THE END: Writers’ Police Academy’s FINAL Event – Two Registrations for the Price of One!

Yes, the time has come for us to drop the mic. It’s the end. The Grand Finale.

After 15 years of delivering heart pounding, hands-on excitement and helping writers learn and experience behind the scenes details about law enforcement, forensics, firefighting, EMS, and more, the Writers’ Police Academy is closing the doors on this chapter of its business.

The June 8-11, 2023 event is the last opportunity for you to attend the Writers’ Police Academy; therefore, we encourage, welcome, and invite you to join us for a final celebration of one of the top events for writers from around the world.

It’s been a wild ride, for sure. We’ve seen new authors become bestsellers. We’ve connected writers with agents and editors. Bestselling novels were born at the WPA. Lasting friendships were formed. Together we’ve enjoyed good times and we’ve seen one another through heartbreaking hardships. We’ve shared ideas and dreams. And through it all, we’ve had fun. Lots of FUN!

So, please …

Come Join Us as we celebrate the FINAL year of the Writers’ Police Academy.

Our Gift to You!

As our way of saying thanks for your support over the past 15 years we are offering a “Buy One, Get One Free” sale—two registrations for the price of one!

Here’s how it works. You sign up to attend the 2023 Writers’ Police Academy and your guest’s registration is free. It’s that simple. No strings attached. So bring a friend, a co-author, a significant other, your editor or agent, child (16 or older), cousin, aunt, uncle, grandparent, a neighbor, etc.

Registering your Guest

After you’ve completed your registration, contact Lee Lofland at lofland32@msn.com with the name and email address of your guest. He will then provide a payment bypass code for your guest to use when registering.

Rules

  • Offer applies to 2023 paid registrations only.
  • Already registered, you may still bring a guest. Offer is retroactive to those who’ve registered and paid in 2023 to attend in 2023. Your guest may not be someone who’s already registered to attend, or someone who previously signed up and cancelled their registration.
  • One free registration per paid attendee.
  • Buy One Get One Free offer may not be used in conjunction with any other promotion or offer.
  • Offer is for one free registration only. Hotel, travel, banquet, and other expenses are not included. However, each WPA registration includes free breakfast at the hotel (buffet with our group) and lunches at the public safety academy.
  • Offer is good until all spots are filled/the event sells out, and may end without notice at any time.

To take advantage of this incredibly fantastic offer, click the link below to sign up while there’s still time to attend this thrilling event.

www.writerspoliceacademy.com

*The closing of the WPA annual event is certainly not the end of our projects for writers. Not at all. We have a couple of exciting plans in the works. So stay tuned!

/by
,

I Found Jesus, and He Likes Chocolate Milkshakes

I found Jesus many years ago. To be precise, it was the Thursday before Easter when our face-to-face meeting took place, but our coming together did not occur in a typical place of worship or during a moment of prayer. Not even close. Instead, he appeared to me in a grassy median strip that divides the north and southbound lanes of I95.

Jesus, as the long-haired man identified himself to me, must have been working an undercover assignment from Heaven, and I say this because instead of what we’ve all seen in paintings as traditional attire, the man I encountered was dressed in a couple of old and ratty men’s dress shirts (one on top of the other), faded, grungy blue jeans, and holy holey Chuck Taylor sneakers. Sure, his hair was long and wavy and his beard was like the one that’s familiar to us from the portraits we see of the Son of God. But something wasn’t quite right.

Being the savvy police investigator that I was, I began to pick up on a few clues that prompted several questions to begin scrolling across the marquee inside my brain. Questions that needed answering. Like… Why would Jesus speak with a southern accent? Why would Jesus address me as Captain? Was he current on his knowledge of rank insignias? Why would Jesus attempt to thumb a ride on the interstate? Why were his shoes wet? After all, there’s that “walking on water” thing. Why did his eyes dart from side to side instead of focusing on me? Was he telepathically watching an in-progress tennis match at Pearly Gate Stadium? And why did the man who once fed thousands with a couple of fish ask me for money so he could buy something to eat?

Needless to say, I was confused. So I questioned the man about his identity, treading lightly, just in case. Faith and that sort of thing, you know..

When I asked where he lived, the man’s lips split into a slightly cockeyed grin, exposing his front teeth tooth. Another clue.

