In fact, we’ve already reached last year’s original total number of participants.
So please hurry to sign up. Believe me, you do not want to miss this one.
We will not be able to add additional spots once these are gone!
Tell your friends. Tell the people in your writing groups.
Tell EVERYONE!
See you in Wisconsin…
In less than 24 hours registration opens for one of the most exciting events you’ll ever attend. Believe me, we’ve held back nothing. Not a thing.
You told us what you wanted and needed and, thanks to Joe LeFevre and crew at the Public Safety Training Center in Appleton, Wi., and to our own dedicated team of top experts, we’re bringing it. And we’re bringing it hard.
Let’s see…
– You asked for real firearms training with real ammunition. Done.
– You wanted the experience of an actual police pursuit. Done.
– You definitely wanted shoot/don’t shoot training, one of the most popular and highly-prized workshops of the event. Got it.
But we’re not only offering the wildly popular simulator, we’ve taken it two steps further by taking you through the entire process, sending you into a building to search for an armed robber. Yes, both you and the robber will be armed and you can definitely expect an exchange of gunfire. This additional session is not simulator training. It’s the real, heart-thumping deal!
– What’s it like to be behind the wheel of a patrol vehicle traveling at high speeds when it suddenly spins out of control? Well, you asked for it. The question is, are you up for the ride of a lifetime?
– Experience delivering a baby while in the back of an ambulance? Sure, you’ll have the opportunity to deliver a little one.
– Shoot-outs? Got ’em.
– How do officers gain control of unruly airplane passengers? You know, in those small and tight spaces? Well, we have a full-size Boeing 727 along with a team of experts who’ll provide the necessary training. It’ll be up to you take charge of whatever happens next. Good luck!
– Who’s in charge of the dead body at the crime scene? What happens at an autopsy? Deputy Coroner Les James tells all.
– Wish you could visit a working Forensics Lab to see how evidence testing is actually performed? Gee, we just happen to have a fully functional lab ready and waiting for you. And, we have top experts/scientists standing by to teach you how to do it all!
– Is it possible to retrieve fingerprints from wet evidence? How about from the sticky side of duct tape? No problem, we have a workshop just for you. Our instructors will have you lifting hard-to-locate prints in no time at all.
– “Gee,” you said, “I’d sure like top meet and pick the brain of one of those experts you see on popular true crime TV shows. They’re so doggone smart.” Well, we just happen to have Dr. Katherine Ramsland—48 Hours, Discovery ID, Forensic Files, etc.—as part of our team and she’s presenting a couple of fascinating workshops designed especially for you.
– Bloodstain Patterns. How in the world do investigators use them to determine where the killer was standing when he fired his weapon? What about the victim? Cops can really tell if he was standing or kneeling when he was killed? All by looking at blood spattered on the kitchen wall? Not only can investigators read the spatter, you will also have the expertise to do so after completing our workshop. This one, like the others, is hands-on, and it will be you who performs the investigation. After training, of course.
– Karin Slaughter as keynote speaker? Got her.
– Allison Brennan presenting a special session. Got her.
– The return of The Love Doctor? Yes, he and his cohort Rick McMahan will be there with bells on (and hopefully a lot more clothing than the horror we witnessed last year!) Remember this…
The Love Doctor, Secret Service Special Agent Mike Roche
ATF Special Agent Rick McMahan
Even I was the target of the fun. However, unlike the others, my photo was extremely realistic.
But that’s not all. There’s drug ID, robbery, burglary, good food, a great hotel, a cool city, snarling K-9’s, fire, sirens, smoke, booms and bangs, gunpowder, cops, SWAT, detectives, patrol cars, jail cells, undercover detectives, special ops, dead bodies, crime scene photography, booking prisoners, seeing old friends and meeting new ones, and much, MUCH MORE!
And all this can be yours. All you have to do is click a few computer keys tomorrow morning at precisely 11 a.m. EST.
Remember, spots at the WPA are filled on a 1st come/1st served basis. Once the event is sold out we will not be able to add more spots, and we do expect to sell out quickly. So please register at precisely 11 a.m. tomorrow morning, February 14, 2015. This is THE event of the year!
To sign up go to the WPA website and click the “Click Here To Register” button.
See you there!
We promised a HOT one this year and man did we ever deliver! You, a rookie firefighter, will climb aboard a real fire truck to take a ride that’ll satisfy that “burning” desire you have to learn all things firefighting.
Along your exciting journey to the scene there’ll be, of course, plenty of fire, smoke, sirens, flashing lights and…firefighters!
Fire Fundamentals: This interactive workshop begins with a ride in a fire truck heading to a fire (a real fire) and ends with a hands-on session with equipment inside the fire station. Experience the sights, sounds, and smells associated with firefighting.
* * *
*Remember, the WPA completely sold out last year in just 6 short hours and we anticipate a similar response this year. Therefore, waiting to register could result in missing out on THE most exciting writer event of the year. We strongly urge you to register the moment the registration link goes live.
