Frequently Asked Questions about the Writers’ Police Academy

FAQ: WPA

 

Frequently Asked Questions about the Writers’ Police Academy

 

1. What is FATS?


FATS is an acronym for Firearms Training Simulator.

– WPA recruits experience shoot/don’t shoot scenarios

– For a detailed workshop description visit https://leelofland.com/?p=7045

 

2. What should I wear to the WPA?


Wear comfortable clothing and comfortable shoes. And please remember, the event is held in September in the south. It could be very warm and humid. You should also be prepared for the normal afternoon rain showers.

Attire for the reception is casual.

Business casual is acceptable for the banquet, but you’re more than welcome to take it up a notch!

 

3. What if I can’t keep up with everyone?

The WPA is not physically demanding. Yes, the event is a hands-on event, but it’s designed so that WPA recruits can do as much or as little as they want. The experience is wonderful no matter what you do or don’t do!

There is no running, exercising, lifting, pushing, pulling, etc. There is, however, some walking involved. Yes, you will be expected to walk from workshop to workshop.

The entire event is wheelchair friendly. Service dogs are welcome, too. BUT…please keep in mind that police canines will be on site and they sometimes do not mingle well…

Please, no animals other than service dogs. No exceptions.

 

4. Can I take photos?


Absolutely. However, some of the police officers on the grounds may be working somewhere in an undercover capacity, therefore, having their image plastered across the internet could prove to be dangerous for them and their families. So please ask before taking any pictures or videos. Everyone is aware that cameras will be on hand so there shouldn’t be any problems. But the WPA is held at a working police academy and there will be on-going classes while you’re there.

 

5. May I bring my personal weapon?

NO! Absolutely no firearms, pepperspray, Tasers, handcuffs, knives, etc. No weapons of any kind. Please leave them at home. If you need protection I think it’ll be fairly easy to find a police officer within arm’s reach.

Bringing a weapon to the WPA grounds will result in immediate dismissal from the event. No refunds.

(Law enforcement officers, please contact Lee Lofland or Jerry Cooper regarding weapons policies).

 

6. Are meals provided?

Breakfast is included with your Embassy Suites hotel reservation.

Lunches are not provided by the WPA. However, the local EMS will have sandwiches, chips, and drinks available for a very small donation to their organization. The lunch breaks are brief and the academy is not near any type of restaurant.

You will be on your own for dinner on Friday night. There will be assorted fruits, cheeses, and other goodies available at the reception. (Menu is still a work in progress).

The Saturday night banquet is optional, but you’ll miss a great time if you don’t attend.

 

7. Can I bring my small children to the event?


We love kids. We really do. But there is no daycare facility on the grounds, and children may not attend the workshops. Some of the material is simply not suitable for children. And, since this is an actual police/fire/EMS academy, there are many, many dangers for children.

Young adults 16 and above may attend as registered WPA recruits.

 

8. May I bring a guest to the banquet?

Sure. In fact, we welcome banquet guests. All we ask is that you include the appropriate dollar amount on your registration form and then send us a note including your guest’s name. Your banquet tickets will be waiting for you when you arrive.

 

9. May I bring copies of my books to sell at the event?

Sorry, but the only books that may be sold at the event are those offered for sale by Barnes and Noble at their official event bookstore. And the only books that will be available are those of the WPA faculty and keynote speaker. There may be a few nonfiction titles available that relate to police and forensics. Remember, this is not a writers conference, so take off your marketing hat and enjoy yourself!

 

10. How are the lucky people chosen for the ride-a-long’s with sheriff’s deputies?

Ride-a-long’s will be chosen by lottery drawing. Everyone who registered before the early bird cut-off date of June 15, 2011 will be eligible. One entry per person.

Winners will ride on patrol, at night (6-10pm) with a Guilford County Sheriff’s deputy. You may transfer your winning ticket to another WPA recruit if you choose to do so.