He said, “My son, I live everywhere. From mountaintop to the bottom of the deepest ocean. I live in the hearts of the saved and in the bodies of the damned.”

Okay, I admit, despite the obvious lack of oral hygiene, this was a bit spooky.

He continued. “I was baptized by John and I seek perfection in all men.”

The hairs on the back of my neck stood at attention. Could he really be …

“Captain, I’d like to go home. Could you help me?”

What’s this, I thought. Jesus needs my help? Is that even possible?

“Where is home … sir?” I couldn’t quite bring myself to call him Jesus. At least not this soon in our earthly relationship.

“I live at the crazy hospital in Petersburg, Virginia, Captain. I went for a walk yesterday and haven’t been able to find my way since.”

Well, that was a switch. Jesus telling me that he couldn’t find his way, when I’d been “lost” for a good portion of my life. “Sure,” I said. I’ll be glad to help you. In fact, I’ll call someone right now to see what we need to do to get you home. In the meantime, would you like something to eat?”

“Yes, my son, I would. Could I have a hamburger, some delicious fries, and a chocolate milkshake? That’s my favorite.” 

“Sure you can,” I said. “Whatever you want.”

God bless you, son. There’s a place in heaven for you.”

I guess I’ll never know for sure, but stranger things have happened. At the very least, I shared a meal with a very humble man who, by the way, devoured his supper like it was, well, his last.

 

/by

Fictional and Real-Life Officers – The Challenges of Policing in the Rain

The challenges of policing in the rain are many, but before I introduce you to them, there’s this …

 

Rain and Mud

 

Rain

Mud

Muck

Delightful, they are not.

 

When it’s you, who

Must roll and fight

In slop and goo

To cuff a wily crook.

 

Rain

Mud

Muck

On your nose and your shoes.

 

On your clothes

Hands

Gun

And your gleaming silver badge.

 

Rain

Mud

Slimy

Sodden, mushy, and swampy.

 

Yucky

Gooey

Nasty.

Unavoidable, yes it is.

 

Arrest

Cuff

Stuff

And off to jail they go.

 

Fingerprints

Mugshot

Phone call

Cell doors slamming tightly shut.

 

Dumb

Thief

Stole

Two bestselling mysteries.

 

Cops and the Rain

Yes, the awful “poem” above was absolutely cheesy and repugnantly horrible, but its purpose was to begin the discussion about cops and rain. Well, that and I couldn’t think of a decent segue into the topic.

Chances are pretty good that you’ve not given much thought to what it’s like to work in the rain as a police officer, right? But you should consider it. After all, it’s not always sunny and dry between book covers. Therefore, fictional officers should encounter the same unique wet weather challenges faced by their real-life peers, such as:

  • Keeping weapons and ammunition dry.
  • Preventing water from finding its way into portable radios.
  • Struggling to apply handcuffs to the wet and slimy wrists of a soaking wet and muddy suspect.
  • Having to thoroughly clean mud from the exterior and interior locking mechanisms of handcuffs.
  • Pursuits on wet roadways where hydroplaning makes the act akin to driving without a steering wheel or brakes. Fun times. Whee!
  • Blue light glare reflecting from raindrops and wet things (pavement, buildings, car windows, windshield, etc.). So not only do they not have brakes or steering capabilities in hydroplaning situations, they’re driving blind, as well.
  • Flashing lights, windshield wipers, blowing debris, radio chatter, light from in-car computer terminal, phone ringing, siren wailing and yelping, suspect in back yelling, screaming, spitting, kicking the back of the driver’s seat and rear doors—all major distractions while driving in wet conditions.
  • Struggling with a suspect while wearing a long, bright yellow raincoat—nearly impossible.
  • Locating the vinyl rain cover for your hat. When they’re most needed they’re never in the spot where they’re normally kept. Trust me, a cold, wet, dripping hat is most unpleasant to wear.
  • Trying to run after a suspect through wet grass, puddles, and ankle-deep mud while wearing a police uniform, a fully-loaded duty belt, heavy vest, and rain gear—nearly impossible.
  • Hard rain makes it difficult to see … anything. Such as the guy with the gun who ran into the cemetery … at night.
  • Never fails. There will be a car crash and/or a power outage that switches off every stoplight on the beat, during each and every rain storm. Directing traffic in the pouring rain is a horrible experience. And cold.
  • Protecting crime scene evidence from the elements without compromising or contaminating it.
  • When the shooting starts, having to instantly locate the pass-through pocket/gun slit in the long, bright yellow raincoat. Not the best time to figure out how this clumsy maneuver is done.
  • Catching an outdoor call the first few minutes of the shift and then wearing wet, cold clothing for the next several hours. The feel of icy-cool Kevlar and wet polyester against your body is no picnic.
  • K-9 officers have a set of their very own challenges—muddy paws and wet fur, for example. The stinky “wet dog” odor inside police cars smells bad. Really bad. Especially when combined with the odors left behind by the puking, sweating, peeing drunk who occupied the passenger seat earlier in the shift.

