Fifteen Individuals Indicted in Large-Scale Drug Conspiracy Case

Fifteen individuals have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Detroit on federal charges, United States Attorney Barbara L. McQuade announced. Ms. McQuade was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Robert L. Corso, Drug Enforcement Administration; Special Agent in Charge David McCain, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Special Agent in Charge Andrew Arena, Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Special Agent in Charge Erick Martinez, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation.

Indicted were Orlando Ricardo Gordon, 32, of Franklin; Vince Jerome Shivers, 42, of Southfield; Derrick Arnold Terry, 51, of Detroit; Danta Shamu-Parker Johnson, 34, of Detroit; Darren Davon Terry, 35, of Detroit; Trenton Jordan Obamwonyi, 27, of Detroit; Tamiko Mel-Lang Hodo, 36, of Detroit; Anthony Wayne Hall, 46, of Detroit; Anton Jamaill Harris, 32, of Detroit; Ervin Kenneth Vincent, 24, of Inkster; Darnell Darryl Easterling, 48, of Detroit; Courtney Deon Shafi Strickland, 36, of Detroit; Benjamin Isaac Carter, 39, of Detroit; Erik Lee Ross, 34, of Sterling Heights; and Allen Corey Terry, 47, of Farmington Hills.

As alleged in the indictment, the conspiracy lasted for years, dating back to 2008, and involved in excess of 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, five kilograms of cocaine, and 280 grams of crack cocaine. Some of the defendants are also charged with being felons illegally possessing firearms. The narcotics trafficking conspiracy carries possible sentences of 10 years to life in prison and a $10 million fine, and the felon in possession charges carry possible sentences of up to 10 years of prison.

The investigation involved multiple federal agencies, including DEA, ATF, FBI, and IRS. The investigation included seizures of large sums of U.S. currency, including a seizure of more than $500,000 from a residence in Franklin, Michigan, large quantities of drugs, including a seizure of over 1,000 kilograms/2,200 pounds of marijuana, and multiple firearms.

United States Attorney McQuade stated that, “Large-scale drug trafficking and accompanying gun crimes create danger and fear in our neighborhoods. The coordinated efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies helped to dismantle this conspiracy.”

ATF Special Agent in Charge David McCain said, “Narcotics trafficking along with violent firearm activity destroys the families and neighborhoods in our communities. ATF along with its state, local, and federal partners will continue to aggressively pursue those violent individuals and organizations that cripple our communities with crime.”

DEA Special Agent in Charge Robert L. Corso said, “Today’s arrests are significant. These individuals directed a major marijuana and cocaine trafficking ring that operated throughout southeast Michigan. The dismantling of this organization has halted the flow of hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of illegal drugs into metropolitan Detroit. This investigation exemplifies the strong collaborative effort that exists between DEA and our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, and is a positive step towards making our community safer for everyone.

FBI Special Agent in Charge Andrew G. Arena said, “Narcotics trafficking continues to plague this region and directly contributes to violence on our streets. The FBI will continue to partner with federal, state, and local law enforcement to address these issues.”

IRS Special Agent in Charge Erick Martinez said, “This indictment illustrates the seriousness behind prosecuting drug trafficking crimes. The role of IRS-CI is to take the profit out of these illegal organizations. Drug dealers pollute our neighborhoods with no regret as their actions are only fueled by greed. The seizure of their illegal proceeds, drugs, and weapons brings us one step closer to justice.”

The Detroit Police Department, the Franklin Police Department, the Troy Police Department, the Novi Police Department, the Warren Police Department, the Michigan State Police, and the U.S. Marshals Service also assisted in the investigation of the case.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

U.S. Marshals Add Suspected Child Rapist to 15 Most Wanted

Washington – The U.S. Marshals have added a suspected child rapist to their 15 Most Wanted fugitive list.

Corey Deshawn Gaston is wanted in Michigan by the Detroit Police Department and the U.S. Marshals for failure to appear on the original charges of rape (1st and 2nd degree criminal sexual conduct/person under 13), kidnapping, home invasion and child enticement. A federal warrant for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution has also been issued.

