Have you ever been driving along the highway, passed over a bridge, and wondered what was below? Well, I satisfied my curiosity last weekend by exploring beneath a bridge in coastal Georgia. What I found was a collection of docked shrimp boats (and other watercraft) and the remnants of old waterfront buildings. Their foundations were made of oyster shells and mortar.
Very tranquil, and well worth the stop.
The Graveyard Shift extends our condolences to the families of each of these brave officers.
Sergeant Timothy Prunty, 44
Shreveport Louisiana Police Department
October 24, 2010 – Sergeant Tim Prunty was shot and killed in an ambush style attack. He had just completed a check on a business and was standing near his car talking to the owner when a man drove up and opened fire on him. Although Sgt. Prunty was struck multiple times he was able to return fire before collapsing to the ground.
Sgt. Prunty is survived by his twin brother, also an officer with the department.
Funeral procession for Sgt. Prunt
Officer John Abraham, 37
Teaneck New Jersey Police Department
October 25, 2010 – Officer John Abraham was killed when his car collided with a utility pole. He is survived by his wife and son.
Deputy Sheriff Odell McDuffie Jr., 43
Liberty County Texas Sheriff’s Department
October 25, 2010 – Deputy Sheriff Odell McDuffie, Jr. was killed when his patrol car left the highway and struck a grove of trees. He is remembered by his fellow officers as a gentle giant who used his infectious smile rather than force to calm tense situations. Deputy McDuffie is survived by his wife and three daughters.
Captain George Green, 56
Oklahoma Highway Patrol
October 26, 2010 – Captain George Green was killed when a dump truck slammed into the side of his patrol car. Captain Green had served 31 years with the department and was six months from retirement.
Lieutenant Jose A. Cordova-Montañez
Puerto Rico Police Department
October 26, 2010 – Lt. Jose Cordova-Montañez was shot and killed while off duty when he attempted to intervene during an armed robbery. He leaves behind his wife, four children, and several grandchildren.
Officer Christopher A. Wilson, 50
San Diego California Police Department
October 27, 2010 – Officer Christopher Wilson was killed during an intense gun battle that began after officers attempted to arrest a wanted suspect. A police K-9 was also wounded during the incident. Officer Wilson is survived by his son and daughter.
A police investigator marks evidence at the scene where Officer Wilson was fatally shot – LA Times photo
– Thanks to ODMP
Working as a police officer on Halloween poses special challenges. Think about it. In a world where someone wearing a mask is normally thought to be up to no good, you’re suddenly faced with scores of masked citizens. Kids are out and about darting in and out of traffic. They’re excited and and may not listen as well as they normally would. And practical jokes go horribly wrong. Needless to say, it can be a wild and trying night for cops.
Here’s a short list of tips for officers working the streets on one of their busiest nights of the year.
1. Stay alert. If it looks wrong, then it probably is.
2. Carry copies of outstanding warrants with you—the people you’ve been unable to locate. This is the one night when the dummies will probably answer the door thinking you’re a trick-or-treater.
3. Carry some candy in your patrol car. It’s the perfect time to show kids that you’re really one of the good guys.
4. Watch out for lone costumed adults, or those walking in groups. They’re probably up to no good.
5. Watch out for people tossing things off overpasses. For some reason, Halloween seems to be THE night to bomb police cars with bricks, rocks, and pumpkins.
6. Be alert for kids who wear actual guns as part of their costumes.
7. Park your patrol car and walk for a while. Mingle with the trick-or-treaters. Keep them safe. It also keeps the bad guys guessing your next move.
8. Drive slower than normal. Watch for kids!
9. Keep an eye on the registered sex offenders. They aren’t allowed to pass out candy! They shouldn’t be opening the door for any kids, either. And they shouldn’t have Halloween decorations displayed in their yard or on the house. Pay them a pre-Halloween visit to remind them of their court-ordered restrictions.
10. I preferred to patrol with my car window down, even in the winter time. Halloween is the only night of the year when I didn’t. Too many flying objects!
11. If possible, have extra officers working the streets on foot, in plain clothes.
12. Bring plenty of extra handcuffs. You’ll probably need them before the night is over.
13. Please, please, please wear your vest!
And to everyone else…
Want to protect your home and business against thieves and potential robbers? Well, you may want to consider a unique system called SelectADNA.
The idea behind SelectDNA is quite simple, actually. Spray heads are installed at each entry point, and when the would-be burglar steps inside he’s instantly squirted with a burst of the SelectADNA solution. The spray is a harmless combination of a UV tracer and a special DNA code. The DNA is unique to a particular location, and to make him easy to locate, the bad guy glows when exposed to an ultraviolet light.
