THRILLING!! – 2017 Writers’ Police Academy Workshops

2017 Writers' Police Academy

The Writers’ Police Academy is the most thrilling event on the planet for writers.

It IS the adventure of a lifetime!

Over 50 specially designed workshops tailored to the needs of writers.

The four day, three night Writers’ Police Academy is indeed THE place to be for the best hands-on instruction that’s based entirely on suggestions, ideas, and requests from writers. That’s right, you asked for each of these sessions. And, as always, we delivered, and we continue to do so because the WPA is all about YOU!

For example …

You wanted to know what it feels like to drive a patrol car while in pursuit and performing a PIT maneuver. Done. Yes, YOU drive patrol cars while in pursuit of fleeing criminals, and YOU perform the PIT maneuvers!

You wanted to learn how to interpret bloodstain patterns. Done. (By the way, we’ve gone all out on this one. Yes, we’re introducing you to Spatter Head!).

You requested time on the firing range. Done. We offer live-fire with both pistol and rifle.

Tribal police? Done. In fact, the WPA takes place on the Oneida Indian Reservation!

Trace Evidence Collection? Done, in this hands-on session.

SWAT Entry? Done. You participate in SWAT explosive entries into “hard-to-reach places. Again, EXPOLSIVE!!

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HIT Classes!!!

Here is the list of HIT workshops (over 700 available slots).

Emergency Driving
Shoot/Don’t Shoot Scenario
Handgun: Live Fire Training
Long Gun: Live Fire Training
PIT (Pursuit Immobilization Technique)
EMS Simulator
Taser
Traffic Stop/Drunk Driving
Building Search for Armed Suspect
Defense and Arrest Tactics
SWAT: Explosive Entry
Field Sobriety Testing

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Wait, there’s MORE! Lots MORE!!

Here are a few of the sessions we have waiting for you in August!

2017 WPA Workshops

(a partial listing)

ANTIQUE FIREARMS
INSTRUCTOR: TROY JANDY
A show and tell of antique firearms and their modifications and functions.

ARMED IN AMERICA
INSTRUCTOR: ATF SENIOR SPECIAL AGENT RICK MCMAHAN
Special Agent Rick McMahan leads a detailed discussion on the historical events that have been impetus to the nation’s guns laws. Also, legal commerce of firearms, and dispelling the typical gun myths so often seen on TV and in books.

ARSON INVESTIGATION
Yes, there will be fire and smoke, and firefighters!

ASIAN AND NATIVE GANGS
INSTRUCTOR: MATT NINHAM & CHEE VANG
Gang culture, signs, symbols, and language

BLOODSTAIN PATTERNS AND SPATTER
INSTRUCTOR: R.J. BEAM
The science behind bloodstain patterns and spatter.

BUILDING SEARCHES/ROOM CLEARING
An armed robber is hiding out and it’s up to you and your team to go inside to capture him. A real nail-biter!

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW
INSTRUCTOR: JUDGE KEVIN RATHBURN
Learn the inner workings of the courts and the roles of the key players—judges, clerks, prosecutors, defense attorney, expert witnesses, Grand Jury, and more. Class takes place in an actual courtroom setting!

CSI: FROM FIRST RESPONDER TO EVIDENCE COLLECTION
INSTRUCTOR: MIKE BLACK
A combination of hands-on and discussion, this detailed workshop covers the reporting of the crime, the responsibilities of the first officers on the scene, preservation of evidence, evidence collection, the basic types of evidence – direct, eye witness testimony, circumstantial evidence, and physical evidence.

DEATH SCENE INVESTIGATIONS
INSTRUCTOR: TBA
Walk through the scene to determine the type and manner of death and where the investigation goes from there. Hands-on investigation.

DEFENSE AND ARREST TACTICS
INSTRUCTOR: KNETZGER
Techniques used to control behavior of cooperative and uncooperative suspects.

DOGS, DOGS, AND MORE DOGS!!
See and learn how these remarkable animals perform their duties.

BUG MANIA!
INSTRUCTOR: DR. DENENE LOFLAND
Using insects as murder weapons.

DRONES
INSTRUCTOR: BILL BONGLE
How drones are used in law enforcement. Legal and privacy issues. Features actual drone flights.

DRUG IDENTIFICATION
INSTRUCTOR: WINDORFF
Observe and discuss various types of drugs and their impact when ingested.

EMERGENCY DRIVING
INSTRUCTOR: COLLEEN BELONGEA
Experience the difficulty of multitasking while driving, observing, and communicating, and all while utilizing lights and siren.

EMS/HEALTH SIMULATOR
INSTRUCTOR: HOLLIE BAUER
Interactive patient’s life depends on YOU! Actual medical training.

FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT: DEALING WITH THE ALPHABET SOUP AGENCIES
INSTRUCTOR: ATF SENIOR SPECIAL AGENT RICK MCMAHAN & SECRET SERVICE SPECIAL AGENT (RET) MIKE ROCHE
Two veteran federal law enforcement agents discuss the realities associated with working as a federal agent. Who has jurisdiction over which crimes? Who’s in charge? What the heck do federal agents do? Bring your questions!

FINGERPRINTING
INSTRUCTOR: R.J. BEAM
Dusting, fuming, and difficult to print surfaces are just a few of the fingerprinting techniques you’ll learn in this detailed hands-on session.

SHOOT/DON’T SHOOT SCENARIO TRAINING
A heart-pounding, eye-opening, and extremely realistic session where you must decide, within a fraction of a second, whether or not to use deadly force.

FUNDAMENTALS OF POLICE PATROL
INSTRUCTOR: MIKE BLACK
Patrol officers, the backbone of all police departments, are often neglected or poorly portrayed in works of fiction. Learn how and why these first responders handle life and death situations, including shoot-don’t shoot situations. Also included are an examination of how cases are scrutinized by the media, Stop and Frisk, review boards, use of deadly force to stop fleeing felons, and more.