Well, they do …

141756305451nji

 

/by
,

Gunshot Wounds: The “Hole” Story

Shots fired from close range often leave tell-tale marks called stippling, or tattooing. Evidence of contact with hot gunpowder can be seen just above and to the sides of the “V” opening of the shirt (the soot-blackened area) in the photograph below.

The person who wore this shirt was the victim of a shooting at close range—less than a foot away—with a 9mm pistol. Notice there’s no hole in the back of the shirt. No hole, no exit wound. The bullet remained lodged inside the body, even from a shot at this short distance.

The section below contains a photograph of an actual gunshot wound (post autopsy).

*WARNING. REAL GUNSHOT WOUND BELOW – GRAPHIC *

*

*

*

*

*

In the picture below, the hot bullet entered the flesh leaving a gray-black ring around the wound. The tiny black dots are the stippling, or tattooing.

Close contact gunshot wound to the chest.

The impact of the bullet and gases striking the tissue also left a distinct bruising (ecchymosis) around the wound. Notice the stitching of the “Y” incision. The incision is at the centerline of the chest. I took this photo during the autopsy of the murder victim.

The wound is round and neat and it’s approximately the diameter of an ink pen. It’s not like the ones we see on television where half the guy’s body is blown into oblivion, or beyond, by a couple of bullets from a hero’s gun.

Stippling

Stippling is due to burned and unburned powder grains exiting from the firearm causing pinpoint blackened abrasions on the skin.

For Every Action There’s an Equal and Opposite Reaction

Bullets don’t always stop people. I’ve seen shooting victims get up and run after they’ve been shot several times. And for goodness sake, people DO NOT fly twenty feet backward after they’ve been struck by a bullet. Instead, they fall down and bleed. They may even moan a lot, or curse. That’s if they don’t get back up and start shooting again. Simply because a suspect has been shot once or twice does not mean his ability, or desire, to kill someone is over, and that, writers, is why police officers are taught to shoot until the threat is over.

The bank robber I shot and killed during a shootout fell after each of the five rounds hit him. But he also stood and began firing again after each of my bullets struck—one to the head and four to the center of his chest area. After the fifth round he stood and charged officers. Four of the five rounds caused fatal wounds. Yet, he still stood and ran toward officers. I and a sheriff’s captain tackled and cuffed him. In another instance, a man engaged in a gun battle with several officers. He was shot 33 times and still continued walking toward officers.

Always keep Sir Isaac Newton and his Third Law of Motion in mind when writing shooting scenes. The size of the force on the first object must equal the size of the force on the second object—force always comes in pairs.

Entrance Wounds

Entrance wounds caused when rounds are fired from a distance (not close contact wounds) typically exhibit a hole that’s near the size and round shape of the projectile/bullet. These wounds typically lack stippling (see “stippling” below).

Sometimes entrance wound shapes are irregular because bullets may tumble during flight, instead of spinning.

 

Irregular entrance wound

Gunshot wounds caused when the weapon is fired from an intermediate range may present a wide area of stippling and are without a muzzle imprint and/or laceration. The area of stippling present depends upon the proximity of the muzzle and the victim.

Several factors that affect how much or how little gunshot residue (GSR) appears on a victim’s skin and clothing. For example:

  • distance between the muzzle and victim when the round is fired
  • angle of the gun barrel in relation to the victim
  • type of clothing worn by the victim
  • components of the gunpowder
  • and more

Exit Wounds

Sometimes exit wounds are nearly as small or equal to the size of the entrance wound. The amount of damage and path of travel through the body depends on the type ammunition used and what the bullet struck as it makes it way through the body. However, they typically do not display signs and evidence associated with entrance wounds—imprint of the muzzle, stippling, or blackening of the skin edges.