 

11. Are there prisoners in the jail that we’ll be visiting?

Yes. The jail houses inmates who’ve committed crimes ranging from misdemeanors to murder. You’ll be escorted by law enforcement, so you’ll be perfectly safe. Please listen to and follow the deputies’ instructions.

 

12. Will we actually be using real police tools and equipment?


Yes, everything you’ll see at the WPA is real. This is not a watered-down citizens police academy. We want you to see, touch, smell, and experience what it’s like to be a police officer, even if it’s only for three days. I promise you an adrenaline rush before the weekend is over!

 

13. Will I have time to see and do everything?

Absolutely not. Think of this event as Disneyland For Writers. There is far too much to see and do in one weekend. You’ll need to study the schedule and pick and choose the workshops that interest you the most. We do try to offer each workshop/class/session at least twice. Still, it would be impossible to do it all. We will, however, arrange it so that everyone is able to attend Dr. Ramsland’s Friday presentation.

We are in the process of nailing down the final schedule and hope to have it online and ready to go by June 12, 2011. Please bear with us. It is a scheduling nightmare trying to line up active-duty law enforcement officers and fire and EMS personnel from a few dozen agencies. Not to mention the rotating shifts, vacations, court, sudden call-outs, emergency situations, etc. And we have dozens of large vehicles, equipment, etc. that we have to get into place at the proper times.

The WPA schedule could change at any moment due to any of the above situations.

 

14. The WPA hotel (Embassy Suites) is filling rapidly. Reserve your rooms now! Remember to ask for the Writers’ Police Academy special rate.

Embassy Suites Hotel Greensboro-Airport

204 Centreport Drive, Greensboro, NC 27409 (336) 668-4535

* The Writers’ Police Academy and the event hotel are conveniently located near the Piedmont Triad Airport. Use Airport Code “GSO”.

 

 

 

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Friday’s Heroes: Remembering The Fallen

Friday's Heroes - Remembering the fallen officers

 

The Graveyard Shift extends our condolences to the families of these brave officers.

Officer Kevin Will, 38

Houston Texas Police Department

May 29, 2011 – While investigating a hit-and-run motorcycle crash, Officer Kevin Will was struck and killed by a drunk driver. Just before the car hit him, Officer Will managed to get the motorcyclist to safety. Officer Will is survived by his expectant wife, two children, and parents.

Officer Frank M. Bolusi, 49

New York City Police Department

Officer Robert V. Oswain, 42

New York City Police Department

Officers Frank Bolusi and Robert Oswain both died from illnesses contracted during the search and rescue efforts at the World trade Centers on 9-11-01.

Trooper Ellen E. Engelhardt, 58

Massachusetts State Police

June 1, 2011 – Trooper Ellen Engelhardt died from injuries she sustained eight years earlier when her patrol car was struck by a drunk driver. Trooper Engelhardt was a 23-year veteran and is survived by her daughter.

Special Agent Timothy S. Briggs, 46

United States Department of Justice – Federal Bureau of Investigation

May 31, 2011 – Special Agent Timothy Biggs suffered a fatal heart attack while participating in in the bureau’s physical fitness program.

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Seeing Crooks Through My Dog’s Eyes

Seeing crooks through my dogs eyes

As leader of a high-risk entry team, I always found it a little daunting not knowing what was on the other side of the door I was about to breach. Were there armed suspects waiting to shoot it out with police? Were there small children that would be in harm’s way? Was it a trap…a set up? Would we have to shoot someone? Yes, it could definitely be an unnerving experience.

The same was true when I worked with my canine partner. Sending him into a building or wooded area to locate a dangerous criminal created a level of anxiety that was similar to how I felt when I sent my daughter off to kindergarten for the first time. It wasn’t a good feeling (sending the dog – the story of my daughter going off to school is a topic for another day), and I recall thinking, “If only I could see what he sees.”