HANDGUN: LIVE-FIRE
Learn the fundamentals of a Glock pistol. Become familiar with sight picture, sight alignment, stance, grip, and trigger control. Fire live ammunition on the academy pistol range.

HIT LIST
INSTRUCTOR: STAFF
Hit List – the list of HIT workshops

ILLEGAL ANIMAL FIGHTING
INSTRUCTOR: SHARON HENSEN
Investigations of illegal dog-fighting and cockfighting. Search warrants, warrantless entry, officer safety and more. An inside look at this horrifying and dangerous underground activity.

INCOGNITO! EXPLORE THE UNDERCOVER EXPERIENCE
INSTRUCTOR: DET. MARCO CONELLI
Incognito! Explore the undercover experience, from locked door drug deals to never trusting informants. Listen and learn about this heart-pounding, dangerous assignment from a retired undercover NYPD detective, whose vast experience will help you develop your stories and characters.

INTRODUCTION TO FIREARMS
INSTRUCTOR: ATF SENIOR SPECIAL AGENT RICK MCMAHAN
This class will give you an understanding of modern firearms, how they work and how to better use/describe them in your writing.

POLICE K-9’S 
Legal requirements for K-9 searches of vehicles. Alerts, kinds of drugs recognized, training, and more.

SPECIAL EVENT!! – HOW TO CREATE, DEVELOP, AND WRITE “BAD GUYS”
INSTRUCTOR: LES EDGERTON
How to write effective “bad guys” in fiction, including why you should eliminate morality from the equation. New ways of viewing characterization and how to open up ways in which to create truly compelling stories.

LES EDGERTON: THE CRIMINAL IN LITERATURE… FROM THE CRIMINAL’S POV
INSTRUCTOR: LES EDGERTON
In this eye-opening session, renowned writing teacher, author, and … former prison “resident,” Les Edgerton, lays it all on the table – how “we” outlaws actually commit a crime. This from the man whose “specialty” was second-degree burglary, and armed and strong-armed robbery. This is learning at it’s finest from one of the best instructors around. Be ready, too, to have your funny bone tickled.

LONG GUN: LIVE-FIRE
INSTRUCTOR: NWTC STAFF/RANGE INSTRUCTORS
Learn the basics of the .223 patrol rifle, nomenclature, field stripping, fundamentals, and live fire on the rifle range.

MARKERS FOR FAKE V. GENUINE SUICIDE NOTES
INSTRUCTOR: DR. KATHERINE RAMSLAND
When suicide is … murder. Learn how suicide notes help investigators find their true authors.

MARTIAL ARTS FOR WRITERS
INSTRUCTOR: ESOMA KUNG FU MASTER INSTRUCTOR HOWARD LEWIS
What is it that writers do that drives martial artists nuts?

MENTAL HEALTH AND LAW ENFORCEMENT 
INSTRUCTOR: GREEN BAY POLICE DEPARTMENT CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAM (CIT)
Learn how police departments handle mental health issues involving both officers and citizens.

MINDSET OF COPS
INSTRUCTOR: SPECIAL AGENT MIKE ROCHE, U.S. SECRET SERVICE
Romance, the Ferguson effect, how cops view the world, and more. Agent Roche spills all the beans!!

MOUNTED PATROL
INSTRUCTOR: GREEN BAY POLICE, MOUNTED PATROL
First it’s time in the classroom to learn details and information about mounted patrols, how and why they’re used, and about the stars of the show, the magnificent horses. Next, participants will head outside to see the horses and officers in action.

ONEIDA TRIBAL
INSTRUCTOR: ONEIDA NATION POLICE CHIEF RICH VAN BOXTEL
Experience the unique culture of the Oneida Tribe as well as the history of the Oneida Tribal Police and American Policing—not always cooperative.

OPENING CEREMONIES
INSTRUCTOR: ONEIDA NATION
Opening Ceremonies by Oneida Tribal Police, Oneida Nation Tribal Leaders, color guard, and dancers. The blessing of the WPA!

PRISON GANGS
INSTRUCTOR: WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS – GANG UNIT
Details TBA

PTSD – POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER
INSTRUCTOR: TBA
The effects and consequences on the officer, department, career and family.

PURSUIT IMMOBILIZATION TECHNIQUE (PIT)
INSTRUCTOR: COLLEEN BELONGEA
High Speed Pursuit! You will drive the pursuit vehicle!

SECRETS OF THE SECRET SERVICE
INSTRUCTOR: SPECIAL AGENT MIKE ROCHE, U.S. SECRET SERVICE
Behind the scenes peek at the inner workings of the Secret Service.

STANDARDIZED FIELD SOBRIETY TESTING (SFST)
INSTRUCTOR: TBA
Learn how to conduct actual filled sobriety tests, and then implement them on actual drunk drivers. Yes, volunteers will be consuming alcohol (in a controlled, safe environment).

SURPRISES!!
Each year we incorporate surprise sessions that are designed to excite the senses of WPA attendees. The purpose is to allow you to experience “events” that unfold in real time, just as officers and other first responders experience in the real world.

SWAT: EXPLOSIVE ENTRY
Ready, Set … Blow Down Those Doors! KABOOM! Yes, you and your fellow SWAT team members will learn to use explosive charges to gain entry into “hard-to-reach” places. This is the real deal!

STAY CALM AND APPLY A TOURNIQUET: TACTICAL EMS
INSTRUCTOR: NATHAN RIEHL
This is a HOT one! An exciting hands-on FAVORITE session. Combat medical/officer down/lifesaving techniques – You are the EMS 1st responder!