Many bullets, such as those used in hollow point ammunition, are designed to hit a target and remain within that target/body without exiting. When a hollow point round hits a target, the nose of the bullet expands and flattens, creating a larger surface area than the bullet’s original size. This helps slow and even stop the forward motion of the bullet while inside the target. The purpose is to prevent the round from continuing through the target and hitting something else. Still, exit wounds do occur, especially when the round strikes only soft tissue, or when the rounds are loaded with an amount of powder that’s more than what’s needed, making those rounds overly powerful.

Hollow point rounds expand and flatten when striking objects

Below are other rounds we recovered after they’s struck hard surfaces at various angles. All were fired from the same gun. The flattened round on the left struck a steel surface head-in. To show the difference between striking a hard surface as opposed to something soft, the bullet at the far right was fired directly into a massively thick pile of foam rubber. It maintained its shape. The object at the top of the photo is an ejected brass casing. I took the photo at law enforcement firing range during a controlled exercise.

When a fired bullet enters a person’s skin, the tissue is instantly and forcefully dislocated outward from the center of the wound. The force is so great that the hole is, for a brief time, larger than the diameter of the bullet. However, skin is often elastic enough to reverse the action and draw the wound closed to a point where it’s sometimes smaller than the size of the bullet. This action totally dispels the fictional cops who, upon merely looking at a homicide victim’s bullet wounds, claim to instantly know the caliber of the bullet that caused the injury.

Exit wounds normally present pieces of avulsed flesh angled/beveled slightly away from the wound. Typically, there’s also no trace of gunshot residue around the outside of the wound.

Contact wounds occur when the muzzle is pressed against the skin when the weapon is fired

Contact wounds caused by the barrel of a gun touching the skin when the weapon is fired may present the imprint of the muzzle. The wounds sometimes show an abrasion ring (a dark, blackened circle around the wound) that’s caused as the hot gases from the weapon enters the flesh. The force of the gas blows the skin and tissue back against the gun’s muzzle, leaving the circular imprint.

  • In areas of “loose” skin, such as the abdomen or even the chest area, wounds likely present as circular with blackened, seared skin surrounding the wound opening.
  • On the head, entry wounds often appear as round punctures, again with blackened, seared skin surrounding the wound opening.
  • Contact entrance wounds routinely exhibit soot on the skin surrounding the injury,  and sometimes even laceration of the skin due to consequences of expelled gases from the firearm.

Near-contact wounds are caused when the muzzle of the gun is held a short distance from the skin. These wounds generally present as circular with blackened and seared edges. However, the searing and blackening cover a wider space than seen with contact wounds

Entrance and Exit Wounds in Bone

Entrance wounds in flat bones such as the skull are often round and show internal beveling in the direction of the bullet’s path. The shape and nature is quite similar to that of a cone.

Exit wounds in bone are most likely more irregular in shape than entry wounds and may show external beveling (a reverse cone), the opposite effect of the entrance wound.

 

/by

Furloughs: Everyone Needs A Vacation, Even Prison Inmates

Thursday nights were for doing laundry, letter writing, and shoe-shining. However, the Thursday night of this particular week was a bit different because the next day was the first of a three-day furlough for inmate I. Dunnit, 43546-045.

Dunnit was 13 months into a 24 month sentence in federal prison for providing false information to the IRS. He’d been a model inmate since the first day he set foot in the camp located in the California desert. Working as a tool room clerk, he earned the top bonus pay of $.40 per hour on top of his $.12 per hour base salary. He attended regular Toastmasters meetings, sang in the prison choir that occasionally performed in local churches, including the one attended by the warden and his family, and he played on the tennis team that regularly crushed the local Jaycee team whenever they visited the prison to play a friendly match or two on the institution’s top-notch courts.

Getting a furlough approved was a long shot, but not impossible. Still, Dunnit’s counselor, Harry Pitts, a portly man with a set of jowls that hung from the sides of his face like a pair of cheap drapes, thought he could make it happen. Pitts was a kind man who saw a little good in everyone, especially in inmate I. Dunnit.

