Friday’s Heroes: Remembering the Fallen

Deputy U.S. Marshal – Name: Not yet identified

District of Arizona, Tucson

November 29, 2018 – A deputy U.S. marshal was fatally shot while serving a felony warrant on a man wanted on charges of stalking a law enforcement officer.

To read about the shooting incident, click here.

 

Officer Samuel Jimenez, 28

Chicago Illinois Police Department

November 19, 2018 – Officer Samuel Jimenez was shot and killed after responding to a domestic disturbance outside of Mercy Hospital. When officers arrived, the subject fatally shot his ex-fiancee and then exchanged gunfire with Officer Jimenez, fatally wounding him. A bystander was was also shot during the exchange. Another officer’s duty belt was struck by the gunfire which, fortunately, saved him from injury.

Officer Jason Michael Seals, 35

Slidell Louisiana Police Department

November 17, 2018 – Officer Jason Seals was escorting a funeral procession on his police motorcycle when a vehicle pulled out in front of him, causing a collision. He was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to the injuries sustained in the crash.

Officer Seals is survived by his wife and three children.

 

Officer Leann Simpson, 23

Philadelphia Mississippi Police Department

November 24, 2018 – Officer Leann Simpson was responding to assist deputies on a traffic stop after dispatchers were unable to reach them by radio. While on the way to the scene her patrol car hit a light pole and flipped several times, causing her to suffer fatal injuries.

 

 

Officer Hunter Edwards, 30

Winchester Virginia Police Department

November 24, 2018 – Officer Hunter Edwards was killed in a single-vehicle crash while responding to a fight call.

Officer Edwards is survived by his wife and stepson.

 

 

 

Officer David Romrell, 31

South Salt Lake Utah Police Department

November 24, 2018 – Officer David Romrell and other officers responded to the scene of a burglary in progress where they encountered the suspects attempting to flee in a vehicle. The driver of the car accelerated toward the officers and struck Officer Romrell, killing him.

Officer Romrell is survived by his wife and 4-month-old child.

 

Deputy Sheriff Antonio Hinostroza, 45

Stanislaus County California Sheriff’s Department

November 25, 2018 – Deputy Sheriff Tony Hinostroza was responding to assist other deputies who were involved in a vehicle pursuit when his vehicle left the roadway and hit a utility pole. He died at the scene of the crash.

 

 

 

 

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CS Gas and Crying Cops

It was a blustery, cold night in the mid 1980s, sometime near Christmas, when I had my first taste of tear gas. It wasn’t pretty. Not at all.

A man who was zonked-out-of-his-mind-high and terrifically “wired”after days of binging on crack cocaine, decided to pull a 9mm handgun on his mother, threatening to kill her. The frantic and extremely frightened elderly woman somehow managed to  escape her home unharmed and then call 911 from the home of a nearby neighbor.

I was in plainclothes that night and was riding with a sheriff’s captain. We’d taken a dinner break and stopped by a holiday gathering of his family members. He was driving his marked police car and parked it at the curb in case we needed to make a hasty departure.

The house was small—kitchen, living room, two bedrooms, and a hall bath. It was quite warm and cozy inside. Cedar logs crackled in a brick fireplace sending their pleasant scent wafting throughout. People were wall to wall in both the living room and kitchen. A couple of men stepped out on the small front concrete porch to smoke cigars. The partying family members were not lacking in smiles and laughter. Not one frown to be seen.

We’d filled a couple of paper plates with homemade goodies—country ham biscuits, candies, pecan pie, cookies, and the like. We’d also filled a couple of small plastic cups with homemade eggnog (no booze).

The captain and I had just sat down to enjoy our treats when the call came in. Shots fired. Officers were under fire and requested our assistance.

When we pulled up at the scene chaos was already in high gear. The two responding officers had taken a position of cover in the driveway behind their patrol cars. Backup officers were on the scene with more on the way. Each were crouched behind some portion of a police vehicle. The shooter had broken out glasses in two large front windows and was taking wild shots toward the officers. We later learned that he had plenty of extra ammunition and magazines.

The captain took charge and assigned several officers to posts around the perimeter, including at rear and side entrances. Water and electricity were cut to the home. The plan was to fire a tear gas canister into the house, hoping to flush him out. The captain carried a 37mm tear gas gun in the trunk of his car.

Fire and rescue were called to the scene and were staged a safe distance away. Sometimes tear gas canisters ignite materials inside a home, thus the need for the fire crew. Obviously, the barricaded suspect, or a wounded officer, might need medical attention.

Tear Gas = ortho-chlorobenzylidene malononitrile (CS gas)

Once everyone was in place the command was given for the subject to come out of the house or tear gas would be launched. The order was given three times with enough time in between to allow the man to come outside. After the third announcement followed by a bit longer wait time, hoping he’d surrender, the captain fired a Type Il-Single-Thickness Penetrator round through a large front window, shattering the remaining glass and parting the curtains in its wake.

Type Il-Single-Thickness Penetrator rounds are designed to penetrate materials such as single-glazed windows, plywood sheathing, or drywall.

We again sounded the command to come out, but nothing. After waiting for a rather long time, another round was fired. Still nothing. Moving to the rear yard, the captain fired rounds through more window, including basement windows.

We waited.

Nothing.