TALKING TO SERIAL KILLERS
INSTRUCTOR: DR. KATHERINE RAMSLAND
Learn how the experts elicit information from serial killers.

TASERS
Tasers will be deployed. Class participation is encouraged…if you dare.

TERMINAL BALLISTICS
INSTRUCTOR: TROY JANDA
Learn how a projectile behaves when it hits its mark and then transfers its kinetic energy to the target.

THE DICK AND THE DOC
INSTRUCTOR: NYPD DETECTIVE MARCO CONELLI & DR. KATHERINE RAMSLAND
A veteran detective and a renowned forensic psychologist come together to analyze real-life cases and crimes from competing and at times collaborating perspectives. See how these two professionals come together to dissect the criminal mind and uncover clues to ultimately solve major crimes.

TRAFFIC STOPS/DRUNK DRIVERS
You conduct the traffic stop, and yes, drinking is involved, but not by you!!

UNDERSTANDING THE “LINK” IN ANIMAL ABUSE
INSTRUCTOR: SHARON HENSEN
This workshop provides background, knowledge, and understanding relating to the interdisciplinary connection among animal abuse to child, elder. spousal abuse, and domestic violence.
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Crash-with-helicopter-1
See you in August.
Sign up today at:
www.writerspoliceacademy.com

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Friday’s Heroes: Remembering the Fallen

Friday's Heroes - Remembering the fallen officers

police-officer-keith-boyerOfficer Keith Boyer, 53

Whittier California Police Department

February 20, 2017 – Officer Keith Boyer was shot and killed while investigating a traffic crash. The shooter, the driver of the vehicle involved in the crash, was recently released on parole and had just murdered another person a few hours earlier. Another officer was wounded during the exchange of gunfire. The suspect was also wounded.

Officer Boyer is survived by his three adult children and his parents.

major-jay-memmelaarMajor Jay R. Memmelaar, Jr. 49

Goldsboro North Carolina Police Department

February 16, 2017 – Major Jay R. Memmelaar suffered a fatal heart attack while participating in department physical fitness training. He is survived by his wife and two children.

chellewOfficer Lucas Chellew, 31

California Highway Patrol

February 22, 2017 – Officer Lucas Chellew was killed in a motorcycle crash while in pursuit of another motorcycle. He is survived by his wife, daughter, son, a sister, and his parents. His father is a retired CHP officer. His sister also works for the department.

deputy-michael-foleyDeputy Sheriff Michael Foley, 60

Alameda County California Sheriff’s Office

February 23, 2017 – Deputy Michael Foley was struck and killed by a prisoner transport bus. He was a 37-year law enforcement veteran.

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The Poisoner’s Poison

Poison

Hugh Killdme and The Poisoned Peas

Hugh Killdme let the spoonful of peas and carrots rest on his tongue. He closed his eyes, savoring the combined taste of his two favorite vegetables. In his mind, he pictured the green and orange delicacies as they danced and rolled in boiling hot water. He saw tendrils of wispy pea-carrot flavored steam shimmying and twisting up from the blue porcelain Rachael Ray pot to the gleaming stainless steel hood above the range.

Hugh shifted his thoughts to the basement freezer. He’d purchased the Acme Super-Duper Chill-Zero model from a close friend, an expert on refrigerators and freezers, who owns a local appliance store (Wile E. Coyote isn’t the only character in the world who knows where to shop for a good deal).

Dahmers Applicance Sale The day after Acme’s number one best-selling frost-making machine arrived, he’d packed it to the brim with bags of frozen peas and carrots. Bought every single package within a twenty-mile radius.

Hugh always got all warm and squishy inside when he heard his wife, Earline, say those three little words he so adored—“Dinner is served.” And say them she had, and best of all she’d said them on Peas and Carrots night at the Killdme household.

The second she’d uttered those delicious-sounding words, Hugh rushed to the dining room where he slid his Hush-Puppy-clad feet beneath the table and picked up the silver spoon beside the molten-hot bowl of green and orange ecstasy. As he began to shovel those scrumptious orbs and blocks into his gaping piehole, he couldn’t stop himself. He was just so darn happy that, well, he couldn’t stop his lips from splitting into a very wide but lopsided grin. So wide, in fact, that several tiny, sweet peas almost tumbled out.

He was graveyard dead thirty seconds after swallowing the first spoonful.

The instant Hugh’s face crashed into his dinner plate, sending airborne little green pellets and perfectly cut squares of orange, his wife of thirty years scurried toward the basement to unplug the freezer, muttering along the way about never again cooking another pea or carrot as long as she was able to draw a breath. For that she was thankful. She was also thankful that the poison had worked so quickly. Not because her husband hadn’t suffered long, though.

Instead, she had plans to play Bingo at the Presbyterian church over on Save-a-Soul Drive, and to have her portly husband flopping around on the kitchen floor for hours would have absolutely ruined her evening. Probably would’ve ruined the shine on her brand new linoleum too.

Her mother always said things have a way of working out. She, too, went quickly … bless her heart. It was her affection for green beans that brought about her early demise. But, Earlene was, after all, in need of a new car and mother’s life insurance was just enough to take care of it and the new Acme Fill ‘Er to the Brim Baby above ground pool in the backyard. Earline opted for the model 200xz, the really big one. Sure, it was more expensive, but …

Questions about poisons.

I get them all the time, and the number one question that most often pops up is, “What’s the best poison a fictional wife could use (on her fictional husband) that would act quickly and be difficult for police to detect?” So lets dissect this one by visiting a very real high-profile case.