To secure Dunnit’s 3-day furlough Pitts reeled in a couple of favors, like not telling the warden’s wife about a certain little blonde clerk who spent plenty of time in her boss’s office with the door closed and the “In Conference” sign hanging from a shiny thumbtack on the outside.

The application process had been short and sweet, with the reason for furlough stated as “to re-establish family and community ties.” The other choices on the form seemed better—to attend a religious meeting, attend a court proceeding/hearing, receive special medical or dental care not offered in the prison facility, or to participate in special training or a work detail—but Pitts stuck to his “keep it simple” plan, and it worked. The furlough application was approved and signed by the warden.

So when Friday morning came, Dunnit showered and put on a pair of new jeans, a blue dress shirt, plaid boxer shorts, new Ralph Polo socks, and his favorite pair of New Balance running shoes, the clothing his wife mailed to Pitts a week in advance of the furlough.

At 9 a.m. sharp, the officer working control in the front office called Dunnit’s name over the intercom.

“I. Dunnit, report to the compound office.”

This was it. His wife had arrived to take him away from the concrete, the tool room, and the 999 other inmates who were also working on ways to get away from the camp. Although, it wasn’t so bad at the camp, since many of the prisoners “go over the hedges” at least once a week.

You see, the prison camp has no walls or fences, just a row of decorative and neatly trimmed boxwoods around the perimeter. Two hundred years or so to the south of the compound, there’s a dirt road that leads to the main highway running north to San Jose and south to L.A. The first turn to the left, several miles northeast, is practically a straight shot to Vegas.

Several of the guys leave the prison camp at night, running through the tumbleweeds and dust, dodging scorpions, roadrunners, rattlesnakes, and jack rabbits, to hop inside a waiting car driven by girlfriends, wives, friends, or family. They drive into town to catch a movie, have a nice dinner at a local restaurant, or simply climb into the backseat for a bit of “desert delight.” Sometime just shy of 9 p.m., when the rec yard closes for the night and an hour before count time, the fellows slip back onto the prison grounds with bellies full of steak and wine, eyes red of pot smoke, and the look of satisfaction stamped across their flushed faces. They also bring contraband into the prison, such as wine, weed and other drugs, clothing, food (shrimp, steak, etc.), cellphones, radios, coffee, liquor, and more.

Going over the hedges provides some relief from prison life. But getting away from it all to spend three days at home, walking barefoot in grass, eating home cooked meals, visiting with family, sleeping in a real, soft bed with a significant other instead of on a steel slab covered with a plastic-covered mattress while smelling the guy’s stinky feet in the upper bunk, and even holding a dollar bill and driving a car, well, it would be three days in heaven.

Unfortunately, a three-day furlough ends in … well, three short days. And the drive back to the camp was far too quick. But what a weekend! Saturday, the entire family came over for a barbecue around the pool. The oldest daughter brought her kids who stuck to Grandpa Dunnit like glue. Piggyback rides and hugs. Hamburgers and potato salad. Homemade iced tea and ice cream. Snuggling with the wife. And dignity. He had his dignity back, even if it was for only three short days. No one telling him every move to make. No strip searches. No bending over. No squatting and coughing while guards look at and inspect his most private areas.

Even model prisoners lose their dignity in prison.

But, the moment had arrived and walking back inside the main door to the camp office was tough.

“Welcome back, Dunnit. Have a good time?” said the officer on duty.

“Yeah, it was nice.”

“You see your grandkids?”

“Sure did. They’ve grown quite a bit since I last saw them too.”

“I know what you mean. Mine grow like little weeds.”

Dunnit handed the officer his bag.

“Well, I guess we may as well get this over with. Step inside the restroom and take off your clothes and hand me each piece as you take it off. You’re gonna have to pee in a cup for me too.”

Dunnit slipped off his new clothes, and his dignity, neither of which he’d see again until his release date.

 

 

Yes, furloughs are possible for federal inmates. The length of the furlough depends upon the time remaining on their sentence—the less time the longer the furlough. Some furloughs are for an overnight stay only, because the inmates are less than 18 months from their release date.