Registration opens at precisely 11 a.m., February 14, 2015. For details please visit the Writers’ Police Academy website.
We’ve always delivered an action-packed experience for writers. However, this year we’re going the extra mile by offering a few new heart-thumping workshops that are typically not available outside the law enforcement profession.
I know, we’ve done the show and tell thing in past, where you’ve witnessed car chases, explosions, school shootings, and more. But it’s now time to place you directly into the heart of the action, starting with the Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT maneuver). And yes, you will be inside the patrol car when the tactic is employed (sign-ups during online registration only).
So climb aboard, hang onto your hats, and keep your hands and feet inside the car at all times!!
*Registration for the 2015 Writers’ Police Academy opens at 11 a.m. EST, February 14, 2015. See you there!
Only people who keep insisting they’re not terrible parents are terrible parents. ~ Castle
This week’s episode was the first of two parts. The hour sped by for me. I usually watch Castle in real time, with commercials, so I’ll be ready to blog first thing the next morning. So if the plot doesn’t grab me, sometimes time slows and I get really antsy. Not so last night. I looked up and it was 9:55, with only five minutes of show to go. Wow.
The episode’s construction and cinematic feel made time fly, even though the writers brought back the 3XK arc, a thread I grew weary of a long time ago. All through the show, I could hear Lee muttering and shaking his head over the return to this particular storyline. I understand the powers-that-be want to end Rick and Kate’s long-playing battle with Jerry Tyson and Kelly Neiman once and for all, but I have to agree with Lee on this one. Enough is enough. I truly hope those two die or go to prison for life this time, so we won’t have to see them again.
I adored the first scene with our dynamic duo at the loft, of course, with its fun glimpse of Castle family life. Martha and Alexis have obviously accepted Kate with open arms, and this time before Alexis hurries off to the library to study, she kisses her stepmother on the cheek. Surprised, yet thrilled, Rick can’t help but comment, and Kate reminds him that he raised a great person. “You say that now,” he says. “You weren’t here for the beginning.” And she says, “And next time I will be.” Squee! So Kate is thinking about having a baby. Best. Opening. Ever!
Unfortunately, this is the only intimate Kate-Rick scene we get in the episode. The rest of the story revolves around solving the case of a dead blonde in an alley and the return of Kelly Neiman and Jerry Tyson (3XK)… supposedly, anyway. At least Gates and the DA allow Rick to return to the precinct to help Kate and the boys with the case. He and Tyson have faced off on numerous occasions, so he does have at least have background on the pair.
The team soon discovers that all evidence, including DNA, from Tyson’s and Neiman’s earlier crimes has disappeared, and what little new evidence they do dig up signals that Tyson is actually Mike Boudreau, his current alias. New evidence that includes a baby tooth, with its resultant DNA, that Rick and Kate get from Tyson’s stepmother. Tyson, of course, could have easily planted another person’s tooth in her home when he stopped by at an earlier date to pick up his belongings, but no one mentions this possibility. Duh.
Then Kate goes off alone to help a woman who is supposedly scared of Tyson after earlier refusing to even acknowledge she knew him. Right. I immediately pegged her call as a lure to get Kate out of the precinct. Why she goes alone to find this woman, at night, after Gates specifically told her weeks ago to always take someone with her, is beyond me. Gates has also told Kate to always tell someone where she’s going, and Kate doesn’t do this either.
Dumb, dumb, dumb. Kate is smarter than that. In my opinion, this dumb move and her kidnapping on the street in front of God and everybody is lazy writing. Having Tyson grab Kate in more devious fashion would have been more intriguing and less ho-hum, although the Beckett-or-Castle-gets-kidnapped storyline has also been run into the ground. I couldn’t help but picture Lee rolling his eyes when it happened again.
All in all, I love what the writers are trying to do, but I believe they could have come up with a better way of doing it. I’ll still watch next week, of course. I’m a certified Castle addict.
Well, I have mixed feelings about this episode, and it was that internal conflict that made it difficult to write my part of the review alone. Therefore, I called on someone who I felt could sum up everything in a single word, and here’s what he had to say…
Puhleeeeze…. 3XK…again? Do the writers have no new ideas? Is there no creativity left in the bullpen? No thoughts left in the old noggin? Perhaps they should tap into the minds of children. Now there’s a goldmine of imagination just waiting to be mined. Yes, an eight-year-old’s ramblings are far more creative than this recycled BS.
Now for the good news. Lanie was brilliant and totally believable. It’s a shame, though, that it took 7 years for it to happen, and while the rest of the show has begun to crumble.
Lanie’s lividity comment this week was CORRECT for the most part. It is possible that lividity can be used to determine if a victim was moved or not.
And then there’s this… Beckett was yet again kidnapped, but I’ll let her address the stupidity because I’m done with this one. Take it away, Beckett.