Tox Screens and Evidence

First of all, police officers probably won’t be the folks who detect the poison. That’s the job of the medical examiner and/or laboratory scientists. Next, to detect a specific poison the medical examiner would have to request specific testing for the substance/toxin/chemical/etc. A tox screen is not a one-stop-shop and does not detect most poisons. This is where the police can be a big help to the M.E., lab technicians, and scientists. For example, a savvy detective may notice a bottle labeled “Husband Killer” on the kitchen table next to the head of the deceased. If so, he/she would collect the bottle as evidence and report his/her discovery to the M.E., who would then order testing for the potentially deadly concoction.

Husband Killer No. 9Thallium – The Poisoner’s Poison

Another huge clue that sharp detectives should pounce on would be the fact that the widow works as a scientist for a bio-pharmaceutical company. And that’s sort of what happened in the case of Tianle Li, the Chinese woman who was convicted of murdering her husband, Xiaoye Wang. Her weapon of choice—thallium.

Thallium, a metal that’s used in electronic switches and some medical devices, was once used as a major component in insecticides and rat poisons. It’s basically odorless and tasteless. And it is well known as the “poisoner’s poison” because it is so difficult to detect in the human body. Thallium use as a pesticide was banned in the U.S. in the early 70’s.

Biotech and pharmaceutical companies are permitted to conduct research using dangerous chemicals, toxins, poisons, extracts, etc. That’s how Tianli Li obtained the thallium she used to murder her husband. As a chemist for Bristol-Myers Squibb, Li ordered thallium to research its effect on humans.

After receiving doses of thallium (how Li introduced the thallium into her husband’s body is not clear) Wang became ill with flu-like symptoms and checked himself into a local hospital, where he lapsed into a coma and died two weeks later.

Had it not been for a quick thinking nurse who’d read about a thallium poisoning case in China, Li would have gotten away with murder … the “perfect murder,” using the “poisoner’s poison” as her instrument of death. The nurse alerted officials who then conducted tests and indeed found thallium in Wang’s body.

So there you have it, my writer friends—two very important bits of information for possible use in your work (writing, that is). One – thallium is the poisoner’s poison because it is difficult to detect. Two – people who work in biotech and pharmaceutical research are able to purchase just about anything in the name of “science.”

By the way, it takes a while for most poisons to get the job done. Having your character go as quickly as Hugh Killdme is, well, fictional.

Botulism

Screen Shot 2017-02-23 at 11.28.02 AMNow for a true story about botulism, the cause of poor Hugh’s death. But this case, the true story, wasn’t murder, just an unfortunate accident that involved a woman, some green beans, and a home canning jar.

Canning jars have lids designed to exhibit a slight indentation in their centers when food is fresh. If the indentation inverts (pops up), the vegetables may be contaminated, and should be discarded.

A woman was preparing dinner for her family and decided to serve some of her home-canned green beans that evening. She picked up a jar of beans, but thought the pop-up didn’t look quite right. So, to satisfy her curiosity, she opened the jar, touched her finger to the bean juice, and tasted it. It tasted fine to her, so she cooked the beans and served the steaming hot dish to her family. The next day, the woman died, but her family survived. The beans contained botulism toxin, produced by the bacteria, Clostridium botulinum.

C. botulinum lives naturally in the soil.

Botulism toxin is one of the most powerful neurotoxins known to man. About 10 ounces could kill everyone on Earth. It works by paralyzing its victim.

Oh, why didn’t the other members of the woman’s family die? The toxin is inactivated by heat.

 

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The Prowler: Page 99 of My Spiral Notebooks

old woman

2 a.m.

Fog.

Whirling, swirling.

Streetlight.

Lone bat.

Looping, swooping.

Frogs, crickets.

Train whistle, far away.

Radio crackles,

In still, night air.

Prowler complaint.

Noise outside window.

“I’ll take it.”

“10-4.”

“Backup?”

“Negative.”

Front porch light.

Moth. Flittering, fluttering.

Shadows.

Flowerbed.

Weeds.

Window.

Curtain, lace.

Breeze.

Leaves ticking, clicking across weathered floorboards.

Porch swing.

Rusted chain.

Crooked.

Door swings slowly inward.

Just a crack.

Yellow light.

A sliver,

Pours outside.

Tiny face,

Crinkled with days long since passed.

“I heard them again, Officer.”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

Wet, anxious eyes.

Faded gray with time.

“They were at the window, like before.”

“I’ll check around back.”

“You’re too kind.”

“I wish my Bill was still here.”

“I know.”

“He’s been gone ten years this week.”

“A good man.”

“Thank you.”

“Coffee?”

“It’s fresh.”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“Two sugars and a little cream, right?”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“Be right back.”

Outside.

Flashlight.

Waiting.

Neighbor’s house, dark.

Heating unit, humming.

Rattles, stops.

Quiet.

Owl,

Hoots.

Two minutes.

Kitchen window.

Full coffee pot.

Silver tray.

Cookies.

Cups.

Saucers.

Spoons.

For two.

Screen door,

Creaking.

Thump.

“Everything’s okay.”

“Yes, I do feel better now.”

Warm smells.

Vanilla,

Fresh bread,

Coffee.

“It’s just with Bill gone …”

“I know.”

A glance,

Downward

Wall clock,

Ticking.

A sigh.

A tear.

Silence.

Tick, tick, tick.

“Would you mind if I sat for a minute?”

A sniffle.

“I’m tired, and really shouldn’t drive.”

“How would that look?”

“A cop asleep at the wheel.”

A smile.

Relief.

Just like last night.

And the night before.

And the night before.

At 2 a.m.

Ten years after her Bill passed away.