It’s difficult to remove the solution. Sure, it can be washed off, eventually. But it also gathers in the nostrils, under the fingernails, and in folds of skin (wrinkles), where it remains for a long, long time. Police in the U.K. have installed UV lights in their police stations and, as a part of booking, scan all suspects. This process often results in an immediate confession.
Normally, merely posting the SelectDNA sign is enough to ward off would-be thieves.
Another product, SelectADNA Grease, can be used to protect specific items, such as copper piping and other highly sought after goods.
Apply a coat of the grease to the items and when touched by the crook the material transfers to his hands, clothing, etc. Again, the thief is easily identifiable when exposed to UV light. The material is also easily traceable to its owner.
This episode of Castle deserves a big standing O. So let’s get that out of the way first by bringing out the applause bears…
Thanks, guys. I hope we see you again later in the episode.
Sure, there were a few bumps along the police procedure trail, but this isn’t a training film. However, writer David Amann (Without a Trace, X-Files, Crossing Jordan, Chicago Hope) certainly must have a book on police procedure sitting on his bookshelf because the procedure and terminology in this episode was pretty darn good.
Speaking of police procedure books on a writer’s bookshelf… Did anyone see Lee Child on CBS Sunday Morning? I was watching the interview and there it was, just to Lee’s immediate right. Yep, my book sitting on his bookshelf, in his office, and within easy reach…my book.
Okay, okay…back to Castle.
Yes, David Amann has penned one of THE best Castle episodes to date. And here are a few reasons why I say so.
– Lanie Parish said…wait, before we hear what she had to say let’s bring out the bears again.
– Lanie Parish actually said she determined the time of death based on the victim’s liver temperature instead of lividity. Finally!!! Of course, the victim was still fully clothed and undisturbed, but we’ll let that slide. She got the terminology correct for once in what, three years? And she said it like she knew what she was talking about, too.
– Lanie also, for once, gave an OPINION of cause of death—“looks like strangulation”—instead of diagnosing in the field, pre-autopsy. Good, good, and good stuff.
– Lanie made the statement that she only listens to directions/orders/ideas when they come from Beckett, not Castle. That’s true, an M.E. would listen to a cop’s ideas, but they don’t take orders from the police. Still, I don’t believe that was the intended message here. So I’m still pulling for Lanie Parish here (never thought you’d here that on this site, huh?).
– I liked Beckett’s briefing room spiel. It took me back to my days as a detective serving search warrants. We conducted briefings like that all the time. Well done.
Here they come again…
This standing O is for Beckett because, for the first time, she didn’t get on the phone and order someone to bring a prison inmate to her. Instead, she went to the prison to visit to conduct her interview. That’s how it’s done in the real world.
– Before storming a building looking for a dangerous serial killer, Esposito spouts off things like how many people are inside the place, who they are, etc. That’s great information, and that’s how cops do it. They try to send someone inside (an informant or undercover officer) to gather information before “going in.” All a matter of safety for everyone. I was also glad to see the captain “suited up” and along for the takedown. I’ve seen that more than one time over the years. The big dogs don’t always sleep on the porch. They, too, like a little action, sometimes. Not often, but sometimes. And, I liked the captain’s involvement in the case. Great scenes.
– The things listed on the search warrant—items searched for, etc.—were all things you’d find on an actual search warrant.
– Beckett talked a pretty good game with the murder suspect. She was on a fishing trip, and for the most part used good bait.
– Castle asked the captain if the probable cause they had would hold up. He responded with, “Only in the movies.” Well, it normally holds up in Castle episodes. I hope they’ve left that trend behind.
– Beckett had a “gut feeling” about the suspect (with no real evidence) and ordered a surveillance detail on him. She said, “I don’t want that son of a bitch out of our sight.” Great stuff, and great line. Beckett’s as tough as old leather, yet she’s as soft as satin. Great combination.
– Everyone worked on different aspects of the case. Detectives were everywhere—digging, working the streets, etc. That’s how it’s done. Not in a clump like they normally do things on this show. Think of a triangle. Investigations start with a wide base, then as information comes together, everyone involved eventually reaches the peak. Again, great writing.
– Beckett used the prison term “shot caller.” Great! A shot caller is a boss, or leader in prison. What they say, goes. No questions asked. If they order that someone be killed, then someone had better do the killing. If not, well, guess who gets killed next.