Finally, a team of three officers donned protective gear, a shield, and masks, and then entered the home. They searched for long time but came out empty-handed. They said he’d somehow escaped.

Well, we on the outside knew there was no way. But they were adamant, saying they’d searched every single nook and cranny, from attic to basement.

The captain gave me one of his “looks” and told me to follow him. We were going to have a look for ourselves. So in we went. No protective gear (I wasn’t even wearing a vest), and no masks. I was armed with a Chief’s Special 5-shot revolver and the captain a .357 revolver.

We searched the home, coughing and crying all the way down to the basement, clearing one room at a time. Eventually the captain opened a closest door and saw a large pile of clothing. He poked it with his Maglite and the man leapt up like a clown in a Jack-in-a-Box.

The next sound I heard was a loud “Ding,” sounding like a baseball being slammed by an aluminum bat. The Captain nailed the guy dead center between the eyes and he went out like a light.

Together, with tears rolling like those of bawling babies, we carried the limp man outside and handed him over to EMTs.

The man used the time between warnings to wet several bath towels in the water inside the toilet tanks. Then he used them and the clothing pile to shied himself from the CS fumes.

Since EMS was busy with their newly handcuffed patient and had no time for either the captain or me, we spent the next several minutes flushing my eyes and skin using a water hose in a neighbor’s yard.

CS Gas – irritate the eye, mucous areas, the skin and airways. It causes immediate “crying” and convulsive eyelid closing. It slightly burns the skin and even causes sneezing, cough, a severe runny nose, and sometimes nausea. As I stated above, it’s not nice.

 

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Snitching to the Snitches: When a Cop Goes Bad

By now everyone is or should be familiar with the term “leaking.” After all, we see it in the news nearly every day. It’s as if not a single soul in this country can manage to keep a secret no matter how vital it is to not let certain information reach the ears of well, anyone who shouldn’t hear it. But, it’s not a new thing, nor is it limited to the politician-media pipeline.

For example, Edward Snowden and Bradley/Chelsea Manning.

Then there are the law enforcement officers who leak information, for whatever motivation that floats their personal boats. Such as Deep throat, the alias of Mark Felt, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) special agent and Associate Director who provided information to reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein of The Washington Post. The information Felt passed along to the reporters led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon. Over the years, Felt was a constant, non-corkable dripper of inside information.

And, there are those officers who leak information to the bad guys, and they usually do so for cash or other types of rewards. These thugs in uniform have little regard for the safety of their fellow officers. Here’s a perfect example. One from my own files.

I was in charge of a narcotics operation that involved a longterm surveillance op team, a boatload of specialized spying equipment, a couple of really good undercover officers, and a gaggle of confidential informants. We’d “wired” a couple of officers who’d gone “inside” to purchase cocaine and guns. Then, after months of hard, tedious work, I wrote and had a magistrate sign the search warrant. I was a cautious detective who trusted no one, outside of my immediate circle, with secret information. I was not fond of leakers. So, not wanting any details to find their way out, I waited until the last minute to assemble the raid team.

Once the team was in the briefing room I handed out layouts of the building and surrounding grounds. The positions of lookouts were also noted. I explained the situation, the dangers associated (these guys were heavily armed), and then doled out assignments, including the address on the search warrant.

Next, to make certain that all was still okay, I called the informant who was in the house at the time. He acknowledged that the drugs were inside the residence as well as the key players named on the warrant. Not wanting him there when we arrived (I didn’t want him to get hurt) I told him to excuse himself and leave. He was an excellent informant who knew how to play the game, so I wasn’t worried that he’d blow the deal..

At the briefing, I gave specific instructions—time to hit the doors, who would travel with whom and in which vehicles, and, since this was a nighttime “no-knock” warrant, I wanted absolute silence until the man on the door yelled, “Police. Search Warrant!”

Due to the danger level and area to be covered, the assembled team was fairly large. We needed to secure a perimeter to catch anyone fleeing the scene should they somehow make it past the entry team. There were also lookouts, runners (the guys on the street who sold the cocaine to “customers”) and, well, anyone else who decided to rabbit.

We were all ready to go and someone said one of the perimeter guys slipped out to use the restroom but hadn’t returned. One officer short on the perimeter was no big deal so we left him. There was no time to waste once the plan was in motion.

We left the department and met at a staging area to allow all the vehicles to catch up. We didn’t want a twenty-police-vehicle parade traveling in one direction because that’s a sure sign that’s something’s going down.

Once everyone was in place we headed to the target’s neighborhood. It was dark, late, and quiet. We approached the home, surrounded it, and the “GO” signal was given. The next sounds heard where that of the entry team’s explosive breach of the front door and the raking and braking of windows.

Then nothing.

The place was as empty as a California creek in the summertime. No people and no drugs.

The occupants had left in a hurry, though. An old monster movie was playing on the living room TV, tall cans of cold beer inside individual paper bags sat on a cigarette-burned coffee table, and a pot of red beans and rice was in full-on scorch mode on a hot electric stove eye.

They’d cleared out within a matter of twenty minutes or so. From a house full of drug dealers and a couple of women, to zero.

Tipped off.

The officer who left the briefing room to use the restroom.

Couldn’t have been anyone else.

After a bit of questioning he finally admitted to alerting the drug dealers. He also told me he’d been an informant for a couple of major players in the city. They’d paid him well, he said. Needed the money to pay bills. Spent his paychecks on liquor, women, and gambling and didn’t want his wife to know.