In June 2007, Gaston allegedly broke into a Detroit home and kidnapped a 10-year-old girl through her bedroom window. Gaston put the girl over his shoulder and ran to a nearby alley where he threw the child to the ground, removed her clothing and raped her. Afterward, he threatened to hurt her if she screamed or ran away and followed her back to her home. Gaston went back to the house because he believed he had left evidence at the scene of the kidnapping. That same evidence was recovered later by police near the scene of the rape.

The victim was taken to the hospital where a rape kit was administered and police interviewed her. The child identified Gaston as her attacker from an array of photos compiled by the police.

An arrest warrant was issued for Gaston in early July 2007. U.S. Marshals arrested Gaston in Georgia, and he was returned for prosecution in Michigan. Gaston was granted bond in August 2007 pending his February 2008 trial date. While Gaston was on bond, evidence was found linking him to the rape.

When the February 2008 trial date came Gaston became a fugitive once again. When the Detroit Fugitive Apprehension Team went looking for Gaston they located him in the Detroit area, but he managed to elude the officers and escape.

Gaston has been a fugitive since that time.

Gaston, 33, has no other documented criminal history. The lack of criminal history provides Gaston the opportunity to be involved in children’s sports and around others who have access to young girls.

“Corey Gaston’s alleged acts are a parent’s worst nightmare – breaking into the home of a young girl, kidnapping and sexually assaulting her,” said Geoff Shank, Acting Assistant Director of Investigative Operations for the U.S. Marshals Service.

“The charges against him represent numerous, deplorable acts against a helpless child and her family. We will make every effort to bring him in to answer for these crimes.”

Gaston played hockey on an all-black hockey team and mentored younger family members and other community youth through hockey. Gaston also attended Michigan State University and played intramural club hockey there for a year. He did not play MSU varsity hockey.

Gaston has been driving trucks since 2002. He knows people from all around the country, and authorities say they believe he could be anywhere. He has ties to Tennessee, Georgia, Ohio and California. He has family and friends in these states and has spent time there in the past. Canada and Mexico are also places Gaston held financial and friendship ties from his days as a hockey player and truck driver.

Gaston was considered by his family to be the life of the party and the person who held the family together. He has been described as being very charismatic and caring to those around him.

“With the Adam Walsh Act the Marshals Service has a very strong interest in bringing child sexual predators to justice. We captured Gaston once, I am very confident that we will be able to bring him to justice a second time,” said U.S. Marshal Robert Grubbs of the Eastern District of Michigan.

Gaston is 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighs 170 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes. Gaston is pigeon-toed and has a distinctive bowlegged walk. He has an athletic build and has been described as “cut up.”

He has had staples in the right side of his head and is balding on top. Gaston has worn braids in the past and grown his beard longer to look older. He has a scar on one of his knees.

Gaston drinks Corona beer with lemon and will not eat or drink after anyone including family members. He is also considered to be computer savvy.

Gaston has a history of traveling to several places including: California, Tennessee, Georgia and Ohio. A reward of up to $25,000 is offered for information leading directly to Gaston’s arrest.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to contact the nearest U.S. Marshals office or the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102.

Eighteen Indicted by Federal Grand Jury on Drug Charges

Defendants Face up to Life Imprisonment

An indictment charging 18 defendants with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana has been unsealed, United States Attorney Barbara L. McQuade announced today. McQuade was joined in the announcement by Andrew G. Arena, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Robert Corso, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration; and Chief Ralph Godbee, Detroit Police Department.

The indictment charges eighteen defendants—all alleged to be members of a national drug trafficking organization—with conspiring to distribute cocaine and marijuana in Detroit over the past 11 years. The 18 defendants are:

■CLARENCE WILLIAMSON, JR., a/k/a “Dawg” and “Junior,” 48, of Southfield, MI

■ANTHONY BERNARDE EDWARDS, a/k/a “Ant” and “Mick,” 40, of Southfield, MI

■DARYL KEITH SEWELL, a/k/a “D-Nice,” 43, of Arizona

■MALCOLM MARTINES LONG, a/k/a “Black,” 38, of Macomb Township, MI

■ISAAC JOHNSON SHEPPARD, 30, of Detroit, MI

■CARL LEE JONES, a/k/a “Pookie,” 30, of Farmington Hills, MI

■GEOFFREY LAMAR HIGHTOWER, a/k/a “Chief,” 40, of Wayne, MI

■DENNIS CORNELIUS TATE, a/k/a “Deezy” and “Terrence,” 36, of Belleville, MI

■KENDRAH SMARTT, a/k/a “Old Girl,” 46, of Colorado

■TERRENCE LYNN PRITCHETT, a/k/a “Cowboy” and “C-Bo,” 40, of Detroit, MI

■JOHN LIGHTING III, a/k/a “J-Rock,” 29, of Detroit, MI

■SHAUN DEVON ASKEW, a/k/a “Dot,” 28, of Detroit, MI

■JOHNNY RICHARDS, JR., 43, of Roseville, MI

■JAAMI TOWNSEND, a/k/a “Jam,” 33, of Plymouth, MI

■DENISE DARRINE WILLIAMSON, a/k/a “Neecey,” 42, of Detroit, MI

■ERIKA ROYCE FLOWERS, a/k/a “E,” 29, of Detroit, MI

■THEBERA SHLANDA FLOWERS, 47, of Detroit, MI

■TERRELL RAYNARD CLARK, 23, of Detroit, MI

Isaac Johnson Sheppard is in custody in Detroit, and Kendrah Smartt is in custody in the State of Nebraska.

“We need to find new ways to address gun, drug, and violent crimes,” McQuade said. “Our law enforcement agencies are working together to use our resources in strategic ways.”

“The FBI remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners, particularly through our Violent Gang Task Force, and working with prosecutors to aggressively investigate drug dealing organizations,” Arena said.

Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Robert Corso stated, “The arrests that stemmed from this investigation are strong examples of the positive results that can be achieved when state, local and federal law enforcement agencies work together to fight drug trafficking. The DEA will continue to work with our partners to make our community safer by focusing on dismantling violent drug organizations.”

The most serious charge in the indictment, conspiracy to distribute more than five kilograms of powder cocaine and more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, carries a penalty of 10 years to life imprisonment.

An indictment is a charging document and not evidence of guilt. Each and every defendant is presumed to be innocent. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Portelli.

Akron Man Sentenced to Life for Ordering Murder-for-Hire

Roy Christopher West, 36, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced late yesterday on charges of Conspiracy to Use Interstate Commerce Facilities in the Commission of Murder-for-Hire, United States Attorney Barbara L. McQuade announced.

U.S. Attorney McQuade was joined in the announcement by Andrew G. Arena, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

West was sentenced by United States District Judge Victoria A. Roberts to life in prison without parole. West was found guilty on April 15, 2011, by a federal jury in Detroit, Michigan following a 10-day trial.

The jury found that West conspired to murder Leonard Jermone Day in retaliation for stealing approximately $100,000 in cash and $250,000 worth of jewelry from Roy West.

During the trial, the jury listened to wiretaps which revealed that, after the theft, West began calling his family and associates, saying that he would give money to anyone who found Day. On December 20, 2005, Detroit Police found Day sitting in his truck after being ambushed by gunfire.

A separate jury found co-defendant Marcus Freeman guilty for his participation in the conspiracy. He was sentenced to life imprisonment on June 20, 2011. Michael Bracey pled guilty to the murder conspiracy on October 25, 2010, and Alvino Cornelius pled guilty to a superseding information that charged him with drug trafficking on October 21, 2010. Bracey and Cornelius are awaiting sentencing. One remaining defendant, Christopher Scott, is scheduled to begin trial on October 17, 2011.

United States Attorney McQuade thanked the Detroit office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Detroit Police Department, the Greater Akron Area HIDTA Initiative, which is a task force led by the Akron offices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Agency for their efforts that lead to this successful prosecution.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth A. Stafford and Michael C. Leibson.

ATF and Detroit Tigers Celebrate 17-Year “GREAT” Partnership and the Anti-gang Program's 20th Anniversary

DETROIT – Assistant Special Agent in Charge William Temple of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) announced that today’s baseball game between the Detroit Tigers and the Tampa Bay Rays marks a 17-year partnership between ATF and the Detroit Tigers Organization with the Gang Resistance Education And Training “GREAT” anti-gang program. Additionally, this year marks the 20th anniversary of the national GREAT program.

“The Detroit Tigers Organization has dedicated a game each year to the GREAT program and the Tigers continue to demonstrate the team’s commitment to the education and training of the children of Michigan,” said Temple.