  • The expense of the furlough must be paid for by the prisoner or his family.
  • Inmates incarcerated for violent crimes are not eligible to receive furloughs.
  • While on a furlough, the inmate may not consume alcohol or drugs. They also may not consume any food item containing poppy seeds, since the seeds often show up on drug screens as a positive result for opiate use. The same normally applies to those who are on supervised probation.
  • Some federal inmates are also granted furloughs when transferring from one prison to another.

*Inmate I. Dunnit is a fictional character as is his prison. Prison furloughs, however, are very real.

The first five numbers of a federal inmate’s ID are unique to the prisoner, sort of like a social security number. The last three numbers identify the court district where they were arrested and processed. For example, I. Dunnit’s inmate number is 43546-045.  The first five numbers are unique to him. The last three, 045, as you can see in the list below, indicate he was arrested and processed in the Western District of Missouri.

001 – Northern District of Alabama (N/AL)
002 – Middle District of Alabama (M/AL)
003 – Southern District of Alabama (S/AL)
004 – Southern District of Florida (S/FL)
005 – District of the Northern Mariana Islands (D/MP)
006 – District of Alaska (D/AK)
007 – District of Columbia (Superior Court)
008 – District of Arizona (D/AZ)
009 – Eastern District of Arkansas (E/AR)
010 – Western District of Arkansas (W/AR)
011 – Northern District of California (N/CA)
012 – Central District of California (C/CA)
013 – District of Colorado (D/CO)
014 – District of Connecticut (D/CT)
015 – District of Delaware (D/DE)
016 – District of Columbia (DC/DC)
017 – Northern District of Florida (N/FL)
018 – Middle District of Florida (M/FL)
019 – Northern District of Georgia (N/GA)
020 – Middle District of Georgia (M/GA)
021 – Southern District of Georgia (S/GA)
022 – District of Hawaii (D/HI)
023 – District of Idaho (D/ID)
024 – Northern District of Illinois (N/IL)
025 – Southern District of Illinois (S/IL)
026 – Central District of Illinois (C/IL)
027 – Northern District of Indiana (N/IN)
028 – Southern District of Indiana (S/IN)
029 – Northern District of Iowa (N/IA)
030 – Southern District of Iowa (S/IA)
031 – District of Kansas (D/KS)
032 – Eastern District of Kentucky (E/KY)
033 – Western District of Kentucky (W/KY)
034 – Eastern District of Louisiana (E/LA)
035 – Western District of Louisiana (W/LA)
036 – District of Maine (D/ME)
037 – District of Maryland (D/MD)
038 – District of Massachusetts (D/MA)
039 – Eastern District of Michigan (E/MI)
040 – Western District of Michigan (W/MI)
041 – District of Minnesota (D/MN)
042 – Northern District of Mississippi (D/MS)
043 – Southern District of Mississippi (D/MS)
044 – Eastern District of Missouri (E/MO)
045 – Western District of Missouri (W/MO)
046 – District of Montana (D/MT)
047 – District of Nebraska (D/NE)
048 – District of Nevada (D/NV)
049 – District of New Hampshire (D/NH)
050 – District of New Jersey (D/NJ)
051 – District of New Mexico (D/NM)
052 – Northern District of New York (N/NY)
053 – Eastern District of New York (E/NY)
054 – Southern District of New York (S/NY)
055 – Western District of New York (W/NY)
056 – Eastern District of North Carolina (E/NC)
057 – Middle District of North Carolina (M/NC)
058 – Western District of North Carolina (W/NC)
059 – District of North Dakota (D/ND)
060 – Northern District of Ohio (N/OH)
061 – Southern District of Ohio (S/OH)
062 – Northern District of Oklahoma (N/OK)
063 – Eastern District of Oklahoma (E/OK)
064 – Western District of Oklahoma (W/OK)
065 – District of Oregon (D/OR)
066 – Eastern District of Pennsylvania (E/PA)
067 – Middle District of Pennsylvania (M/PA)
068 – Western District of Pennsylvania (W/PA)
069 – District of Puerto Rico (D/PR)
070 – District of Rhode Island (D/RI)
071 – District of South Carolina (D/SC)
073 – District of South Dakota (D/SD)
074 – Eastern District of Tennessee (E/TN)
075 – Middle District of Tennessee (M/TN)
076 – Western District of Tennessee (W/TN)
077 – Northern District of Texas (N/TX)
078 – Eastern District of Texas (E/TX)
079 – Southern District of Texas (S/TX)
080 – Western District of Texas (W/TX)
081 – District of Utah (D/UT)
082 – District of Vermont (D/VT)
083 – Eastern District of Virginia (E/VA)
084 – Western District of Virginia (W/VA)
085 – Eastern District of Washington (E/WA)
086 – Western District of Washington (W/WA)
087 – Northern District of West Virginia (N/WV)
088 – Southern District of West Virginia (S/WV)
089 – Eastern District of Wisconsin (E/WI)
090 – Western District of Wisconsin (W/WI)
091 – District of Wyoming (D/WY)
093 – District of Guam (D/GU)
094 – District of the Virgin Islands (D/VI)
095 – Middle District of Louisiana (M/LA)
097 – Eastern District of California (E/CA)
098- -Southern District of California (S/CA)

