A blog about police procedure and investigation, forensics, and the craft of writing

by

Renowned Expert Lee Lofland

12
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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,…

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…
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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…
Police Procedure & Investigation: A Guide for Writers

Police Procedure and Investigation: A Guide for Writers.

As part of the latest Writers Digest Books Howdunit series, Police Procedure and Investigation is an authoritative guide that provides insight into a cop’s world; the terminology used by police officers; an in-depth look at the tools of the trade; squad house hierarchy; legal terms; courtroom terminology; jail, gang, and convict slang; street talk; drug crime information; con air procedures; information on autopsies and death penalty executions; cadet training procedures; fingerprinting details; a breakdown of murder and manslaughter charges; and tons of other useful information; all the things that explain why and how cops do what they do. A retired police detective, Lofland gives the lowdown on how everyday folks, as well as writers and journalists, misunderstand or incorrectly portray how the police work. Find out what mistakes you’re likely to make in your work. This book is the next best thing to having a police detective personally assigned to the reader.

With a career in law enforcement that spanned nearly two decades, author Lee Lofland is a nationally acclaimed expert on police procedures and crime scene investigations who consults regularly with best-selling authors and television producers. Now you can benefit from his years of experience with Police Procedure & Investigation.

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Strengthen Your Writing Muscles

Learn in-depth details about crime, crime scene and police procedures, and the tools used in real life investigations to help you develop realistic scenes and believable characters.


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Writers’ Police Academy Online Courses

Learn insider details from top law enforcement investigators, forensics experts, crime scene investigators, medical examiners, EMS, firefighters, K-9 handlers, bestselling authors, editors, agents, and other writing professionals.


Writers’ Police Academy Online

Learn About Lee Lofland.

Lee Lofland is a veteran police investigator who began his law-enforcement career working as an officer in Virginia’s prison system. He later became a sheriff’s deputy, a patrol officer, and finally, he achieved the highly-prized gold shield of detective. Along the way, he gained a breadth of experience that’s unusual to find in the career of a single officer.


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THE CRIME SCENE

It’s time to register for the 2024 Writers’ Police Academy’s special event, KIller Con!

The 16th annual Writers’ Police Academy returns in 2024 with an exciting all-new event, Killer Con.

Hosted by Writers’ Police Academy, Killer Con is a unique hands-on Homicide and Crime Scene Investigator Training Academy for writers.
This special event is designed to assist writers with:
– Character development.
– Insider, behind-the-scenes details about investigators and the tools, equipment, tactics, and techniques they use to solve cases.
– Experiencing true-to-life training that’s needed to add stunning realism to any story.
– Writing scenes from the point of view of someone who’s “been there, done that.”
– Providing elaborate specifics to help immerse your readers into the worlds you’ve created.
Killer Con classes and workshops are taught by leading forensic and law enforcement experts and DOJ-certified instructors.

June 6-9, 2024

FOUR DAYS of PRO-LEVEL TRAINING
HANDS-ON TRAINING
GUEST of HONOR
EXPERT INSTRUCTORS
2024 SHORT STORY CONTEST