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Times Are Changing: Buy Your Villain A New Weapon

Modern Weapons for Villains

Your Villain’s Toolbox

Are the villains in your tales growing weary of having to choose from a limited supply of murder weapons? Do you hear them sigh each time you type the words Glock, Oleander, chainsaw, wood chipper, candlestick, and severed gas and/or brake lines? Who can blame them for their dismay? After all, for decades now they’ve reached into their toolboxes to find the same old tired instruments of death, time and time again.

Well, thanks to a handful of computer geeks and hackers, your bad guys will soon have a new method of “whacking” the cleverly-crafted characters you’ve designated for the grave. Now, instead of having to chop, hack, shoot, and slice, killers can keep their hands spotlessly clean while tending to their evil business.

How will they do it, you ask? Okay, imagine this … your evil-doer, I. Stoppa Uhart, is on a tight schedule, needing to kill several people before the noon hour. So he whips out his handy-dandy, hand-held pocket computer, otherwise known as a cellphone. He sets a special app to the scan mode. And … presto! He’s located three people nearby who’re connected to insulin pumps. He pushes a few touchscreen buttons and … WHAM! The pumps each deliver a lethal dose of insulin to the unsuspecting victims. The murderer switches off the device and goes on to his next appointment … the hospital trauma ward where there should be plenty of morphine drips.

The best part of the whole deal (for the killer) is that there’s no physical evidence to tie him to the murder—no fingerprints, no trace evidence, no shell casings, no murder weapon … nothing.

The Ultimate Death and Destruction…Button

Across town, Uhart’s first cousin and partner in crime, I. Maka Ubleed, is standing by at the freeway, ready to switch on a hacking program that would soon give him control of the on-board computers regulating the systems of nearly every passing vehicle. His button-pushing-finger, poised and ready to act, trembled slightly as it hovered above the bright red key marked “Press Here For Death And Destruction.” Yes, in just a few minutes there’d be a massive auto crash and countless deaths and injuries.

Death and Destruction with a single clickSound like fantasy to you? Well, it’s not. The hacking of these types of programs is relatively easy to accomplish with technology that’s readily available. And, if hackers already have the ability to control our medicine and our vehicles, what’s next? Our food and water supply, power grids, and … no, not that. Not our Kindles!

It’s true, folks. The day may soon come when a band of evil hackers decide to gain control over all e-readers, and that would surely mean certain and instant death for us all. Either that, or we might be forced to do the unthinkable … buy and read real books. What a “novel” idea …

 

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Writers’ Police Academy Registration Opens Sunday, Introduces HIT Classes!

Writers Police Academy HIT Classes

Registration Opens

It’s almost here! That’s right, registration for the 2017 Writers’ Police Academy is scheduled to open at NOON EST on February 19, 2017. That’s TOMORROW!!!

You can expect BIG things this year. Over the moon excitement, thrills, and action. Lots of BOOMS, BANGS, sirens, and flashing lights. New workshops include a ton of … well, surprises, as you’ll soon see!

2017 is our 9th annual event and, as always, we’ve outdone ourselves with another stellar lineup, starting with Craig Johnson, Mr. Longmire himself, as Guest of Honor!

The WPA is open to all!

IMG_0825The vast majority of WPA workshops are hands-on. However, we do feature a few lecture-based sessions that take place in nice, modern classroom settings, such as our lecture hall pictured above ~ WPA 2016.

Described as “an exciting vacation experience for writers,” this conference often sells out within hours of opening its online registration.  Mark your calendar (you might also want to subscribe to the WPA newsletter so you don’t miss any announcements or changes), and be ready to register.

Registration for the 9th annual WPA opens on Sunday, Feb. 19, at noon EST! and is on the WPA’s site: www.writerspoliceacademy.com. Your registration is not complete until you make a payment via PayPal (you don’t need a PayPal account to pay registration fees as a major credit cards are also just fine).

Before You Register

The 2017 Writers’ Police Academy schedule is online (we’re adding more and more workshops each day!). Visit www.writerspoliceacademy.com to read about all of the classes offered. All classes are open to everyone. You can decide which to attend after you arrive.

However, High Intensity Training (HIT Training) workshops require advance sign-ups on the online registration form, and these spots are filled by lottery. We have almost 700 spots in HIT training sessions!

HIT IS HIGH-INTENSITY, LIVE-ACTION TRAINING DESIGNED TO PROVIDE ONE-ON-ONE ATTENTION. HIT IS ACTUAL POLICE TRAINING AT ITS FINEST!

Mark the dates of the WPA on your calendar and let everyone who might make other plans for you (family members, employers, etc.) know you have a commitment to attend the WPA on these dates. This will minimize the possibility of later conflicts.

Gather all the information you’ll need to register, including your credit card. Decide in advance your preference for name badges, etc.

FIRST-DAY ONLY! You’re Automatically Entered To Win a Free WPA Registration!
Everyone who registers on Feb. 19—the first day registration opens—will automatically be put in a drawing for a Free Registration donated by the WPA. Zero cost to enter. (The winner can elect to have her/his WPA registration fee refunded or give the WPA registration to a friend.)

Screen Shot 2017-02-04 at 12.48.06 PM

FIRST-DAY ONLY! Enter Author Kendra Elliot’s $1000 WPA Bonanza Drawing!

Kendra Elliot is donating a fantastic WPA package that includes free WPA registration, banquet ticket, T-shirt, additional swag, and $500 cash the winner can use for travel or accommodations. This opportunity is available only to those who register on Feb. 19, 2017. Fee to enter is $20. Proceeds will be used to help fund a student scholarship at NWTC, our host college/academy.

The HIT Parade

When you register, all HIT Training options will be shown in a numbered list. To indicate your preferences, list the numbers of the six HIT options you most want to attend. The list should be in priority order with the numbers separated by commas (e.g. 5,3,6,12,7,4).

