Friday’s Heroes: Remembering The Fallen

Friday's Heroes - Remembering the fallen officers

 

The Graveyard Shift extends our condolences to the family of this brave officer.

Trooper Aaron Beesley, 34

Utah Highway Patrol

June 30, 2012 – Trooper Aaron Beesley was part of a helicopter search and rescue team that was on a mission to locate two missing teens along the Mt. Olympus Trail. Once the teens were spotted, Trooper Beesley was lowered to the ground to assist them. The two were airlifted and flown to safety, leaving the trooper behind until the return trip. But, when the helicopter returned to retrieve Trooper Beesley, his body was discovered at the base of a 90-foot cliff. Apparently, he’d attempted to retrieve a backpack belonging to one of the teens and fell to his death. Trooper Beesley is survived by his wife and three children.

 

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Explosions: Collecting The Evidence

Explosions: Collecting the evidence

 

Every good thriller has at least one big explosion, right? You know, the “big boom” that always takes place right after the heart-stopping car chase, just before the hero rescues the kidnap victim who’s about to die at the hand of the cleverly-written villain. Yes, that explosion.

What we don’t see in our favorite thriller, though, is the collecting of evidence at explosion scenes. So let’s take a moment to examine that aspect of the scenario. What should be happening in the background while the hero is saving the world?

1. Bombings/explosions are not for the Sam Spade’s of the police department. Nope, these crimes should be worked by specially-trained investigators, as well as a team of experts that includes (but is not limited to) bomb disposal technicians, photographer, forensics/CSI team, medical examiner (if needed), structural engineer(s), building safety official, power company technician, additional officers to help search, etc.

2.  Bombing scenes are apt to change at any moment (parts of a building may suddenly collapse, etc.), therefore, the  investigator must be constantly aware of the surroundings, and he/she must thoroughly evaluate and re-evaluate before allowing evidence collection to begin.

3. As always, the scene should remain secure. A command post should be established, as well as a secure and safe location for staging collected evidence.

4. Locate and dispose of all remaining active explosives, utilizing canines, bomb robots, explosive detection chemicals, etc.

5. To avoid contamination, the team should wear protective clothing as they collect evidence and control samples. The special clothing also protects the investigator’s skin from toxic material.

6. Evidence from various locations at the scene should be stored separately (do not mix).

7. Collect ALL evidence, including suspected bomb parts, batteries, wires, samples from crater, and the usual hair, fibers, blood, etc. During autopsy the medical examiner will also collect fragments removed from victims,

8. Document the scene—blast effect (are street signs leaning away from the blast scene? if so, indicate direction. trees down? cars overturned?), debris (type, amount of, and distance from the blast site), victim(s) location before and after the blast occurred.

9. Medical examiner should conduct full-body x-rays, searching for components of the bomb and other foreign material relevant to the crime.

10. And, without fail, the investigator should always…walk softly.

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The Oak Ridge Boys: This Is America

Oak Ridge Boys: This is America

 

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Writers’ Police Academy Is The Real Deal

WPA is the real deal

 

Each year we offer the best program possible. We begin the process by determining the most current sought-after topics of interest to writers. Yes, I keep a file of all the questions presented to me during the year.

I then choose the most popular topics and begin searching long and hard for the experts in those particular fields. And, we don’t just settle for anybody. No way. You guys mean far too much to us to present you with second best. What we look for in a WPA presenter is an expert who rises a notch above the best. However, they must understand the type of information needed by authors—the details, even the little ones. And you, as writers, should never settle for anything less when it comes to getting the facts right for your stories.

Not only will you receive behind-the-scenes information at the WPA, you’ll learn the emotion that comes with the job. Our instructors share the danger, the excitement, the boredom, and the tears.

The Writers’ Police Academy is designed for you, the writer. But we definitely are NOT a typical writers conference. Instead, the WPA is a hands-on event that focuses on making your fiction as absolutely believable as the written word allows.

This is not a watered down citizens police academy, where officers don’t/can’t tell you “everything.” This event is the real deal, with real equipment and real instructors, and it takes place in an actual police, fire, and EMS academy, not a hotel meeting room. You receive the same details as the officers who attend police academy training.

Well, this year is no exception to our self-imposed rule of excellence. Believe me, we have gone all out this time. Nope, we’re not holding back anything.

You asked for it, so here it is… the 2012 Writers’ Police Academy.

2012 Writers’ Police Academy

When

September 20-23

Where

Guilford Technical Community College/Public Safety
Jamestown N.C.

www.writerspoliceacademy.com

The Writers’ Police Academy offers the most hands-on, interactive and educational experience writers can find to enhance their understanding of all aspects of law enforcement and forensics.

This is a one of a kind event, featuring police, fire, and EMS training at an actual police academy.

Top instructors and experts include Marcia Clark (former OJ Simpson prosecutor), experts from Sirchie Fingerprint Laboratories, forensic anthropologist Dr. Elizabeth Murray, author Kathy Harris (marketing manager for the Oak Ridge Boys), ATF Special Agent Rick McMahan, NYPD Detective Marco Conelli, cold case and bloodstain pattern expert Dave Pauly, Detective Lee Lofland, bioterrorism and DNA expert Dr. Denene Lofland, author and forensic psychology expert Dr. Katherine Ramsland, all GTCC police, fire, and EMS academy instructors, and literally dozens of active-duty police officers, firefighters, bomb squad, SWAT, CSI’s, pilots, and EMS workers.

Workshops include (there are more than what’s listed):

– Interview and Interrogation.
– Cold Case Investigations.
– Special guest speakers.
– Firearms


– Bloodstain pattern investigations
– K-9’s
– Dive teams
– Arson investigation
– Federal agents
– Undercover officers and UC investigations
– Bioterrorism and DNA
– Gangs
– Firefighting
– Treating gunshot victims
– First responders


– FATS training
– Driving simulator


– Arrest techniques and Handcuffing
– Defensive tactics and self defense for women
– Women in law enforcement
– Jail tours
– Polygraph
– Suicides and Hangings
– Shallow grave investigations

And police ride-a-longs!

Literary agents from the Sullivan Maxx Literary Agency will be on hand to take pitches!

Our 2012 Keynote speaker is international bestselling author Lee Child.

Silent auction and raffle feature signed scripts from TV and film, a Fender guitar signed by the Oak Ridge Boys, Lady Antebellum, Keith Urban, and more, signed books, and many other fantastic items. Guitar donated by author Kathy Harris who just happens to be marketing manager for the Oak Ridge Boys.

And much, much more, including a special surprise guest!

*Sisters in Crime is once again paying over half the registration fee for SinC members.

*Remember, profits go to the GTCC criminal justice foundation for police training and equipment. These are the officers who devote their time to teaching YOU!

We invite you to join us this year for a spectacular event. Please visit our website to register today. Hurry while space is available!

www.writerspoliceacademy.com

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The Mayberry sheriff has left us.

Sheriffin’ will never be the same without him.

Andy Griffith

1926 – 2012

 

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