*To be continued…
3:00 – 5:30
Registration/Check-in
5:30 – 5:50
Ride-Along and Jail Tour Orientation – Hotel (room TBA)
6:00
Ride-Along with on-duty patrol officers – Limited number of available slots filled by lottery. Sign-ups during online registration only. All participants must submit to a background check.
Jail Tours – Limited number of available slots filled by lottery. Sign-ups during online registration only. Participants may be required to submit to a background check.
Dinner – On your own.
The Radisson features a few very nice restaurants, and there are several restaurants and pubs within easy walking distance from the hotel. Many are within sight of the front doors.
7:00 – 8:00
Orientation – Hotel
8:30 p.m.
3D Crime Scene Mapping – The future of CSI is real and in use today! ~ Dr. Joe LeFevre – Hotel
NOTE: All workshop descriptions are listed at the end of the schedule.
8:00 – 8:45
Announcements ~ Dr. Joe LeFevre/Staff – Village
8:45 – 9:05
Late registration – PSTA Lobby
9:00 – ongoing
Milo – Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served. Requires extra fee. $35
Driving Simulator – Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served. Requires extra fee. $25
Traffic Stops – Ongoing. Friday only. Walk up any time.
9:15 – 10:30
Espionage, Cons and the Anatomy of Betrayal ~ NYPD Detective Marco Conelli
Romance Behind the Badge ~ Secret Service Special Agent Mike Roche
Small Things Considered ~ Dr. Denene Lofland
Fingerprinting ~ Staff
Crime Lab ~ Wisconsin Crime Lab Staff
Fire Fundamentals ~ Staff
Skid Pad – Sign-ups during online registration only. Participation by lottery. 3 participants per ride. ~ Staff.
Building Searches/Door Breaching – Sign-ups during online registration only. 3 shooters per 20 minutes. 1st come/1st served. ~ Staff
Firing Range (Pistol) – Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served. 6 shooters per session. Requires extra fee. $25 All participants must submit to a background check. ~ Staff
EMS Experience ~ Staff
10:45 – Noon
An Insider’s View to the World of Women in Law Enforcement ~ Robin Burcell
Police Gunfighting ~ ATF Special Agent Rick McMahan
From Crime Scene to Autopsy ~ Deputy Coroner Les James
Bangs and Booms 101 ~ John Gilstrap
Crime Lab ~ Wisconsin Crime Lab Staff
Fingerprinting ~ Staff
Skid Pad – Sign-ups during online registration only. Participation by lottery. 3 participants per ride. ~ Staff.
Building Searches/Door Breaching – Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served. 3 shooters per 20 minutes. ~ Staff
Firing Range (Pistol) – Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served. 6 shooters per session. Requires extra fee. All participants must submit to a background check. ~ Staff
EMS Experience ~ Staff
Noon – 12:45
Lunch
1:00 – 2:15
Kids Who Kill and Why ~ Dr. Katherine Ramsland
Handcuffing and Arrest Techniques ~ Staff
An Insider’s View to the World of Women in Law Enforcement ~ Robin Burcell
Bangs and Booms 101 ~ John Gilstrap
From Crime Scene to Autopsy ~ Deputy Coroner Les James
Interview and Interrogation ~ Lt. David Swords
Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT Maneuver) – Sign-ups during online registration only. Participation by lottery. 3 participants per ride. ~ Staff.
Burning Building Search/Rescue ~ Staff
Building Searches/Door Breaching – Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served. 3 shooters per 20 minutes. ~ Staff
Firing Range (Pistol) – Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served. 6 shooters per session. Requires extra fee. All participants must submit to a background check. ~ Staff
2:30 – 3:45
Handcuffing and Arrest Techniques ~ Staff
Police Gunfighting ~ ATF Special Agent Rick McMahan
Bloodstain Pattern Investigations and Techniques ~ Staff
Alternate Light Sources ~ Staff
Arson Investigations ~ Dr. Joe LeFevre
Interview and Interrogation ~ Lt. David Swords
Tactics for Handling the Unruly Plane Passenger – Sign-ups at online registration only. 1st come/1st served.Limited to 25 participants at each session. ~ Staff
Drug Identification ~ Joe Keil
Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT Maneuver) – Sign-ups during online registration only. Participation by lottery. 3 participants per ride. ~ Staff.
Building Searches/Door Breaching – Sign-ups during online registration only. 3 shooters per 20 minutes. 1st come/1st served. ~ Staff
Firing Range (Pistol) – Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served. 6 shooters per session. Requires extra fee. All participants must submit to a background check. ~ Staff
4:00 – 5:15
Arson Investigations ~ Dr. Joe LeFevre
Alternate Light Sources ~ Staff
Bloodstain Pattern Investigations and Techniques ~ Staff
Simunitions: Advanced Door-Breaches/Building Searches – Sign-ups during online registration only. Participation by lottery. Requires extra fee. $25 ~ Staff
Robbery v. Burglary ~ Lt. David Swords
Drug Identification ~ Joe Keil
Burning Building Search/Rescue ~ Staff
Tactics for Handling the Unruly Plane Passenger – Sign-ups at online registration only. 1st come/1st served.Limited to 25 participants at each session. ~ Staff
The Mindset of Cops ~ Secret Service Special Agent Mike Roche
Kids Who Kill and Why ~ Dr. Katherine Ramsland
5:30
Buses depart for hotel
5:45 – 7:00
Dinner – On Your Own
7:00 – 7:30
Cash bar
7:30 – 8:30
Reception
9:00 p.m.