He was fired but not prosecuted.

He died a few months later after suffering a massive heart attack.

We’re lucky that the dealers hadn’t decided to ambush us or you may have seen my name on someone’s Friday’s Heroes page.

 

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Creating Believable, Eye-Popping Cop Characters

We’ve all read books where the characters within are basically clones of those we’ve seen in other books, with the only difference being a name change. This is often frustrating for readers who want to believe the world you’ve created. They know that in the real world people have minds of their own. They do things and think about things that affect their lives. They make mistakes. There’s conflict in their lives. And things occasionally go as planned or wished.

Every single person on this planet has some characteristic that’s different from other people; therefore, it’s imperative that writers develop and show those differences among the fictional folks in their made-up tales.

To get these details right involves careful planning, especially when writing about people and professions that are unfamiliar to us. In advance of writing the first word, it’s a good idea to create a file, a place to store important details about your future fictional person (or setting). I know, this is writing 101 but I am heading somewhere with this, I promise.

Creating Cop Characters

Law enforcement officers and their traits are a bit different than the average person. Therefore, creating a special file could be a lifesaver, if realism is the goal, and it should be if you want your readers to become emotionally invested in the characters you create. After all, caring for a character could certainly keep those pages turning.

Keep Your Eyes on the Cop

Cop are a bit set apart from the rest of the population because their daily lives are far different from the day-to-day activities of most people. Why so? Because their daily routines include seeing and dealing with the extreme bad sides of people, and they do so on a regular basis, day-in and day-out, unlike most of us who rarely encounter people who beat on us and sometimes want to kill us.

Dealing with the worst that life has to offer—extreme violence and the lowest of the lowest human behaviors—causes cops to act  and react differently to many scenarios than would the average Jane and Joe. For example, and you’ve all heard this before, when gunfire sounds, most people start running as fast as they can in the opposite direction. But not police officers. Instead, their instinct is to move as fast as they can toward the source of the danger.

Watch for the Little Things They Do

Since cops see so much bad stuff and know the dangers associated with it, and how quickly something could go south, they’re always on the alert, even when in the safest of situations.

Even while seated in church, for instance, a cop glances about, scanning the congregation, looking for the nearest exit in case a gunman pops up and begins shooting. The on- or off-duty officer wants to know where to have people leave the sanctuary while he battles the shooter. This is going through the officer’s mind at the time he selected a seat near an outside wall to allow views of all entrances and exits, and to provide the tactical advantage of not offering a chance for a rear track/ambush.

The same is true when dining in restaurants, going to movie theaters, and even while grocery shopping. Eyes are forever darting from one person to another. Is that bulge beneath the baggy t-shirt on the guy’s side a concealed firearm? The woman carrying a crying baby. She’s wearing a ton of makeup around her right eye. Is she hiding a bruise? She’s obviously with the man wearing the Black Sabbath t-shirt, the guy pushing the cart containing several cases of cheap beer. Did he get drunk and punch the woman?

Sitting with their backs to the wall? That’s to watch the doors, the crowd, and to prevent a surprise attack from behind.

There’s a specific meaning and purpose as to why cops stand as they do, and it’s a trait that should appear in your stories. Such …

The Interview Stance

Officers are taught early on that when speaking with someone, especially in the instances where they’re faced with the unknown, that they should stand with their gun side away from the person—body bladed 45 degrees to the suspect, feet shoulder width apart (also at a 45 degree angle to the suspect). In the ideal situation, their body is facing slightly toward the suspects non-dominate side (this typically becomes apparent by hand gestures, smoking cigarettes, etc.).

The leg on the non gun-hand side should be slightly forward. The other slightly to the rear. Body weight is distributed equally on the balls of the feet. The front leg is then in position to strike or deflect attack.

Standing toward the non dominate side also enable the officer to gain quick control for applying a joint lock or pain compliance tactic, if needed. Controlling the non-dominate side allows the officer to add distance between him/her and the suspect’s strong side.

Their hands should be above the gun belt, appearing in a non-threatening, non-fighting position.

A cop’s gun hand should be poised, ready to draw either a firearm or TASER, whichever the situation dictates, while the other hand is ready to deflect incoming blows or to carry out other defensive actions, such as reaching for pepper spray, etc.

They should stand in this “ready position” in the event a situation turns violent.

All this while appearing at ease (yeah, right!).

Officers typically have their hands open when speaking with people, not clenched like they’re ready for a physical confrontation. This sends a nonverbal signal of “I’m not a threat to you.” Sometimes it’s the little things that prevent conflict.

This, my friends, is the tip of the iceberg. There are many tiny details that could make your cop tales zing with realism and excitement and fun, and it’s those details that bring fans back to your books time and time again.

 

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Thanksgiving: Black-Eyed Peas, Pigs Feet, and the Trip South

Our Thanksgiving trip south took us through the Harbor Tunnel in the Crab Cake Capitol of the World, Baltimore, Maryland (aka Bodymore, Murderland), and Washington D.C.

On the drive past D.C., the Washington Monument was slightly visible on the horizon. On the way back we were so close to it that we could almost count its bricks. As we drove through the area at a snail’s pace, I told Denene that I hoped the bumper-to-bumper barely moving traffic traveling in the opposite direction would ease up before our return trip. It did not.