– The suspect said he’d confess only if his foster brother was granted immunity from prosecution. I’ve seen that done many times in the past, and I thought it was a great touch in this episode.
Nice twist at the end…but, I’m without a DVR, therefore, I missed a few things.
I have questions for you guys, now.
1. Why did the killer want his girlfriend dead?
2. Where did the killer get enough money to pay for an operation? He’d been in prison for quite a while, right? And foster care before that.
Oh, the killer didn’t kill Castle and Ryan…was that believable? I say yes. Do you? Why, or why not?
Finally, the hand-holding at the end…perfect ending to a great episode!
The Graveyard Shift extends our condolences to the families of each of these brave officers.
Petty Officer Shaun Lin, 23
United States Coast Guard Office of Law Enforcement
October 13, 2010 – Petty Officer Shaun Lin was killed during a training exercise near the Monitor-Merrimac Bridge Tunnel in Virginia.
Sergeant Joseph (Joe) Schuengel, 47
Missouri State Highway Patrol
October 15, 2010 – Sergeant Joe Schuengel was killed in a helicopter crash while returning to the airport in one of the department’s traffic enforcement helicopters.
Sergeant Sean Drenth, 35
Phoenix Arizona Police Department
October 18, 2010 – After dispatchers were unable to reach Sgt. Drenth by radio, a search was initiated. Officers found his body lying in an alley near his patrol car. He had been shot to death.
Officer Tommy Portz, 32
Baltimore Maryland City Police Department
October 20, 2010 – Officer Tommy Portz was killed when his patrol struck the rear of a stopped fire truck. The fire crew had responded to an injured person lying in the roadway. Officer Portz had been traveling at a high rate of speed when the crash occurred.
*Thanks to ODMP
One of the most dangerous aspects of police work is search warrant service. Officers never know what’s waiting for them on the other side of those doors. What they do know is that to ensure safety for everyone, including those on the inside, entry must be swift. To get inside quickly officers use a variety of devices and tools, including the Ram-It All In One pictured above.
The Ram-It comes complete with built in features, such as a hand protector and breaching tool and pry bar.
The Super Ram-It Battering Ram is 50lbs of solid steel with a non-sparking head. The Super Ram can be used by one or two officers.
The Heavy-Duty Tactical Entry Set includes all the major tools needed gain entry into the toughest of bad guy hidey holes.
50lb ram
Go bar (pry bar)
Bolt cutter
Shove it knife pops open spring latches
Hydraulic door jamb spreader opens any jamb wide enough to allow the door to easily swing open.
1. No matter how hot or uncomfortable they are, always wear your vest. Bad guys carry guns on sunny days, too.
2. Always double-lock handcuffs. Just a quick click can have disastrous results.
Remember, crooks sometimes practice escaping cuffs with only one lock (the ratchet) secured. And, double-locking prevents the cuffs from becoming too tight on a suspect’s wrists.
3. Search every suspect thoroughly before placing them in your police car. Officers have been injured or killed because they skipped this simple step.
4. Don’t be shy when searching criminals. Weapons have been found in every imaginable place, and some have been found in places you don’t want to imagine.
5. Use the same caution when arresting females as you would when arresting male suspects. You’re just as dead when killed by a woman.
6. When engaged in a vehicle pursuit never fixate on the suspect’s tail lights. If he runs off the road and crashes you’ll likely follow. Instead, watch the entire vehicle and where it’s headed. Be aware of your surroundings at all times.
7. When responding to a call in an unfamiliar area, always plan an escape route. Never drive into an ambush situation.
8. Never allow tunnel vision to run your investigation. The deadly blow could come from the side.
9. Never let your guard down. The well-dressed man with the flashy smile just might be Ted Bundy.
10. Don’t let your job come before family.
Another episode of Castle has come and gone and now it’s time for the review. Along with the commentary will come the usual small mountain of hate mail from die-hard Castle fans who read this blog every week and then declare open season on me for the comments I write about their beloved characters. I’ve tried to explain to the haters that I actually like the show. I like the characters. I like the actors. And I like the stories…for the most part. Oh, and I really don’t take it personally when the writers butcher the world of forensics and police work. I know that Tamala Jones is an actor. I know she’s not really the worst medical examiner in the world, even though her character is. You know why the horrible portrayal of cops and pathologists doesn’t bother me? Because the show is fiction and, for the most part, it’s a comedy.
The purpose of this blog post is to educate anyone who’s interested in learning about what’s real and what’s not (about police procedure and forensics) on Castle. For example, this show frequently uses lividity to determine the time of death. That’s not real, and I’ve pointed it out several times.