Well, thanks to technology, officers are able to see what’s on the other side of the door. They’re also able to see exactly what Rover’s seeing. And, they’ll see it in real time.

For example, this dog-mounted camera works extremely well, even in low-light situations. It uses an enhanced infrared technology that not only records images, it also sends them back to the handler and his/her team.

To see what’s beyond the door, all the officer needs to do is slide an under-the-door camera through the space between the bottom of the door and the floor. (I won’t mention that the officer has his automatic weapon pointed at his partner’s head).

The device uses a variety of prisms and mirrors to send a wide-view image of the interior back to the monitor.

The video gun sight features an infrared point of impact locator which provides maximum accuracy…pinpoint accuracy.

 

* Tactical Electronics images


Want to learn more about tactical entry? Well, the Writers’ Police Academy is the place for you! We have some of the best instructors in the business. Lt. Randy Shepherd will be teaching the in’s and out’s of serving high-risk search warrants. Lt. Shepherd is also a renowned marksman and police sniper.

We’ve just added a wonderful search and rescue team to the lineup, and they’ll be conducting an exciting demo on Friday.

http://www.writerspoliceacademy.com/

Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!

Sisters in Crime will pay most of your registration fee!

Sisters in Crime members can attend the Writers’ Police Academy, to be held Sept. 23 to 25, 2011 near Greensboro, North Carolina, for a deeply-discounted registration fee of $100. SinC national will pay the balance of members’ $255 registration.

Act quickly to take advantage of this offer, which is in effect until June 15, 2011.

If you’re not a Sisters in Crime member, you can sign up for a SinC membership to receive the discount. The annual membership fee for a SinC professional membership is $40.

http://sisters-in-crime-sinc.blogspot.com/2011/05/writers-police-academy-sinc-will-pay.html

 

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10 Reasons To Attend The Writer’s Police Academy

10 Reasons To Attend The Writer's Police Academy

1. It’s the only place on the planet where writers can train at a real police academy with active-duty police academy instructors.

2. There’s a fully-functional, working fire station on the grounds. Instructors offer workshops on arson and firefighting.

3. Weapons experts and police snipers provide in-depth answers to your questions. This is a hands-on event. So yes, you can touch the weapons!

4. Classes on fingerprinting, handcuffing, and other areas of police training are taught in the actual classrooms where police academy recruits receive their training. And, you’ll use the same equipment as the police recruits.

5. You’ll have access to police tools and equipment, including items that aren’t normally available to the public.

6. The WPA features on-site jail cells. Sgt. Catherine Netter instructs WPA recruits on how to properly search the cells for illegal contraband. Sgt. Netter also teaches a fabulous workshop about women in law enforcement.

Is that Jeffery Deaver with the fully automatic rifle? It sure is!

7.  FATS (Firearms Training Simulator) is always a hit! You’ll use real weapons (Sig Sauer and Glock) in shoot/don’t shoot real-time scenarios.

8. Attend workshops taught by some of the top experts in the country – Lt. Josh Moulin, ATF Special Agent Rick McMahan, Alafair Burke, Bill Lanning, Jerry Cooper, Dr. Katherine Ramsland, Dr. Denene Lofland, Dave Pauly, Detective Marco Conelli, Detective Lee Lofland, Lt. Randy Shepherd, the GTCC police academy staff, and many more!

9. Enjoy the company of fellow writers while you learn behind-the-scenes information about police/fire/EMS procedures.

10. Sisters in Crime will pay most of your registration fee!

Sisters in Crime members can attend the Writers’ Police Academy, to be held Sept. 23 to 25, 2011 near Greensboro, North Carolina, for a deeply-discounted registration fee of $100. SinC national will pay the balance of members’ $255 registration.

Act quickly to take advantage of this offer, which is in effect until June 15, 2011.

If you’re not a Sisters in Crime member, you can sign up for a SinC membership to receive the discount. The annual membership fee for a SinC professional membership is $40.

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