By the way, in July of this year, the murder rate in Washington D.C. was up approximately 50%. Included in the 90 murdered at the midway part of the year was 10-year-old Makiyah Wilson, who was shot and killed in a quintuple shooting in Northeast D.C

Then came Northern Virginia where traffic moves at snail’s pace on a good day. But hey, the Commonwealth still boasts it’s for lovers. Tell that to the families of the victims killed in a state that can claim one of the highest murder rates in the country, per capita. In fact, in the 1990s, Richmond found its way to being ranked number two in the nation. As far back as 2012, there was a a 1 in 23 chance of being the victim of a crime if you lived in the city of Fredericksburg, Va.

I remember having to step across blood-soaked sidewalks to question suspects and witnesses in one Richmond housing complex. In fact, to simply question a man who had information about a stolen tractor trailer, well, we went in deep—several police officers and a K-9 unit just to be certain I’d make it to the front door and back. And that was in the middle of the day on a weekday. Weekends were worse, especially at night.

Anyway, next came our wonderful visit with family members. This Thanksgiving was the first opportunity in a long, long time that Denene and I had been together with all members of our immediate families. And, as many of you know, we have a lot to be thankful for this year.

While in the south we were reminded of things we’d left behind, such as cotton fields that stretched as far as the eyes could see.

And there were the BBQ restaurants featuring buffets piled high with black-eyed peas and stewed tomatoes, pigs feet and fatback, chicken livers, collard greens, homemade rolls and biscuits, and gallons of sweet tea.

On Thanksgiving day, among many other dishes, we feasted on smoked and fried turkey, corn fresh from the family farm, sweet potato casserole, country ham, and even homemade corn pudding, and a delicious chocolate chess pie baked by our daughter Ellen.

Since I’m not able to handle a lot of movement due to my failing and extremely painful hip joint (surgery is scheduled for January 3rd), my mother-in-law’s home was the center of all activity. My brother and his wife and Ellen and her family all visited with us there, in addition to Denene’s brothers’ families that now include several little ones (I received my very first lesson on how to make homemade “Slime” from a cute 7-year-old).

I cannot begin describe the intense warmness I felt in my heart when I saw both my mother-in-law and our daughter, two people who’ve faced terrific battles with cancer over the past year. And to have them prepare food for us and to see their smiles and to hear their laughter was nothing short of the miracle for which we’d all prayed.

Then came the time for our trip to end so we loaded the vehicle and made our way back through Richmond and Washington and Baltimore. The weather during the drive back was  not at all good. Raindrops the size of garden peas pelted and drilled at our vehicle the entire trip. Visibility was poor and for well over two solid hours we crawled along at no more than 20 mph.
There was a sea of brake lights in front and sea of headlights to the rear.

But we made it home safely. We even made it through Richmond, D.C., and Baltimore without seeing the first sign of gunfire.

Not a single bullet hole in our vehicle.

 

 

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The Rookie – The Switch: A Good Cop/Bad Cop Review

Melanie Atkins

I enjoyed this week’s episode of The Rookie more than I did the one that aired two weeks ago (no episode last week because of election coverage). The show’s fast pace and the idea of the rookies switching training officers (TOs) to help them gain a new perspective during training grabbed me. But one major problem still stood out: West froze under fire—again—and this time, his new TO, Tim Bradford, swept it under the rug to spare West’s first TO, Angela Lopez, from coming under fire for letting it go the first time.

What? My head is spinning, too. Because like Lee said, West should have been canned the first time he froze and failed to help his partner. I can’t believe that stoic Bradford, of all people, would let West off the hook. West did partially-redeem himself later by hitting a guy with his car before he could shoot Bradford, but he still didn’t prove himself capable of using his firearm—and that bothered me. Because yes, this is a TV show, but it’s still ridiculous.

On another note, John and Lucy both realized their feelings for each other have deepened, although neither of them ever said the words, I love you. Their admissions came as no surprise to me, and yet Lucy did shock me when she admitted the depth of her feelings for John to Angela Bishop, her new TO. Bishop, of course, already knew about their relationship and had warned Lucy about the possibility of her entanglement with John harming her career. Lucy again blows off Bishop’s warning. Or does she?

While Lucy is ruminating about her feelings for John, his new TO, Lopez, picks up the chemistry between him and Lucy and warns John about the possibility of the relationship hurting Lucy’s career. So, to my great irritation, he breaks up with her—even though he’s secretly fallen in love with her. The very idea made my heart ache, especially when Lucy tells John that she was about to break up with him, too, before he said anything. But I don’t believe it. I think she was about to confess her love for him, and now he’s dashed her hopes in his gallant attempt to save her career. Is that clear as mud? Sigh.

All in all, I liked this episode. But I’m not happy with the relationship situation. Will have to wait and see what happens next week. Will John and Lucy still gravitate toward one another despite their breakup? Or will they be able to keep their distance?

Your guess is as good as mine.

Lee Lofland

I still see this show as one that makes a super intense effort to mold and shape the featured TV cops into the images the writer(s) believe a police officer should be, not as total reality.

It’s as if the show’s goal is to check the boxes of some sort of “I’d like to see this in real life” list. To me, that’s what makes the scenarios and dialog come across as canned and unrealistic, even for a fictional television show.