When a Traffic Stop Goes Horribly Wrong ~ Joe LeFevre, all law enforcement staff, K-9 (Lawrence Street and Jones Park behind Radisson Hotel).
8:00 – 8:45
Announcements ~ Dr. Joe LeFevre/Staff – Village
9:00 – ongoing
Milo – Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served. Requires extra fee. $35
Driving Simulator – Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served. Requires extra fee. $25
9:15 – 10:30
Forensic Art and Witness Recall ~ Robin Burcell
Small Things Considered ~ Dr. Denene Lofland
Fighting Words: Martial Arts for Writers ~ Howard Lewis
Building Searches/Door Breaching – Sign-ups during online registration only. 3 shooters per 20 minutes. 1st come/1st served. ~ Staff
Firing Range (Rifle) – Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served. 6 shooters per session. Requires extra fee. $25 All participants must submit to a background check. ~ Staff
Computer-Aided Dispatch Systems ~ Staff
The Mindset of Cops ~ Secret Service Special Agent Mike Roche
Robbery v. Burglary ~ Lt. David Swords
10:45 – Noon
Fighting Words: Martial Arts for Writers ~ Howard Lewis
Introduction to Firearms ~ ATF Special Agent Rick McMahan
SWAT Experience ~ Law Enforcement
Forensic Art and Witness Recall ~ Robin Burcell
Computer-Aided Dispatch Systems ~ Staff
Overview of Forensic Psychology ~ Dr. Katherine Ramsland
K-9 ~ Staff
Crime Scene Photography ~ Staff
Concealed Carry ~ Staff instructor with John Gilstrap
Firing Range (Rifle) – Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served. 6 shooters per session. Requires extra fee. All participants must submit to a background check. ~ Staff
Noon – 12:45
Lunch
1:00 – 2:10
Booking/Processing ~ Staff
SWAT Experience ~ Law Enforcement
Overview of Forensic Psychology ~ Dr. Katherine Ramsland
Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT Maneuver) – Sign-ups during online registration only. Participation by lottery. 3 participants per ride. ~ Staff.
Espionage, Cons and the Anatomy of Betrayal ~ NYPD Detective Marco Conelli
Building Searches/Door Breaching – Sign-ups during online registration only. 3 shooters per 20 minutes. 1st come/1st served. ~ Staff
Computer Aided Dispatch Systems ~ Staff
Crime Scene Photography ~ Staff
JAWS ~ Staff
Gals with Guns ~ Staff
Firing Range (Rifle) – Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served. 6 shooters per session. Requires extra fee. All participants must submit to a background check. ~ Staff
2:20 – 3:30
Booking/Processing ~ Staff
Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT Maneuver) – Sign-ups during online registration only. Participation by lottery. 3 participants per ride. ~ Staff.
Firing Range (Rifle) – Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served. 6 shooters per session. Requires extra fee. All participants must submit to a background check. ~ Staff
Computer-Aided Dispatch Systems ~ Staff
K-9 ~ Staff
Introduction to Firearms ~ ATF Special Agent Rick McMahan
JAWS ~ Staff
Crime Scene Photography ~ Staff
Gals with Guns ~ Staff
Romance Behind the Badge ~ Secret Service Special Agent Mike Roche
Simunitions: Advanced Door-Breaches/Building – Sign-ups during online registration only. Participation by lottery. Requires extra fee. $25 ~ Staff
3:45
Buses Depart For Hotel
4:15 – 5:30
How to “Get It Right” – The benefits of research and how to make them work for the writer. ~ Allison Brennan – Hotel Salons C and D
6:30 – 7:00
Cash Bar and Silent Auction
7:00 – 8:30
Banquet, awards, silent auction, and announcements. You must present your ticket to enter the banquet room.
8:30
An Evening with Karin Slaughter
*Book signings with featured guests and presenters immediately after the conclusion of banquet activities.
10:00 – Noon
Debriefing Panel – All Available Instructors
The debriefing panel has often been described as the best session of the entire event. It’s where you have the opportunity to address the panel of experts, asking questions pertaining to your work in progress, about police officers, detectives, sheriffs, police chiefs, crooks, thugs, thieves, and well, pretty much anything related to the world of cops and robbers.
You’ll definitely want to bring your sense of humor and a tissue or two. You’ll need both.