HIT Training options that require BACKGROUND CHECKS are shown on the registration form. Please do not indicate you wish to take part in one of these workshops if you are unwilling to submit the necessary information required for a “soft” background check that verifies you are approved to handle/possess firearms. The background checks are handled by the same firm our host academy uses to conduct background checks for its police academy recruits. This information will not be stored, and WPA staff does not see the results of the background checks, only approvals.

If you have questions prior to registration, feel free to email WPA directly at 2017wpa@gmail.com.

Visit the Writers’ Police Academy website to read about all about the classes offered. The schedule is fantastic. All classes are open to everyone.

Some of the workshops you can expect to attend are (this is only a very few):

  • Antique Firearms
  • Arson Investigations
  • Asian and Native Gangs
  • Building Searches/Room Clearing
  • Evidence Collection
  • Bug Mania – using insects as murder weapons.
  • Drones
  • Emergency Driving
  • Shoot/Don’t Shoot (Live-action)
  • Handgun and Rifle fire – Hands-on/live fire.
  • K-9s
  • Mental Health and Law Enforcement
  • Mounted Patrol (yes, there will be horses!).
  • Tribal Police
  • Pursuit Immobilization Technique (PIT) Hands on driving.
  • Secrets of the Secret Service
  • SWAT: Explosive Entry – Hands-on!
  • Talking to Serial Killers
  • Traffic Stops/Drunk Driving – Yes, drinking is involved, but not by you 🙂

And much, much more!!

Please, please, please be ready to register Sunday February 19th at noon EST. Spots are limited and the free giveaways are available only on the first day of registration. Please do keep in mind that sometimes there’s NOT a second day.

You do not want to miss this one-of-a-kind, thrilling event! After all, we offer you workshops such as …

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Also, please remember to reserve your hotel rooms. They are currently accepting phone reservations and, believe it or not, our block is already starting to fill.

Radisson Hotel and Conference Center Green Bay
2040 Airport Drive, Green Bay, WI 54313
920-494-7300

*The hotel is conveniently situated near Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers, and features several restaurants, AND, the famous Oneida Casino!

So … see you on Sunday! Watch my Facebook page for updates as they occur!

https://www.facebook.com/lee.lofland.7

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Sisters in Crime, a major sponsor of the Writers’ Police Academy, offers a generous $150 discount to their members attending the WPA for the first time. Not a member? No problem. Simply join SinC today to receive your discount.

*You must be a SinC member at the time of WPA registration to receive the discount. Click here to join SinC today!

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SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES!

Registration fees alone do not cover the expense of this massive event, so we rely on you to help out by supporting this extremely beneficial aspect of the program. We keep the registration costs to a bare minimum, hoping that doing so encourages and helps more writers to attend.

Therefore …

The WPA is actively seeking sponsors and items for the raffle and silent auction. It is because of your generosity that we’re able to do what we do!

Please contact me at lofland32@msn.com if you’d like to join our family of sponsors. We need you, and a sponsorship is a great means to advertise you and your work to a worldwide audience!

We are also seeking volunteers to help out at the event. Raffle and silent auction experience not necessary, but big smiles and the ability to sell tickets like your life depends on it are, well, a big plus. ????

To learn more about sponsorships and how you can join our family of sponsors, please visit the Become a sponsor page of the WPA website, here.

Thanks so much, and we’ll see you Sunday at noon. Don’t forget!!

 

 

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Pat: The Little Cop Who Couldn’t

Pat the Little Cop Who Couldn't

The Hard Facts

Some people are simply not designed to be cops. There, I’ve said it. And it’s true.

Ask any police officer and they’ll tell you that it takes a special kind of person to successfully wear a gun and badge. Sure, “law dawgs” come in all shapes, sizes, skin colors, and from varying backgrounds. But there was one officer who shouldn’t have made it past the interview stage, and that cop was quickly nicknamed “The Little Cop Who Couldn’t.”

First of all, for the purpose of this blog, we need to assign a name to the officer—a gender-neutral name. Therefore, it’ll be up to you to paint your own mental picture of him/her. And the name I choose is Pat.

The Littlest Cop The Story of Pat

Pat was a unique police officer who stood at a towering 4′-11″ tall, with shoes on (4′-10″ wearing really thick socks and no shoes).

Not a single supply company stocked police uniforms in child sizes, so Pat’s clothing had to be specially made and ordered from a company that advertised, I think, on the back cover of Archie comic books. Even then, a good bit of tailoring had to be done, snipping here and stitching there, to insure a proper fit. Seriously, the little pant legs were shorter than the sleeves on my dress shirts.

If someone had bronzed Pat’s work shoes they’d have looked a lot like “baby’s first shoes.”

During basic training, one of the practical exercises for the class was to direct traffic at a busy city intersection. Trainees were required to be in full uniform for the exercise, including hats. Well, they just don’t make police hats that small, so Pat borrowed one from a fellow classmate, looking like a kid playing dress-up in adult clothing. Besides, not everyone can pull of the “police-hat look.” On the other hand, some look absolutely fabulous!

Green Bay Mounted Police Patrol

Green Bay Mounted Police Patrol – Lookin’ good officer!

Anyway, the recruit who’d just completed his turn in the intersection had successfully, without a single crash, stopped traffic from all four directions so Pat could assume the position in the middle of the street. Then, firmly in control of dozens upon dozens of idling vehicles of all sizes and makes, and with arms outstretched and a forceful tweet from a shiny and brand new whistle, Pat sharply and crisply motioned for one lane of traffic to move forward. Cars and trucks zipped by and Pat smiled, nodded, and winked at the drivers as they passed. Pat had it going on.