I have the impression that the show’s creator had a mission when coming up with the premise of the series. Sure, number one, I’m sure, was making money and hoping to do by by capitalizing on Nathan’s Fillion’s huge success with the show Castle. But number two was to deliver a message based on the creator/producer’s personal beliefs. I may be wrong about this, but time will tell. If the show lasts long enough to see the point proven, or not..

The Rookie follows a boilerplate script—which is fine when it works. However …

My friend Hallie Ephron wrote a fantastic book she titled Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel. This book should have a permanent home beside the computer of every  author of mystery, thriller, and suspense stories. It’s a detailed “how-to” book that’s a perfect guide for helping a writer learn all the steps needed for everything from laying a story’s foundation all the way to handing your work over to an agent or editor.

In Hallie’s book, she explains how mysteries are separated into three acts, and within each act the stakes facing the characters rise, which creates tension (a witness is kidnapped, etc.). Along his/her journey, the hero of the story encounters major plot twists with some of those twists changing the direction of the tale. Some may take the hero back to “square one” as Ephron stated in a lesson she once taught for Mystery Writers of America.

In the end or near the conclusion of the last act, Hallie wrote in chapter eight of her book, “there’s a slam-bang dramatic finale in which the sleuth is in jeopardy and the truth revealed.”

The storyline of The Rookie closely follows the plan outlined Hallie Ephron’s book, and that’s good thing. However, having a blueprint only works if the characters come across as living and breathing actual human beings in a believable setting within a believable world.

Believability is an issue with “The Rookie”

Each of the three featured rookies has their own personal demons/hurdles to overcome, and those obstacles are part of the basic recipe for creating tension within a story. Such is the case when utilizing villains and antagonists to help deliver the peaks and valleys in a storyline.

Villains are used to create tension in a story. They also provide much-needed hurdles for the hero to overcome during his journey.

Unlike antagonists, villains are sociopathic, narcissistic, and can be quite unpredictable. And they often use fear to get their way.

By the way, an antagonist is someone who merely opposes the hero and typically and simply makes waves for the hero. Villains, on the other hand, are the bad guys of our stories who are devoted to wickedness. They have specific goals and will stop at nothing to reach them.

Sure, some points in this show are accurate, but their delivery seems forced and not believable. In shows like Star Trek Deep Space Nine and Voyager, the worlds we saw on the screen there couldn’t have been further from reality. But my friend Lisa Klink, who wrote those series, made us believe in the settings and in the characters. By the way, Lisa was a featured speaker at a recent Writers’ Police Academy.

In Fillion’s former show, Castle, the actors seemed natural (with the exception of the medical examiner who shall remain nameless—Lanie) in spite of some of the goofy writing and far our forensics. The reason things seemed realistic, for the most part, was due to the actors delivering their lines in a manner that allowed us to believe that what we were seeing could actually take place.

As Melanie mentioned above, rookie officer West should be standing in line at the unemployment office. After freezing twice when faced with incoming gunfire, he has no business wearing a police uniform. The second occurrence would not happen in real life because he’d have been sent on his merry way after the first time. No one could ever, not in a million years years, be able to trust him to do the right thing in violent situations. So, to help out …

BURBANK: Burbank WorkForce Connection

Phone: 818-238-5021

Email: burbankworkforceconnection@burbankca.gov

Website: www.burbankworkforce.org

ADDRESS:

301 East Olive Avenue
Burbank, CA 91502

Finally, I’ll end my ramblings with a quote from the show, one of the many bits of “info dump” we hear each week. This one is very true.

“The only rookie who makes it through are the ones who take the job so serious that they put everything else aside.” ~ Training Officer Angela Bishop

TODAY’S MYSTERY SHOPPER’S CORNER

Since the holiday season is nearly here, I’ve decided to feature a few fun items for your mystery shopping needs and wants. I’ll post these regularly throughout the remaining weeks of 2018.

So, especially for those of you who’re shopping for writer friends who enjoy a bit of research and/or relaxation, here are my picks for the day. By the way, someone asked why I post all Amazon links for the books I recommend. The answer is that they work well for and with this site, but by all means feel free to purchase books anywhere you like. But why not here by simply clicking the links I provide?

First up, Hallie Ephron’s book Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel.

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Say NO to Using Hair and Wasp Sprays for Self-Defense

Due to the fear caused by the news of home invasions, using hairspray as a chemical deterrent to ward off attackers has been a hot topic, especially among writers who’d love to incorporate the handy “weapon” into their tales.

The general idea is to keep a can handy on the nightstand beside the bed, or a smaller can inside a handbag. Then, as an unsuspecting attacker approaches, the would-be victim sprays the highly-flammable bouffont-molding hair-stiffener into the thug’s eyes, causing him to stop the attack and immediately run away while shedding a steady stream of gooey crocodile tears along the way.

Personally, I, as a former defensive tactics instructor and instructor-trainer, do not recommend the use of hairspray as a means of defense against attackers. It’s not totally adequate for the intended purpose. Nor is it reliable.