Alternate Light Sources ~ Staff
An Insider’s View to the World of Women in Law Enforcement ~ Robin Burcell
Arson Investigations ~ Dr. Joe LeFevre
Bangs and Booms 101: Interactive session to teach the basics of projectile ballistics, explosives, and how they do damage to people and things. ~ John Gilstrap
Bloodstain Pattern Investigations and Techniques ~ Staff
Building Searches/Door Breaching: In this heart-thumping workshop you and your fellow SWAT team members are called in to service a search warrant at a residence. Your mission is to locate and apprehend the armed robber who’s barricaded himself inside. Be prepared for whatever could happen and, well, it probably will. So expect the unexpected. Good luck! ~ Staff (3 shooters per 20 minutes – 9 per hour)
Burning Building Search/Rescue: A burning building has filled with smoke and it’s up to you to enter and search for and save trapped or unconscious victims. Hands-on experience faced by firefighters every day. No actual fire and simulated smoke, but the experience is extremely realistic! ~ Staff
Computer-Aided Dispatch Systems: While seated at an actual dispatch terminal, you’ll check the database for a suspect’s criminal history and other vital records. Dispatchers will receive print-outs and issue tickets. ~ Staff
Concealed Carry: When cops and concealed carry citizens interact. How the objectives and tactics vary between civilians and LEOs. ~ Staff instructor with John Gilstrap
Crime Lab: How long do DNA results take? What does a Forensic Scientist do? Staff from the Wisconsin Crime Lab talk about their job and answer your questions.
Crime Scene Photography: Photograph crime scenes and crime scene evidence. Bring your cameras and your best investigative skills for this extremely realistic session. ~ Staff
Driving Simulator: You get the emergency call and respond in your patrol vehicle. This is definitely not a Sunday drive to Grandma’s house!
Drug Identification: Recognizing the signs of drug use and abuse and the paraphernalia related with various drugs. Discussion of current drug trends. ~ Joe Keil
EMS Experience: Learn about real EMS work using actual tools while inside an ambulance. Hands-on with many simple skills, and some people will get the thrill of delivering a baby via our human patient simulator. ~ Staff
Espionage, Cons and the Anatomy of Betrayal ~ NYPD Detective Marco Conelli
Fighting Words: Martial Arts for Writers: Demonstrations by a master and tips on writing scenes that don’t drive martial arts experts to the edge of insanity. ~ Howard Lewis
Fingerprinting: Lifting prints from a variety of surfaces, including those most difficult—wet, textured, and sticky areas such as duct tape. ~ Staff
Fire Fundamentals: This interactive workshop begins with a ride in a fire truck heading to a fire (a real fire) and ends with a hands-on session with equipment inside the fire station . Experience the sights, sounds, and smells associated with firefighting. ~ Staff
Firing Range (Pistol): Following a brief lesson on handgun safety and the 4 step process of the draw, participants will test their marksmanship on a real indoor police academy shooting range. Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served. 6 shooters per session. Requires extra fee. All participants must submit to a background check.
Firing Range (Rifle): Following a brief safety lesson and fundamental of rifle fire (AR-15), participants will test their marksmanship on a real indoor police academy shooting range. Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served. 6 shooters per session. Requires extra fee. All participants must submit to a background check. ~ Staff
Forensic Art and Witness Recall: How investigators reach inside someone’s head to see what the witness sees. Have you ever wondered why so many people can see the same incident, and yet have a completely different description of what happened or who they saw? Sketch artists have to learn the art of interviewing in order to get the clearest picture of a suspect from a witness’s description. Witness memory is fragile and easily swayed. Examples from real cases, and demonstration of techniques will be used in this course. ~ Robin Burcell
From Crime Scene to Autopsy ~ Deputy Coroner Les James
Gals With Guns: Concealed Carry For Women – How to carry. How not to carry. Where to carry. And how to draw. ~ Staff
Handcuffing and Arrest Techniques ~ Staff
Interview and Interrogation: Learn tactics and techniques used by investigators, and the mistakes often made by writers. ~ Lt. David Swords
JAWS: Hands-on session using the emergency lifesaving tool. ~ Staff
K-9: Narcotics searches and suspect apprehension. See the dogs doing what they do best and learn why they do it. ~ Staff
Kids Who Kill and Why ~ Dr. Katherine Ramsland
Milo: Shoot/don’t shoot interactive training. Extremely realistic. Will you make the right decisions?This session is hands-down one of the most popular workshops of the WPA. Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served. Requires extra fee.
Police Gunfighting ~ ATF Special Agent Rick McMahan
Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT Maneuver): Sign-ups during online registration only. Participation by lottery. 3 participants per ride. ~ Staff.
Robbery v. Burglary ~ Lt. David Swords
Romance Behind the Badge: Examining the love tendencies of law enforcement officers. From scandalous infidelity to office romance and the sparks ignited while answering calls. We will rip the sheets off the mattress and expose the inside world of love in the cop world. ~ Secret Service Special Agent Mike Roche (AKA “The Love Doctor”)
Simunitions ~ Advanced Door-Breaches/Building Searches: SWAT team members will suit up in protective gear and then conduct their search for the armed robber. SWAT members and bad guys will be armed with Simunition (similar to paintball). Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served. Requires extra fee. ~ Staff
Skid Pad: Fishtailing around a corner during a high-speed chase. Teetering on the edge of losing total control of your car. Sound exciting? Well, if you’re up for it, so are we. Climb inside one of our patrol cars and hang on for the ride of a lifetime. This is actual police training. Sign-ups during online registration only. Participation by lottery. 3 participants per ride. ~ Staff.