And all was going well until Pat gave the whistle another blast to stop the oncoming traffic, and then turned to the left to start the next lane of traffic moving. Well, Pat’s tiny head turned left, rotating inside the cap, but the too-large hat remained facing forward. The entire class erupted in laughter. Suddenly chaos broke out. Horns blew. Drivers started moving from all directions. Traffic was soon knotted up like a tin can full of wriggling fishing worms.

Pat once responded to a shoplifting call—an 11-year-old girl swiped a twenty-five cent candy bar from a local K-Mart—and just as Pat was about to enter the store the kid ran outside. Pat grabbed the little darlin’ who then pushed Pat down to the pavement. Pat got up and grabbed the 70-ish-pound kid and it was on. According to bystanders who, by the way, called 911 to report an officer needing assistance because the child was absolutely beating the tar out of Pat. One witness told responding officers that Pat resembled one of those blow-up clown punching bags that pops back upright after each blow, the kind with the big red nose that squeaks when struck.

Then there was the time when Pat’s fellow officers responded to a large fight outside a local bar. The dispatcher cautioned that weapons were involved and that several people were already injured and down. Pat was in the middle answering a domestic he-said/she-said when the call came in.

Responding officers saw the large crowd and immediately called for backup, which, at that point, meant calling in sheriff’s deputies and state troopers, since every available officer, except Pat, was already on the scene. The fight was brutal, with officers and bad guys were going at it, toe-to-toe and blow-for-blow. Officers were outnumbered four-to-one, at least.

And then they heard it … a lone siren wailing and yelping in the distance, like the sound of a ship’s horn mournfully floating across vast salt water marshes at low tide. Soon, intermittent flashes of blue light began to reflect from brick storefronts and plate glass windows. Mannequins, fur coats, and hunting apparel were all washed in the same winking and blinking azure light.

Suddenly, a patrol car shot out of the darkness. With strobes pulsing, siren screaming, and headlamps wig-wagging, Pat’s marked blue and white bore down on the parking lot and the fight that was well underway.

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Instead of stopping in the street, the tiny officer, who by the way, had to sit on a pillow to see over the dashboard (no, I’m not kidding), steered the car over the curb with a bump and a bang, pulling directly into the narrow parking lot. The car came to a stop not five feet away from the rumble.

Pat didn’t waste any time before flinging open the car door and stepping out, leaving the emergency lights in full frenzy mode, and siren crying out like an alley cat with its tail caught in a fox trap. Then Pat stepped out of the car, sort of …

You see, Pat’s pistol and holster had somehow gotten tangled with the seat belt, reeling Pat back into the car like a Yo-Yo on the upswing. Pat’s Maglite hit the pavement and broke apart, spilling D-cell batteries and the lens and bulb in all directions. The pillow fell out and slid beneath the vehicle.

And the hat. That &%*@ hat.

Yes, resting on Pat’s miniature dome was the cop/bus driver hat which, of course, remained motionless while Pat’s softball-size head spun around like a lighthouse beacon as he/she surveyed the scene and the whereabouts of the now missing batteries and seat cushion.

Suddenly, as if a magic spell had been cast, the fight stopped. Everyone, good guys and bad, all turned to watch “The Pat Show” unfold. Even the bad guys chuckled at the ridiculousness playing out before their very eyes—Pat on hands and knees retrieving lost gear and, of course, the pillow. At least the fight was over.

By the way, Pat’s hands were so small that the department had to purchase a pistol a bit smaller than standard cop issue, but Pat’s index finger was still too short to reach the trigger. Instead, he/she learned to shoot using his/her middle finger to pull the trigger. Didn’t matter, though, because Pat still barely managed to shoot a satisfactory score on the range.

So I guess the true test of becoming a police officer is not how strong the desire or how big the heart, it’s how well the head fits the hat. And, of course, you must be “this tall” to drive a police car.

Pat did have a few good officer-type qualities. Such as…

 

 

Crime scene photography. Pat was already close to the ground, so locating tiny bits of evidence was a breeze.

The Littlest Cop The Story of Pat

Surveillance

The Littlest Cop The Story of Pat

Locating “bugs”.

Pat could sit for hours at a time, watching surveillance tapes.

Undercover assignments were Pat’s favorite.

Of course, Pat’s drinking was a problem.

And there were rumors of a serious “Binky” habit…

Joining the dive team presented new challenges for Pat.

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Pat was tough, though, and managed to singlehandedly bring in even the biggest and baddest of the bad guys.

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In the end, though, it was the intradepartmental affair that ended Pat’s career.

 

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2017 Writers’ Police Academy Opening Ceremonies!

2017 Writers' Police Academy

Premier Law Enforcement Training Event For Writers

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WPA PIT instructor Colleen Belongea (in the passenger seat) and Star Trek TV series writer Lisa Klink (behind the wheel).

It’s no secret that the Writers’ Police Academy is THE premier law enforcement training event for writers on this planet. Actually, we’re almost certain we could make the same claim about the entire universe. However, until we expand to places where “no man or woman has gone before,” well, we’ll stick to fact. Although, Lisa Klink, a successful writer of Star Trek episodes, attended the WPA last year, so perhaps she’ll cleverly devise a means for us to venture out to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new WRITERS!

2017 WPA Registration opens Sunday February 19, 2017, at noon EST!!

Until we set up shop on a passing comet, though, we’ll continue to deliver THE most thrilling, exciting, heart-pounding event this side of Pluto.

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For now, though …

For those of you who don’t know, The WPA takes place almost entirely on the Oneida Indian Reservation. In fact, even our stunning event hotel, the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center (Green Bay) is owned by the Oneida Nation and is situated on tribal land, and we feature numerous sessions taught by tribal police officers and instructors.