 

Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Furlough Application Form

*Hover mouse over form to use arrows for page scrolling

BP_A0291

/by

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious … BANG, You’re Dead!

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

There it is, the word sung by Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke in the movie “Mary Poppins“. Now, say it out loud. Or, if you prefer, say it in reverse – dociousaliexpilisticfragicalirupes.

Either way, it takes us somewhere between one and two seconds for it to roll off our tongues, give or take a tenth of a second, or two. And that’s saying it as fast as you possibly can.

I suppose I could stop here and let you go about the remainder of your day with this ear worm digging its way into your brain:

 

It’s supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

Even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious

If you say it loud enough, you’ll always sound precocious

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

 

Um diddle, diddle diddle, um diddle ay

Um diddle, diddle diddle, um diddle ay

Um diddle, diddle diddle, um diddle ay

Um diddle, diddle diddle, um diddle ay…

 

But let’s stick with the time it takes to say that word. For me it’s somewhere between 1.01 seconds and 1.22 seconds, depending upon how quickly I start after clicking the button on the stopwatch.

Now, imagine that you’re a police officer who’s responded to a call where a suspect used a baseball bat to beat his spouse and children. You arrive at the scene and hear yelling, screams, and children crying from inside the home. You knock. No answer. Still more screaming. You force open the door and rush inside where you’re immediately faced with a man pointing a handgun at a badly battered woman. He begins to turn toward you. So how do you respond to the threat?

Well, your body and brain must first of all figure out what’s going on (perception). Then, the brain instructs the body to stand by while it analyzes the scenario (okay, he has a gun and I think I’m about to be shot). Next, while the body is still on hold, the brain begins to formulate a plan (I’ve got to do something, and I’d better do it asap). Finally, the brain pokes the body and tells it to go for what it was trained to do—draw pistol, point the business end of it at the threat, insert finger into trigger guard, squeeze trigger.

To give you an idea as to how long it takes a trained police officer to accomplish those steps, let’s revisit Mary Poppins and Bert the chimney sweep, and that wacky word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. Remember, it takes us a little over one second to say the entire word.

New Picture (3)

To put this scenario into perspective, a police officer’s reaction time (based on a study of 46 trained officers), when they already know the threat is there, AND, with their finger already on the trigger, is 0.365 seconds. That’s far less than half the time it takes Bert to sing that famous word. Unfortunately, as fast as that sounds, suspects already know they’re going to fire so they’re typically able to shoot before the officer has a chance to react. Hopefully, their accuracy/marksmanship is less than stellar, which is often the case.

So, when confronted with a potential deadly force situation, officers must perceive/identify the threat, evaluate the situation, develop a plan of action, and then set that plan in motion.

In short, police officers must decide what to do and then do it in the time it takes to say “supercali.” Not even the entire word.

Are you able to make complex decisions in less than a second? How about decisions that involve life or death?

I dare say that many of us can’t decide what to select from a fast food menu within that scant time frame.

Sure, it’s super easy to look back at deadly force incidents and offer opinions as to how they should, or should not have been handled. But only the people who were there at the precise moment the trigger was pulled know the real story. They alone know how they perceived and reacted to the threat to them and/or others.

Justified, or not, it takes less than a second to react, and a lifetime to deal with the decision.

Supercali … BANG, You’re Dead!

/by