Small Things Considered: An up-close look at microscopic creatures and how they can be used to commit murder.~ Dr. Denene Lofland
SWAT Experience: See, touch, and try on actual SWAT team gear. Tour SWAT vehicles, and learn SWAT operations from the experts. ~ Law Enforcement
Tactics for Handling the Unruly Plane Passenger: You’ve boarded the plane, buckled in, and made sure your tray table is locked in the upright position. Suddenly the passenger in 12B does the unthinkable and it’s up to you, the responding police officer, to control the situation. Yes, we have a full-size Boeing 727 passenger jet onsite! ~ Staff
The Mindset of Cops: Examine the psychological mindset of cops. What are their cultural backgrounds, their psychological tendencies, and what draws officers to a career in law enforcement. Take a look at the camaraderie of the Thin Blue Line and the caustic nature of the career. ~ Secret Service Special Agent Mike Roche
Traffic Stops: Side-by-side role playing with PSTA police recruits as they conduct practical exercises. Walk up anytime to participate. This is actual police academy training in real time. Have your questions answered while interacting with police recruits.
* * *
Registration for the 2015 Writers’ Police Academy opens February 14, 2015 at 11 a.m. EST. The event is open to everyone at this time. You do not have to be a writer to enjoy this event!
* * *
A Message From Sisters In Crime
Are you a WPA Virgin?
Sisters in Crime looking for Writers’ Police Academy Virgins! You know who you are!
Sisters in Crime, a major sponsor of WPA, is pleased to announce a new 7-day-long first crack for SinC members who are WPA newbies.
Did you miss Writers Police Academy in 2011 through 2014? Then, starting on 14 Feb, you can register for $220, a saving of $155.
There are 225 discounted places available. Act quickly to snag one.
If you have attended before, you can register at the full price as soon as registration opens, or wait until after 21 Feb when any of the 225 SinC places remaining will be available at the discounted rate to returning SinC members.
* * *
A Message From The Writers’ Police Academy
*Remember, the WPA completely sold out last year in just 6 short hours and we anticipate a similar response this year. Therefore, waiting to register could result in missing out on THE most exciting writer event of the year. We strongly urge you to register the moment the registration link goes live.
Sisters in Crime is offering to make their member discount retroactive, providing available slots remain after the 7-day first-timer registration period. Again, we strongly urge you to register the moment the registration link goes live.
Inmate J.L. Bird had never heard of the Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System (JPATS), let alone be a part of their mobile inventory. And after experiencing it, well, he didn’t care if he never heard of it again…ever.
He’d been traveling with JPATS for three days and already he was sick of it. He was also pretty darn sick of the U.S. Marshals who watched his every move, including during bathroom breaks. He was weary of flying a zig-zagged pattern across the U.S., landing at what seemed like every remote airfield in the country to either drop off or pick up inmates.
Then came the never-ending, end of the day van rides to county jails, the holdover facilities located in hick towns that were surely too small and too backward to be considered even for the filming of Deliverance. In fact, Bird was quite sure that most of their holdover locations were in towns with names recognized only by loyal viewers of Hee Haw—places like Bumpass and Doodlum, Va., and Talking Rock, Ga., the little honey hole in Pickens County nestled between Ellijay and Jasper. Yeah, those fine metropolises.
Bird did learn that in exchange for holding federal prisoners, the federal government paid county sheriffs $70 per day per federal inmate held. And that’s a pretty sweet deal for merely furnishing a blanket on a concrete floor, a couple of boiled eggs, and maybe a dry sandwich made from stale bread and greenish-tan bologna.
He also learned that deputy sheriff’s didn’t give a rat’s patootie about federal prisoners, and that they pretty-much ignored him and the others. In fact, many of the star-wearing deputies mistreated the federal prisoners, forcing them to sleep on the floor in dirty, unused cells. Bird and his crew were the last to be fed, receiving leftovers, and they were the last to see soap and water. Therefore, they often went several days without bathing, deodorant, or brushing their teeth. And that really made for a sweet-smelling ride in the back of hot vans, and airplanes that recycled the cabin air.
But, after several unpleasant layovers in county jails, the JPATS jet finally touched down at Will Rogers airport in Oklahoma City. A real airport with real people scurrying about, tending to whatever duties are assigned to airport workers. Bird was ecstatic. He was overjoyed at the thought of seeing honest-to-God people other than the unwashed pack he’d been traveling with for the past several days.
FTC Oklahoma. The jetway is pictured at the top of the image.