“ATF and the Detroit Tigers salute our law enforcement partners, the Detroit and Brownstown Police Departments, for their longstanding commitment to GREAT and to educating our youth in Michigan,” he added.

Approximately 1,300 students from Detroit, Brownstown Township, Gibraltar, Rockwood, and Woodhaven are scheduled to attend today’s game, dressed in their GREAT t-shirts that indicate their effort to avoid gangs and youth violence. GREAT officers will chaperone the students along with school administrators, teachers and parent volunteers.

Others expected to join Temple at today»s game in support of GREAT are Brownstown’s Director of Public Safety James S. Sclater, Detroit Police Deputy Chief James W. Tolbert and GREAT Midwest Regional Administrator Lieutenant Raj Ramnarace.

With the support and guidance of specially trained law enforcement officers, GREAT students develop beliefs and practice behaviors that will help them avoid destructive conduct. They learn to set goals, resist pressures, respect differences, resolve conflicts, and understand how gangs negatively impact the quality of their lives. The students also learn the importance of becoming responsible members of their communities. The 13-week GREAT curriculum is available to students at the middle school level.

The goals of GREAT include the following:

•Reduce the incidence of violent youth crime.

•Resolve conflicts without resorting to violence.

•Provide youth with skills to make sound choices.

•Provide activities for GREAT graduates during summer months.

•Involve teachers, parents, and communities.

•Teach youth to recognize indicators of gang involvement in their communities.

ATF developed and implemented the GREAT program with the Phoenix Police Department in 1991 to deter youth violence and crime by reducing involvement in gangs. ATF currently has numerous partnerships with local and state agencies, as well as with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and the Police Athletic League.

Nationwide, more than 6 million children have trained in the GREAT program. To date, approximately 11,650 officers from 2,400 agencies representing 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Canada, Bermuda, the United Kingdom, and military personnel from overseas bases have been trained to present the GREAT curriculum in elementary and middle school classrooms.

ATF recognizes that enforcement efforts need to be combined with prevention to successfully combat the problems of gangs in our communities. For additional information on the program, visit GREAT at http://www.great-online.org.

More information on ATF can be found at atf.gov.

United States Attorney's Office to Hold Town Hall Meeting on Violent Crime

“Lets Work Together to Prevent Violent Crime”

The United States Attorney's Office, along with several local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, as well as community service agencies, have come together to form the Comprehensive Violence Reduction Partnership (CVRP). The aim of CVRP is to bring together resources from every law enforcement stakeholder serving the metropolitan Detroit area to effect a measurable decrease in the incidence of violent crime.

One of the key components critical to the success of CVRP is community outreach. In an effort to bring law enforcement and the community together to discuss this very important issue, the United States Attorney's office has put together a town hall meeting entitled "Lets Work Together to Prevent Violent Crime," being held at Western International High School, 1500 Scotten Street, Detroit, Michigan 48209 on Thursday, November 4, 2010, from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. Felipe Martinez, Multi-Cultural Liaison for the City of Detroit will moderate the town hall.

United States Attorney Barbara McQuade stated, “We refuse to simply accept the current violent crime rate as normal. We all have a stake in reducing violent crime, and we have the power to change our destiny if we all work together."

Our highlighted speakers will include Barbara L. McQuade, United States Attorney; Kym Worthy, Wayne County Prosecutor; Thomas Brandon, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Ralph Godbee, Chief, Detroit Police Department; and Andrew Arena, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation. Also in attendance will be representatives from Homeland Security Investigations, Michigan Department of Corrections, Michigan State Police, U.S. Marshal's Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Wayne County Sheriff's Department.

The event is open to the public and the media are invited to attend. If you have any questions, please contact Gina Balaya, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office at Gina.Balaya@usdoj.gov or call (313) 226-9758.

Three LAPD Cops

Police-Writers.com is a website that lists nearly 750 state and local police officers who have written books. The website added three LAPD police officers.

Ronald M. McCarthy served as a Los Angeles police officer for over 24 years. He was assigned to the tactical unit, Metro Division, for 20 years and retired from Special Weapons and Tactics as the senior supervisor and assistant commander. Ronald McCarthy was the chief of Tactical Operations for the Department of Energy from 1984 through 1986. He was the director of the Deadly Force Training Grants for the Department of Justice and the International Association of Chiefs of Police from 1986 through 1988.