Unlike pepper spray that can be effective without direct contact to the eyes, the burst of hairspray mist must hit the eyes directly to do any good at all. And even then there’s a huge risk of doing nothing more than styling the attacker’s long eyelashes and bushy brows.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but carrying the stuff could give a person a false sense of security. And, like firearms and other weapons, unless you practice/train with with your handy-dandy hairspray bad-guy-stopper, chances are that using it in real-life would be totally ineffective. Unfortunately, I don’t believe there are any hairspray training academies in my area. Not sure about where you live, though.

The other premise is for the victim to use a cigarette lighter to ignite the hair goop as it leaves the nozzle, turning the misty chemical into a homemade hairspray flamethrower. Now, what halfway intelligent crook would dare continue his advances when faced with a scared and angry, fire-spurting homeowner?

Sure, the idea sound good—spray the attacker’s eyes which could render him incapable of continuing the assault. Or, set his hair on fire causing him to run outside looking like a human 4th of July fireworks display. But, there are a few things to keep in mind before lining your bedside tables with industrial size tubs of AquaNet.

  • For obvious reasons, if you insist upon going this route, remember to use the aerosol hairspray, not the pump type. The idea is to stop the attacker, not give him his recommended daily dose of laughter.
  • The actuators (push buttons) on aerosol cans are normally made of plastic and could melt when exposed to extreme heat/fire.
  • The flame generated using hairspray can extend only as far as the distance reached by the spray, which is basically a couple of feet. Therefore, an attacker could simply wait at a safe distance—four feet, or so—while your weapon slowly burns up/extinguishes. Or, he could stand at a safe distance and roast a marshmallow or two while waiting for the flame to subside.

Also, if the attacker is only two feet away when the victim begins the process of match-striking and spray-squirting, he could easily disarm the victim. They’re not going to stand around whistling a merry tune while waiting for the intended victim to first grab the can and a box of matches, strike a match or two (the first almost always breaks, especially when the match-striker is under pressure), hold down the button, release a stream of spray, hold the match to it, which could blow out the match, by the way, and finally ignite the hissing spray, and then aim it at the attacker, who, by now has puckered his lips and tweeted out the full ten-minute eight-second-long version of Free Bird. 

4. While standing in your bedroom striking matches and/or flicking Bics, an attacker could easily grab the blanket from your bed, toss it over you and your flamethrower, and then beat you senseless with your own fuzzy orangutan slippers .

5. If the spray fails to ignite you will have merely succeeded in helping your attacker keep his “Do” in fabulous shape for his appearance at your neighbors house … after blacking your eyes and stealing your stuff.

Of course, you could always switch to deodorant—aerosol, not roll-on—as a source of power for your flamethrower/chemical deterrent. At least then the attacker would smell nice while he pounded out a rhythmic Latin beat on your head.

A prime example of weaponized hairspray-fail was the fight between two Michigan women where one grabbed a can of hairspray, aimed it at her opponent, and set the stream on fire. Well, the flame never reached the other woman, who promptly grabbed a lamp and hit the fire-sprayer with it. When police arrived they found scratches on the faces of both women … and a broken lamp.

Wasp Spray as a Tool for Self-Defense

Using wasp and other bug sprays as a tool to ward off attacks earns an even bigger NO, Don’t Do It!

Pepper sprays and other such chemical deterrents are designed to irritate the eyes and respiratory systems of humans. As their bug-stopping compounds, wasp sprays, on the other hand, typically include pyrethrin or pyrethroids. Pyrethrin, a biodegradable compound, comes from a species of chrysanthemum plant, and its role is to disrupt a wasp’s nervous system. Actually,  pyrethrin is a low-toxicity pesticide.

Pepper sprays cause swelling of the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose and throat, and discharge from nasal and sinus passages. Other effects are coughing, shortness of breath, involuntary eye closure ( a big plus when using for self defense), burning and redness of the skin, hyperventilation, and even  fear and panic.

Exposure to wasp sprays basically make you smell funny and your skin gets wet. However, when sprayed directly into the eyes of an attacker, well, it might make him a bit angry since the stuff could very well, but slightly, irritate the eyes.

Why go to all this trouble  and the risk of the thing not working when you could simply purchase a can of pepper spray instead? *Please check state and local laws before placing an order.

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Friday’s Heroes: Remembering the Fallen

Officer Jared Franks, 24

Greensboro North Carolina Police Department

November 10, 2018 – Officer Jared Franks was killed in a vehicle crash while responding to a robbery-in-progress call.

 

 

 

 

Officer Toshio Hirai, 34

Gardena California Police Department

November 15, 2018 – On November 14, Officer Toshio Hirai was en route to the police station when a car struck the police motorcycle he was driving. The following day, November 15, he succumbed to injuries sustained in the crash.

 

 

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Holding Cells, Booking, and a Foot Pursuit in a Suit: Processing The Bad Guys

“He’s running!”

A bag of cocaine is tossed to the ground along with a small handgun. The bad guy takes off, and he’s well prepared for the run—tennis shoes and loose clothing. More importantly, he has a small head start … and he’s younger. Much younger. A kid.

You know, it’s difficult to chase someone, especially while wearing a suit and dress shoes, but that’s the nature of the beast. So detectives don’t complain, they just do it. Sure, they’ll hear the teasing from the uniforms, later … “Who taught you how to run, your grandma?” “Slowest chase I’ve ever seen.” “You got weights tied to your ankles?” “You put your feet on backward this morning?”