One can forgive an error if it’s close to the truth, but this one is so far off base they may as well have used something from another field entirely to determine TOD. Hmm…speaking of field, why not use something from the farm in place of lividity? It would sound just as dumb to those of us in the business of crime-solving. So let’s substitute “pig’s snout” in place of lividity each time Lanie incorrectly uses the term.
Okay, that’s out of the way. So off we go…
This week’s body find was a double play—two stiffs in one casket. Now that’s a brilliant way to dispose of a body, isn’t it. Well, it is if the killer is a mortician. Anyone else would have a hard time sneaking a body inside the casket after it was sealed by the funeral home folks. And I think the embalmers would notice an extra corpse prior to sealing the box.
I figure the best two places to commit a murder would be a funeral home (then you could easily incinerate the evidence) and a morgue (tough place for CSI to sort out DNA, huh?).
Did you know there was a third murder this week? That’s right, a third victim was brutally killed off screen and M.E. Lanie P. should be charged for repeatedly stabbing me with her stupid babble. And one of the first words out of her mouth was lividity (I wrote the first section of this post BEFORE I watched the show). That’s how predictable she is.
Again, let’s get Lanie’s goofiness out of the way:
– So (remember, we’re substituting words here) Lanie says, “According to the pig’s snout the time of death was between 7 and 9 last night. See how ridiculous that sounds? Well, that’s what it sounds like to me when she uses other terms and procedures incorrectly.
– Lanie P. also said she found a bruise on the back of the victim’s neck, but it wasn’t the cause of death. The only way she could possibly know that is because she’d already read the script. Anyone else would have to wait until the autopsy was complete.
– She said she found gray nylon fibers on the body. How’d she know they were nylon? They hadn’t been tested yet. BUT, she did say later that she’d sent the fibers to the lab for testing. HOORAY! She finally sent something to a lab instead of doing it all herself. Castle writers…that wasn’t too hard, was it? That’s all you had to do to make this character more believable. Doesn’t take any more time or space to have her say things like that. Lanie even sounded more credible (for that one split second) when she mentioned it.
– She told Beckett that she’d found a needle mark in the victim’s neck. She then said the person who caused the needle mark to be there had inserted an empty syringe into the carotid artery and then pumped an air bubble into the brain, which caused the death. How’d she know the syringe was empty? No way to tell. Besides, it was far too soon to have any tox results back. Cause of death could have been any number of things.
Okay, enough of L.P.’s nonsense. Let’s move on…
– I like it when Beckett and Castle bounce ideas back and forth. Good way to come up with theories.
– Beckett tells the guy (an investigator) who was last seen with the victim that he’d better cooperate or she’d have to arrest him. For what?
– Beckett tells one of her partners to have a prison fax her a list of everyone who’d visited an inmate during the past six months. I’m sure the prison officials are still laughing at her request. And they had even more reason to bust a gut when she told her cohorts to go to the prison and tell the warden to search an inmate’s cell and then bring that prisoner back to the police department. An officer has no authority at a prison. None. And a prison would never allow a police officer to simple drive over and pick up an inmate. If officers need to speak to a prisoner they go to the facility. Prisoners aren’t allowed outside without a prison escort, and only then for court or medical reasons (unless they’re on a work detail).
– The whole “fake a stroke using morphine and other drugs” scenario was totally unbelievable. Apparently, no one from the show did any research about prison procedures. Where were the mandatory prison guards/officers during this entire silly scenario? What about how the nurses obtained the drugs? Narcotics have to be accounted for. They’re kept in a locked cabinet that requires a code or key to be opened. And the requirements for documentation are tough.
And someone from the morgue released the body of a prison inmate before prison officials were able to confirm the death?? No way…just plain silly.
At the end we see the suspects (the male nurse and the prison escapee who faked her own death) sitting in the same cell. That would never happen. Male and female prisoners are segregated for obvious reasons. And these two offered double the reason for separation—they’re lovers and they’d just pulled off an escape.
And wasn’t it sweet that Beckett was able to report that charges would be dropped against the two because of a lack of evidence in the female inmate’s original trial. Well, I’m sorry, but that has nothing to do with the escape, the illegal drugs, document falsifying, abuse of a corpse, and the dozens of other crimes she and her boyfriend had just committed. Those charges would stand.
The rest of the show (the lovey-dovey stuff) was pretty believable, and good, with the exception of one major point. Someone said Taylor Swift could…well, you be the judge. Here she is with Stevie Nicks.