Since 1992, Ronald McCarthy has been the owner of R.M. McCarthy & Associates, a training, consulting, and marketing resource for law enforcement. He has trained police officers from Europe, South America, the Middle East, and more than 30,000 police officers and military here in the United States.

Ronald McCarthy is the co-author of The Management of Police Specialized Tactical Units. According to the book description, “Managerial responsibility of a SWAT team requires continuous research in the material area of long-term criminal trends as well as keeping abreast of new developments in relevant tactics, technology, and techniques of law enforcement and the legal issues covering their use. The Management of Police Specialized Tactical Units explains the steps for developing and maintaining a realistic, effective response to increasing levels of violent crime. The book makes extensive use of actual field examples such as the North Hollywood Bank of America Shootout, the Mogadishu Airport Incident, the Springle Street Incident, and the confrontation between police and the Symbionese Liberation Army.”

E. W. “Ted” Oglesby was a Los Angeles Police Department police officer for 31 years. He is the author of Angel Dust: What everyone should know about PCP and the co-author of Street Narcotic Enforcement.

Sergeant Thomas E. Page, LAPD (ret.) is the former Officer-in-Charge of the Los Angeles Police Department's Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) Unit. Thomas Page is a 22-year veteran of law enforcement, having served in both the Los Angeles Police Department and Detroit Police Departments. During his career with the Los Angeles Police Department, Sergeant Thomas Page was the coordinator for the 1985 Los Angeles Field Validation Test (173 case study) of the DRE Procedure. This study validated the effectiveness and reliability of a standardized and systematic approach to drug influence recognition. These procedures have been adopted nationwide by professionals in government, law enforcement, military, private industry and health care.

Thomas Page has taught drug influence recognition and the behavioral indicators of drug use to a wide range of audiences. These audiences include the American Bar Association, Northwestern University Traffic Institute, the California Department of Mental Health, the Swedish National Police Federation in Stockholm, the Russian Procuracy Training Academy in Moscow, the Victoria Police in Melbourne, Australia, the Department of the Army, nurses, physicians, psychiatrists, toxicologists, and private industry. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Industrial Psychology, and his Master of Arts degree in Urban Affairs from the University of Detroit.

Thomas Page is the co-author of Drug Information Handbook for the Criminal Justice Professional and the co-editor of Medical-Legal Aspects of Abused Substances: Old And New - Licit And Illicit.

According to Drug Information Handbook for the Criminal Justice Professional, it is a “Compilation of over 570 drugs, agents, and substances for the criminal justice professional.”

According to Medical-Legal Aspects of Abused Substances: Old And New - Licit And Illicit, “If you regularly handle cases involving substance abuse or need information on newly compounded substances, as well as re-discovered drugs of abuse such as Ecstasy, Meth, PCP, Gamma Hydroxy Butyrate, otherwise know as the "Date Rape Drug", and Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids popular with today’s athletes, this is your reference of choice.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 746 police officers (representing 346 police departments) and their 1587 police 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.

Westerns, practical firearms and police cruisers

Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. Law enforcement officers Larry L. Layman, Evan Marshall and Edwin Sanow were added to the website.

Larry L. Layman is a 30 year veteran of the Peoria Police Department (Illinois). He is the author of seven westerns. According to Larry Layman, he was born a century too late and “instead of forking his blaze sorrel and heading down the trail,” he has spent three decades riding the inner city streets of Peoria. His books include: Jessie Buxton, Jose Baca, Paxton McAllister, Tyler James, Buck Moline, Tom Livengood and Lema.

According to the description of Larry Layman’s latest book, Jose Baca, “they came as a four headed demon from hell itself. All were brandishing some type of club or blade. No time did I have to take notice. My staff I ripped left to right across in front of me, the tip found the face of the closest savage. Damage was done as the man's hands went for his eyes.”