The JPATS jet taxied to the far west corner of the airport, though, bypassing the regular terminals, and pulled alongside a private jetway leading to a brick building that stood alone on the airport property. This was the Federal Transport Center.
The FTC Oklahoma City is the hub for JPATS air transport. It’s the facility where many federal inmates are housed until they’re assigned to a permanent prison. It’s also where prisoners are housed while in transit to new prisons, court, etc. Bird finally learned that he was on his way to a hearing at the federal court in Richmond, Va.
“Absolutely no talking!” shouted the marshal who’d stepped inside from the jetway. He rubbed his stubby fingers across his buzz-cut. “Not a sound unless one of us asks you a question. You’ll stand perfectly still until a marshal or other officer gives you a command. Do not, and I repeat, do not let your ankle chains mar the floors in the hallway. Okay, let’s go. Single file. In the jetway, now!”
Unfortunately, for Bird, he’d see not a single civilian. The jetway led directly into the prison facility. However, he was pleasantly surprised at how clean and fresh it was inside. The floors were highly polished and there wasn’t a single blemish on the stark white walls. Overheard fluorescent fixtures lit the long hallway like a night game in Fenway Park.
Bird and his fellow travelers made their way along the wall (following a red line painted on the floor) until they reached three BOP officers who were busy removing handcuffs, waist chains, and leg irons. Bird was elated when the set of leg irons were removed from his ankles. Wearing the steel cuffs daily for a week had rubbed the thin skin there until it was raw and extremely sore.
Next came a brief orientation, a chat with a psychologist, a quick consult with a counselor, and then to their assigned housing units. Bird met his unit officer who assigned him to a cell. Again, Bird was pleased to find a spotless cell, complete with a soft mattress, soft pillow, a large window, and a real door. No bars!
Bird was also pleased to learn that he could shower whenever he liked and as many times as he liked. And, the facility provided the inmates with soap, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, and more. And, within minutes, kitchen workers delivered a hot meal to the unit for those who’d been traveling all day. The food was absolutely delicious. Real bone-in chicken. Not the unidentifiable ground goop he’d been used to eating back at the prison.
The unit was quiet. The inmates seemed pleasant (he’d discovered that he’d been assigned to a low security unit). And the guard was a guy who addressed the inmates either by their last names or by calling them “sir.” As in, “Thank you, sir.” “Sir, when you get a minute would you please stop by my desk.” And the prisoners did the same in return. There was no shortage of respect.
It was late in the day when the JPATS jet touched down in Oklahoma, so it wasn’t long before the sun set. Bird noticed that as soon as it was dark outside, all the cells/rooms on his side of the unit went dark. Not a single light on in either of them. The cells across the day-room, opposite his, were all brightly lit. He also noticed that most of the inmates had suddenly disappeared into the darkened cells, and it was not yet time for lockdown. Curious, he asked one of the few remaining prisoners, a slack-jawed, flamboyantly gay guy who’d somehow managed to paint his fingernails fire engine red, about the strange occurrence.
“”It’s showtime,” he said. “Not my cup of tea, though…if you know what I mean.” He winked at Bird, but Bird didn’t have a clue what he meant, and his confused expression prompted the prison sweetie to say, “Go have a look. You’ll see.”
So Bird opened the door to his cell and found a gaggle of prisoners gathered at the narrow window, looking across to the next wing. Bird quickly saw the attraction. The next unit over, with windows perfectly aligned with those in Bird’s unit, was the unit that housed female prisoners. Bird also noticed that while the lights were off on his side of the unit, the rooms across the way were brightly lit.
And standing, sitting, dancing, jiggling, wiggling, or gyrating in each window, was a totally nude female prisoner who was working hard to entertain the male population of the transfer center.
It was indeed showtime in Oklahoma, a long-standing tradition, and each cell had its own private, live peep show that lasted until lights out at 10 p.m.
Bird slept better that night than he had in a long, long time. And he went to sleep feeling a little dirty, even though he’d showered three times in as many hours.
*Of course, inmate J.L. Bird is an imaginary prisoner, however, his journey is one of thousands that take place each and every work day of every week. JPATS is indeed a very busy operation. Oh, the peep shows are also very real…
Detective Michael Starrett, 54
Jacksboro Tennessee Police Department
January 30, 2015 – Detective Michael Starrett died as a result of injuries received when he was involved in a head-on vehicle crash. He was responding to a fatality auto crash at the time.
Detective Starrett is survived by his wife.
Trooper Nicholas Dees
Oklahoma Highway Patrol
January 31, 2015 – Trooper Nicholas Dees was struck and killed by a vehicle while investigating at the scene of an auto crash. Another trooper was also struck by the same vehicle, but survived.
“You know I don’t like to disappoint the ladies.” ~ Esposito
So far I’ve enjoyed the Castle-as-a-PI arc, but I didn’t like this episode nearly as well as I did the last two. The show started out with a glimpse into the future, with Rick getting knocked unconscious in the woods by an unknown assailant, and I knew right away Lee would jump on that. Then the writers took us back twelve hours, to when Rick first got the call about a new case.