For the first time in the history of the WPA, and most likely a first for a typical writers’ conference, we are kicking off the WPA weekend with an amazing opening ceremony. And you, attendees of the 9th annual 2017 Writers’ Police Academy, are invited to be a part of this spectacular, memorable, and emotional experience—The Blessing of the WPA, led by tribal leaders, color guard, dancers, Miss Oneida, and other members of the Oneida Nation!

You are invited to attend the Opening Ceremonies and Official Blessing of the 9th Annual WPA!

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When: Thursday August 10, 2017
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Where: Radisson Hotel and Conference Center Green Bay (The WPA Event Hotel)

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We are extremely pleased that you’ll be sharing this remarkable time with us. After all, you are part of our family. So yes, the Oneida Nation, the WPA, our host academy/college (NWTC) and YOU! A winning combination, for sure!

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  • WPA orientation begins immediately after the conclusion of the opening ceremonies.
  • The 2017 WPA schedule is now online at the Writers’ Police Academy website. As always, workshops are added regularly. In fact, I’ll be adding more to the schedule all this week and early next week.

www.writerspoliceacademy.com

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*Remember, the WPA often sells out in a hurry! Please be sure to register on DAY ONE to secure your spot, and for a chance to win free registrations and other bonuses! These free giveaways are available only to those who register during the first 24 hours!!

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FIRST-DAY ONLY! Enter Author Kendra Elliot’s $1000 WPA Bonanza Drawing.

Kendra Elliot is donating a fantastic WPA package that includes free WPA registration, banquet ticket, T-shirt, additional swag, and $500 cash the winner can use for travel or accommodations.

This opportunity is available only to those who register on Feb. 19, 2017—the first day registration opens! Fee to enter is $20. Proceeds to be used to help fund a student scholarship at NWTC, our host college/academy.

 

FIRST-DAY ONLY! You’re Automatically Entered To Win a Free WPA Registration

Everyone who registers on Feb. 19—the first day registration opens—will automatically be put in a drawing for a Free Registration donated by the WPA. Zero cost to enter. (The winner can elect to have her/his WPA registration fee refunded or give the WPA registration to a friend.)

AND …

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The Writers’ Police Academy is delighted to announce that Sisters in Crime will once again be a major sponsor of the 2017 WPA to be held in Green Bay, WI, August 10-13. Thanks to the generosity of the Sisters in Crime organization, SinC members attending the WPA for the first time will qualify for a whopping $150 registration fee discount.

Not a SinC member? No problem. Simply join prior to registering for the WPA to instantly receive the discount!

You do not have to be a writer to join, and SinC is open to both men and women.

Join Sisters in Crime here

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*Due to the unpredictable nature of law enforcement and its necessary and urgent response to real-time situations, the WPA schedule is subject to change at any time, without notice, including the day of the event.

 

 

 

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Police Lineups: Science Or Ouija Board Material?

Police Lineup

Science is great, isn’t it. Especially if we want to set aside myth and learn the truth about something. After all, science is all about facts, right?

Proving something to be right or wrong is part of good science, and that’s why using sound fact-finding methods plays such a huge role in the truth-finding aspect of law enforcement. We absolutely need to know the truth about crimes and criminals before sending someone to prison for a portion of his/her life. Or, sentencing a person to death.

But, does law enforcement always rely on science to “get their man?” The answer is simple … no. Especially when it comes to police lineups.

The truth is, on one hand lineups are often not very accurate. On the other hand they are. Here’s why.

First of all, there are two basic types of police lineups, live and photo. Obviously, the live lineup is when eyewitnesses view a group of five or six people, hoping to pick the suspect from the group. Police use photos instead of live people when conducting a photo lineup.

Both lineup types contain subtypes—sequential lineups and simultaneous lineups. In simultaneous lineups, witnesses see all potential suspects at the same time, either in person or in photographs. In sequential lineups witnesses see the suspects one at a time, individually, or in individual photographs.

More than 75% of wrongful convictions of the first 183 DNA exoneration’s in the United States were caused by mis-identification by eyewitnesses (American Judicature Society).

The least scientifically accurate lineup method is the simultaneous lineup, because human error and emotion is more likely to come into play. For example, when viewing a group of potential suspects at once, the witness may have a tendency to compare one person to another (relative judgement) instead of relying on their memory of specific details. The problem worsens if the actual suspect is not in the lineup, because the witness is apt to falsely choose a person who may only closely resemble the perpetrator of the crime in question.

Sequential lineups eliminate those scenarios. Instead, during sequential lineups witnesses must make a decision about each photo or person before moving on to the next (absolute judgement).

Another method to increase the accuracy of lineup outcomes is to have the lineup conducted by an officer who is not involved in the case, and does not know the identity of the perpetrator (a double-blind lineup). A double-blind lineup eliminates the possibility of an officer of inadvertently/unintentionally transmitting the correct response(s) to the witness (“Are you sure he’s the right one? What about THIS man?”).

Some things that affect the outcome of police lineups:

  • Telling the witness that the perpetrator “may or may not” be in the lineup reduces instances of mistaken identity.
  • Using people (fillers) in the lineup who are not close in size, shape, age, etc. to the perpetrator.
  • When the actual perpetrator is NOT in the lineup, the elderly and small children have a tendency to commit mistaken identities.

*Interestingly, people are much better at picking out faces (identifying) of people within their own own race.

 NIJ/DOJ infographic

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Friday’s Heroes: Remembering the Fallen

Friday's Heroes - Remembering the fallen officers

sergeant-greg-meagherSergeant Greg Meagher, 57

Richmond County Georgia Sheriff’s Office

February 5, 2017 – Sergeant Greg Meagher died after being exposed to liquid nitrogen while rescuing an unconscious woman at a medical facility. She, too, had been overcome by fumes. Three other deputies were treated for exposure and survived.

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