However, in spite of the awkward, wingtip-clad feet, the investigator almost always catches the thug, wrestles to get the cuffs on his wrists, and stands him upright for the walk back to the unmarked police car. Then it’s back to the police station for processing, which includes mugshot photos, fingerprinting, and normally the prisoner’s phone call to his wife or girlfriend, or both, mother, attorney, or bail bondsman (sometimes, there’s a list of local bail/bond folks beside the jail/police department lockup phone).

The actual foot chase …

Yes, that’s me in the above photo, with sweaty hair pulled behind my ears. At the time, I was working a special assignment where a bit longer hair, and facial hair, helped to blend in with the targets of the investigation. Since I’d been to court to testify in a trial on the day the picture was taken, I’d worn a coat and tie. Unfortunately, for me, this foot chase occurred in the summertime and it was extremely humid. On a typical day I’d have been in jeans, a t-shirt, and tennis shoes.

The picture was taken by a newspaper reporter who somehow managed to show up just as I captured an escapee from a prison located twenty miles or so from the city. I’ve never understood how reporters always seem to find you, when backup cannot.

Anyway, I’d just left court and was on my way back to my office when I spotted the guy walking along the railroad tracks. He saw me and took off like a rabbit. I jumped from my car and chased him through neighborhoods, over a short fence, under a taller fence, through alleys and parking lots, and finally into someone’s unlocked apartment. After a brief and quite intense struggle while listening to nonstop screaming and squalling coming from the two women who lived in the apartment, I handcuffed the escapee and proceeded to walk the long trek back to my car. Of course, I’d jumped out of the car without grabbing my portable radio, so backup had no idea where I was. Not a smart thing to do. Couldn’t blame them … this time.

 

Signs like the one above are reminders for the officers who sometimes have a tendency to forget the details.

Officers must lock their weapons inside a lockbox before entering the booking area. This is to prevent prisoners from gaining control of a firearm. The officer locks the box and takes the key with him.

Lockbox at entrance to booking area.

 

Officers, in this case a deputy sheriff, secure their weapons inside a lockbox whenever they deal with prisoners.

Arrested persons are often seated and handcuffed to benches while waiting for processing. Notice the handcuffs attached to the second rail from the left, below.

Prisoners are fingerprinted for both in-house records and for the FBI national database. Most departments now use automated fingerprinting devices, such as this LiveScan terminal.

Capturing a suspect’s fingerprints on a LiveScan terminal

Prints are transferred to a computer terminal where the suspect’s personal information is entered.

Digital images replace ten-print cards (cards used for capturing inked fingerprints).

Some departments still use the old ink and ten-print card method of fingerprinting (LiveScan terminals are expensive).

booking111.jpg

Then, with the processing complete, prisoners are placed into a holding cell until they post bond, or until they are transferred to the county jail to await their first court appearance, usually an arraignment.

Police department holding cell.

Steel plates mounted on the walls serve as beds. Prisoners are issued mattresses if their stay is overnight.

Combination sink and toilet

In-cell telephone

When prisoners are transported from the lockup to a county jail, or for court proceedings, they’re often placed in full restraints—handcuffs, waist chain, and leg irons, like those pictured below.

The deputy pictured above unlocks a holding cell door to begin shackling prisoners for their court appearances. The deputy is armed, as you may have noticed, but this is a staged photo taken by me for the purpose of educating writers about the process. In a real situation his weapon would be in the lockbox. There were no prisoners inside the cell at the time we took the photograph.

 

 

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Heading to the Laboratory: Toxicology, DUID, and Kay Scarpetta

As a police detective in the Commonwealth of Virginia, I investigated a vast assortment of criminal cases ranging from forged checks to robbery to B&E, major narcotics cases, murder for hire, occult crimes, and murder, to name a few. Solving those cases, including murders, often involved laboratory scientists who conducted a range of tests on various types of evidence.

Determining the Cause of Death

In Virginia  it is the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner Office (OCME) that’s responsible for determining the cause and manner of deaths that that fall under a handful of circumstances. Those specific conditions are:

Pursuant to § 32.1-283 of the Code of Virginia, all of the following deaths are investigated by the OCME:

  • any death from trauma, injury, violence, or poisoning attributable to accident, suicide or homicide;
  • sudden deaths to persons in apparent good health or deaths unattended by a physician;
  • deaths of persons in jail, prison, or another correctional institution, or in police custody (this includes deaths from legal intervention);
  • deaths of persons receiving services in a state hospital or training center operated by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services;
  • the sudden death of any infant; and
  • any other suspicious, unusual, or unnatural death.

Autopsies in the state are conducted at one of four district offices: Manassas, Norfolk, Richmond or Roanoke. The chief medical examiner’s office is located in Richmond. At the time when I worked as a detective the Central Laboratory, where the majority of forensic testing of evidence was conducted, was located in a downtown in a building shared with the medical examiner’s office. Ironically, much like a TV show setting, the morgue was in the basement.

Dinner with the Inspiration for Kay Scarpetta

I know this may sound a bit morbid, but I often made my way to the morgue simply to hang out and to learn. After all, this was the morgue  that gave birth to Kay Scarpetta, the famous fictional medical examiner created by Patricia Cornwell. The character was based on real-life Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Marcella Fierro, a brilliant, renowned medical examiner. Dr. Fierro was the M.E. who conducted the first autopsy I attended, an event I detailed in my book police procedure.