Don’t get me wrong; I loved the sweet scene between Rick and Kate discussing the possibility of “napping” later, and the way Kate supports his PI venture. She’s excited for him when he gets the call, and that’s all well and good. I simply had trouble reconciling that she would help him the way she did later, digging into a case in another jurisdiction using precinct resources… but now I’m getting ahead of myself.
To backtrack, I got a big kick out of the Ryan-Esposito storyline. Seems Ryan and Jenny are a bit worried that the couples’ ski weekend they’d planned weeks ago with Espo is about to go down the tubes because Espo is no longer dating Lanie… or anyone else, for that matter. So they sign Espo up on match.com. I laughed out loud at that one.
Meanwhile, Rick dives into his new case, a supposed quest by an old school friend to learn if her husband is having an affair. Not long after getting the call, he witnesses a murder. His client’s murder. This, of course, sends him into a tailspin. He follows her alleged assailant into the woods… and ends up getting whacked on the head.
Takes him a while to wake up and walk to where he can get phone service, because her assailant moved his car, and he calls Kate to tell her what happened. She rushes to the scene.
Kate is reluctant to believe Rick about the murder at first, but he finally convinces her he’s telling the truth, or at least the truth as he believes it — and she jumps into the investigation with both feet. Not only does she build theory with him; she also uses precinct recourses, including Ryan and Esposito, to investigate the case, even though the supposed crime happened in another jurisdiction, with another detective running lead. Gates is out of town, so I guess this means that when’s the cat’s away, the mice will play. Wouldn’t you say?
Ryan has gotten a bit ensnared in his push for Espo to get a date, but he lets go of his personal mission long enough to help his partner dig into the lives of the alleged victim and her husband, a wealthy financier. From there, the plot becomes so twisty, with so many different suspects, that in the end I really didn’t care who had killed — or not killed — the alleged victim. I say that because at one point we learn the victim staged her own murder. Then she turns up dead for real… and the plot takes another weird twist. I have to admit I got a little confused by who was who by the time the real killer emerged.
I like Rick as a PI, but believe the writers got a bit carried away with this particular story. Plot twists aside, Kate’s sweet support of Rick made me smile, as did all the fun Ryan-Espo moments. Espo ended up choosing a match Ryan and Jenny had rejected, by the way, instead of the one they had picked for him. A poet/exotic dancer he invited along for their ski weekend. Too funny.
We needed that bit of lightness, because the next two episodes, a two-parter involving two of Kate and Rick’s old foes, promise to bring us plenty of angst. I hope that plot isn’t as twisty as this one, or I just might feel compelled to commit a murder myself.
I don’t have a lot to say about this episode because, well, it was a bit bland for my tastes. However, I will point out a few minor details that didn’t quite add up.
First, though, let’s get Lanie out of the way, and I can’t believe I’m saying this…she was pretty doggone good. Her comments sounded realistic and they made sense even though a couple were a bit of a stretch. Still, the idea is to come across as believable, and she was. So HOORAY!
Next, Castle is tromping through the woods, at night, searching for a killer. He’s making all sorts of noise AND, he’s waving a flashlight beam up and down and from side to side. Why not paint a bulls eye on his skull and use the light to bash himself in the head to save the killer the trouble of having to do it? Dumb.
Speaking of dumb…what about the tired cliche’ of no cell phone service at the precise moment it’s needed. Yes, they went there.
Detectives, and Castle, are supposedly using a UV light to search for blood inside a suspected killer’s kitchen when they notice a stain. One says, “That’s blood.” No way they’d know it was truly blood without some sort of testing. Those of you attending the 2015 Writers’ Police Academy will have the opportunity to see and use various types of alternate light sources to detect evidence. Registration opens February 14, 2015 at 11 a.m. EST.
The suspected killer tells the detective he needs a drink refill and they let him leave the room unsupervised. That’s an open invitation for the guy to retrieve a couple of hand grenades, a rocket launcher, fourteen knives, and seven handguns, and then set out to kill everyone there before making his escape. Always, always, always keep your murder suspect in sight.
Cliche’ #2. The old “attorney bursts into the interview” routine. Think about it. Who let her inside, and how did she know where or which room to enter?
Castle made a good point when he said Cole was too cocky and narcissistic to kill himself. That’s typically true in real life.
The last red herring/suspect seemed very awkward, like the writers merely tossed him in the script because they thought they needed to fill a void. Seemed forced and weird and really didn’t fit into the plot.
So, that’s it for me. Like Melanie, I wasn’t all that fond of this one. And the previews for next week didn’t leave me feeling too anxious about seeing that one either.
Again, I spotted the killer spot early on. How about you?
*By the way, I am a bit excited about seeing Nathan Fillion on The Big Bang Theory. That should be a hoot.
Entertainment Weekly photo