Evan Marshall is a Special Weapons and Tactics trainer for a federal agency with counterterrorist responsibilities. He retired from the Detroit Police Department after 20 years of service. His assignments included Tactical Unit, Crime Scene Investigation, Homicide and the Special Response Team. He has trained groups as diverse as the Federal Air Marshals and the U.S. Army Special Reaction Team. His articles on ammunition, ballistics and tactics have appeared in the law enforcement and firearms press over the past 25 years. Evan Marshall co-authored a series of three books with Ed Sanow: Stopping Power: A Practical Analysis of the Latest Handgun Ammunition; Handgun Stopping Power: The Definitive Study; and, Street Stoppers: The Latest Handgun Stopping Power Street Results.

According to the book description of Stopping Power: A Practical Analysis of the Latest Handgun Ammunition (third in the series, published March 2001), “Evan Marshall and Ed Sanow rocked the firearms world with the release of Handgun Stopping Power and Street Stoppers. Both books predicted the effectiveness of all types of ammunition by studying the results of real-life shootings rather than relying on laboratory tests that ignored the dynamics of an actual gunfight. This third book in the series provides the very latest street results of all the major handgun calibers, from .22 LR to .45 ACP, as well as popular rifle and shotgun loads. It also contains chapters on short-barrel ballistics, the emergence of the hot new .357 SIG caliber, the continued success of the .40 S&W, the development of the latest exotic ammo, the effectiveness of black powder firearms and a brand-new ammo test protocol based on the results of the many gunfights of U.S. Border Patrol officers.”

Corporal Edwin “Ed” Sanow is the senior reserve deputy and a 14-year veteran with the Benton County Sheriff's Department (Indiana). He is a Team Leader with the Benton County Multi-agency Response Team and the field training officer for the reserve force. Ed Sanow is the author of more than 1,000 articles on ammunition and stopping power. In October 2000, he became the editor of Law and Order magazine. He co-authored three books with Evan Marshall: Stopping Power: A Practical Analysis of the Latest Handgun Ammunition; Handgun Stopping Power: The Definitive Study; and, Street Stoppers: The Latest Handgun Stopping Power Street Results.

Edwin Sanow is the author of Encyclopedia of American Police Cars. According to the book description, “This giant, hardbound reference features the finest cars built for North American law enforcement agencies, from the 1930s to today. Arranged in chronological order, the encyclopedic collection of archival photography is complemented by a concise text revealing the evolution of the police car including standard equipment, special options, and model histories.”

He also authored Chevrolet Police Cars (April 1997) and Ford Police Cars: 1932-1997 (1997); and, co-authored Dodge, Plymouth & Chrysler Police Cars 1979-1994 (February 1996); Dodge, Plymouth & Chrysler Police Cars 1956-1978 (October 1994).

Police-Writers.com now hosts 594 police officers (representing 253 police departments) and their 1245 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.

1000 Cop Books

Police-Writers.com is a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books. With the addition of books written by police officer Larry Nevers, Leonard Territo and Neal Trautman, Police-Writers.com now lists over 1000 books written by America’s state and local Cops.

Larry Nevers became a police officer for the Detroit Police Department at the age of twenty-eight. During his 24 year career, he spent four years in patrol and the next twenty years in a variety of undercover assignments. During his career, he made more than 5,000 felony arrests, received over 100 Detroit Police Department honors. Moreover, he was awarded the Michigan Police Chiefs Association Medal.

According to the book description, Good Cops, Bad Verdict “is Detroit police officer Larry Nevers’s own account of how a good arrest turned into a nightmare that left a stubbornly resisting cocaine user dead and two respected veteran policeman on trial for murder. Nevers, at the time only a few months from retirement as one of the city’s most decorated cops, was convicted in a racially charged trial broadcast on national television. Nevers explains in compelling detail the reasons he believes it was the criminal justice system, not he and his partner, that ran amok in the matter of Malice Green’s death.”

Dr. Leonard Territo is a Professor of Criminology, at the University of South Florida, Prior to joining the faculty at the University of South Florida, he served as a Major and then as Chief Deputy with the Leon County Sheriff's Office (Florida). Prior to his service with the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, his law enforcement career included nearly nine years with the Tampa Police Department (Florida). While a police officer with the Tampa Police Department, he worked uniformed patrol, motorcycle officer, detectives and was a member of the police academy training staff. Dr. Leonard Territo is the former chairperson of the Department of Police Administration and Director of the Florida Institute for Law Enforcement at St. Petersburg Junior College, St. Petersburg, Florida.

