respond to a disaster or an emergency."

NORTHCOM will continue to work to deal with the effects of natural disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina. He said the command's current leadership has created pre-scripted mission orders and pre-positioned equipment in key areas for short-notice use.

"I'm completely committed to continuing that effort," he said, "with a special effort on the communications (so) that they're interoperable not just among the Guard and the active force, but among the various federal agencies who would respond."

This article was sponsored by
police and military personnel who have authored books as well as online criminal justice leadership.

Need For More MPs in Iraq 'Was Always Anticipated,' Petraeus Says

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

March 8, 2007 – The possibility of sending a contingent of
military police to Iraq to augment the more than 21,500 American combat troops already earmarked for deployment there was foreseen by military planners, the top U.S. officer in Iraq said today. "What has been asked for subsequent to the combat formations are the typical enablers that go with the combat formations," Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, told reporters during a Baghdad news conference. Petraeus assumed command of Multinational Force Iraq on Feb. 10.

The possibility that U.S. commanders in Iraq might request added support troops such as military
police officers, aviation and intelligence assets, and headquarters staff "was always anticipated" during military planning sessions, Petraeus noted.

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced yesterday that an additional 2,200 military
police would be deployed to Iraq to assist in U.S.-Iraqi efforts to suppress hotspots of insurgent and sectarian violence in Baghdad and western parts of the country.

The military
police officers will arrive in Iraq over the next few months and will be assigned to duties at detention centers, to provide route security for convoys and to mentor Iraqi police, Petraeus said. Additionally, the Republic of Georgia has volunteered to send an additional combat brigade, he said, and Australia will contribute 70 seasoned military trainers.

Earlier this year, President Bush directed the deployment of more than 21,500 additional U.S. soldiers and Marines to Baghdad and restive areas of western Iraq to deter sectarian and insurgent violence that has occurred since the Feb. 22, 2006, bombing of a holy mosque in the Iraqi city of Samarra.

Meanwhile, the build up of U.S. and Iraqi security forces continues, Petraeus said, noting that the last of the 21,500 soldiers and Marines constituting the "surge" directed by the president should be in Iraq by early June.

Two of the five U.S. Army combat brigades participating in the surge of forces are now in Baghdad, Petraeus said.

This article was sponsored by
police and military personnel who have authored books as well as online criminal justice leadership.