When Denene received her PhD (in pathology) from the University of Virginia, we celebrated at the Commonwealth Club in downtown Richmond. Dr.Fierro and one of her assistants, Dr. Kay, joined us for dinner. Tell you what, nothing beats a good autopsy conversation during dinner.

Another point to ponder – Cornwell’s first book, Postmortem, was based on the case(s) involving the brutal murders committed by serial killer/rapist Timothy Wilson Spencer. Spencer was the first person in the country convicted of a capital crime through DNA testing.

Spencer’s victims were discovered nude or partly nude in their bedrooms with their hands firmly tied, with rope, belts, or socks secured tightly around their necks. Spencer entered their homes through windows and then raped, sodomized, and then choked them until they were dead.

In April of 1997, the man known as the Southside Strangler was electrocuted and pronounced dead at 11:13 p.m. I sat just a few feet away and watched him die a gruesome death. To read the entire story of that night, click here.

Okay, enough rambling and reminiscing, so back to the lab – The upstairs floors of the laboratory high-rise complex housed various labs where scientists and laboratory personnel examined and tested every from gunshot residue and fingerprints to blood stains and poisons.

When I and other officers delivered evidence to the lab we were required to check in with an official stationed at the front desk. It was there where we submitted the items and the accompanying forms (see below).

Request for Laboratory Examination forms must accompany all submitted items. I’ve hidden the suspects’ identifying information in the form above, this one from my own case files. The items tested positive cocaine and the individuals involved accepted plea deals.

After the evidence was logged into the system and assigned a number(s) it was officially/physically received by the lab’s police officer on duty. They then delivered the materials/items to their proper place(s) where it would then be picked up by the expert who’d conduct the testing.

While a the facility I often visited various labs to see how far along other evidence was in their respective processes—fingerprints, trace evidence, DNA, etc. One of the places I visited was the toxicology lab. I did so for three reasons. One – I found the place to be fascinating. Two – I knew the person in charge and we’d been friends for quite a while. Three – They offered free coffee and sometimes a doughnut or two.

Back to my fascination with the tox lab. I find poison cases to be intriguing since they’re often so personal. They typically require a bit of planning and a ton of patience. And, to solve those kinds of murders, it take a good toxicologist to help put the pieces together in a form that’ll point to the killer.

In Virginia’s tox labs, they (per their website) “analyze body fluids and tissues for the presence and concentrations of alcohol, drugs, and other potential poisons. Support is provided to Medical Examiners to assist in determining cause and manner of death, and to law enforcement agencies investigating crimes where drug or alcohol use may be implicated.

The toxicology lab is often key to DUI and DUID (driving under the influence of drugs) cases Here’s how (again, from their website):

“Driving Under the Influence (DUI/DUID)
The Toxicology Section receives all blood samples taken by law enforcement agencies during DUI/DUID investigations to determine alcohol and drug content. After alcohol, the most frequently detected drugs are marijuana, prescription pain relievers (e.g., OxyContin, Percocet, Vicodin), benzodiazepines (e.g., Xanax, Valium, Klonopin), cocaine and zolpidem (Ambien, Intermezzo). While statutory limits exist for alcohol, PCP, cocaine, methamphetamine and MDMA (ecstasy) in blood, none are set for other drugs. Consequently, expert toxicology testimony regarding the effects of a drug or a combination of drugs on human performance and driving behavior is often necessary to establish impairment.”

And …

“The Department supplies Blood Collection Kits for use in DUI/DUID cases in Virginia. With these kits, the DUI/D Submission Information Sheet  may be used instead of a Request for Laboratory Examination Form.

  • Non-Implied Consent Cases
    Law enforcement agencies also submit blood, urine or other body fluids from suspects or victims of other crimes. Examples of these situations include drug-facilitated sexual assault, DUI/D investigations not pursuant to the implied consent statute, and child abuse or endangerment.
  •  Alcoholic Beverage Testing
    The Central Toxicology Section in Richmond also tests suspected alcoholic beverages submitted by law enforcement agencies.  Most of these cases involve the investigation of minors in possession of alcohol, open intoxicants in vehicles and illegal sale/distribution of alcohol.  These types of cases require the analysis of alcohol content.  Any beverage containing greater than or equal to 0.5% ethanol is defined as an alcoholic beverage (Code of Virginia § 4.1-100).”

TODAY’S MYSTERY SHOPPER’S CORNER

Since the holiday season is nearly here, I’ve decided to feature a few fun items for your mystery shopping needs and wants. I’ll post these regularly throughout the remaining weeks of 2018.

So, for day five of MSC, especially for those of you who’re shopping for writer friends who enjoy a bit of research and/or relaxation, here are my picks. By the way, someone asked why I post all Amazon links for the books I recommend. The answer is that they work well for and with this site, but by all means feel free to purchase books anywhere you like. But why not here by simply clicking the links I provide?

First up, Postmortem, Patricia Corwnell’s book based on serial killer Timothy Spencer.

Next is my book about police procedure. Inside, in addition to valuable information about cops and what they do, you’ll find a detailed chapter on autopsy as well as the complete story on the night I watched Spencer die in the electric chair.

Tactical pen/Self-Defense Weapon and Flashlight.

Multi-Tool Pliers and Handtools

Case Police Mini Trapper Pocket Knife

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