His academic credentials include an Associate in Arts in Police Administration, a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Social Science, a Master of Arts in Political Science, and a Doctor of Education.

Dr. Leonard Territo has coauthored some of the leading books in the law enforcement profession including: Police Civil Liability; Police Administration; Stress and Police Personnel; The Police Personnel Selection Process; Crime and Justice in America; Hospital and College Security Liability; and, College Crime Prevention and Personal Safety Awareness. His books are presently being used in over 950 colleges and universities in 50 states and he has had numerous articles published in nationally recognized law enforcement and legal journals.

Dr. Neal Trautman’s sixteen year law enforcement career included working as a police officer for the Winter Park Police Department and work with the Florida State Attorney General’s Office. Currently, Dr. Neil Trautman is Director of both the Global Institute of Law Enforcement Supervision at the University of Southern MS and the nonprofit National Institute of Ethics. He is also the President of the International Association of Ethics Trainers and was previously a founder of the Law Enforcement Television Network (LETN). He completed his doctorate course work at the University of Central Florida and the University of Miami. His dissertation and doctorate degree was fulfilled at St. John’s University.

Neal Trautman has authored eleven books, been the researcher for extensive national studies, instructed over 600 ethics seminars and was bestowed the ASLET, Joseph Boyd Award for Service to Society. He chaired the International Association of Chiefs of Police Ethics Sub-Committee; Chaired the American Society for Law Enforcement Trainers, Ethics Committee; Co-chaired the IACP Police Image and Ethics Committee; and Chaired the ASLET Professional Development Committee. His books include: How to Be a Great Cop; Police Work: A Career Survival Guide; A Study of Law Enforcement: A Comprehensive Study of the World's Greatest, Yet Most Difficult, Profession; Law Enforcement In-Service Training Programs: Practical and Realistic Solutions to Law Enforcement's In-Service Training Dilemma; The Cutting Edge of Police Integrity; Fifty Things Teens Can Do to Fight Drugs; Landing a Law Enforcement Job; Protecting Your Kids From Internet Predators - 81 Ways To Keep Them Safe; How to Be a Great Corrections Officer; Law Enforcement: The Making of a Profession : A Comprehensive Guide for the Police to Achieve and Sustain Professionalism; and, Internet Safety Workbook.

Police-Writers.com now hosts 477 police officers (representing 204 police departments) and their 1005 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.

Officer in Trouble

Police-Writers.com is a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books. Three police officers who have written books about officers in trouble were added to the website.

Officer in Trouble is based on the real life experiences of its author, James Crawford, a veteran of the Detroit Police Department. According to the book description, “an intense and committed man, Lieutenant James Crawford dedicated himself to making Detroit's finest one of the best departments in the nation. His efforts, however, were not always appreciated and often he found himself on the wrong side of the political battlefields. Against insurmountable odds, he continued to fight until succumbing to the realization that he might win a battle or two, but he could never win the war.”

A second book entitled Officer in Trouble was also written by a Detroit Police Department police officer. In 1981, over ten years prior to James Crawford’s book, James Viner, a six year veteran of the Detroit Police Department, wrote his novel. Whereas James Crawford’s book is a true-life account, James Viner’s is “fiction, but the dilemmas, challenges, pressures and doubts faced by the men in blue are real.”

In Prison for 31 years, former New York Police Department police officer William Phillips is the co-author of his memoir, On the Pad. According to a recent interviewed by Geoffrey Gray, (February 27, 2007), in the New York Times, “The trouble started one spring day in 1971 at P. J. Clarke’s, the glittering bar and hamburger restaurant on Third Avenue. This place, typically overrun with police officers, bookmakers, ballplayers and prizefighters, was Mr. Phillips’s hangout. He was only a patrolman, but looking at him, you’d never know it.

“I dressed like a million dollars,” Mr. Phillips said during one of two interviews conducted at Fishkill last year. “I was an East Side guy. Making money, hanging around, chasing broads. I was just a fun-loving guy. I mean, I would meet a gal, we would hit it off, go do different things, have fun, she’d drift off and someone else would come along and that’s it.” Or, as he put it in his memoir, “On the Pad,” published in 1973: “My life was one big fun.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 452 police officers (representing 191 police departments) and their 947 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.

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.

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.