The Graveyard Shift Blog

Since 2008, Lee Lofland has written over 2000 articles on his blog, The Graveyard Shift. Topics such as police procedure, forensics, criminal behavior, and what it’s like to be a cop has helped countless numbers of popular and aspiring writers.

His life’s mission – to remind writers that cordite is dead and gone. Just say no to cordite in your books!

Thank you GTTC

Thank You GTCC!

  After twelve months of planning, tons of hard work, lots of fun, and three wonderful days of playing cops and robbers, it all boiled down to the stroke of pen. On Thursday, Denene and I traveled to Guilford Technical Community College…
Friday's Heroes - Remembering the fallen officers

Friday’s Heroes: Remembering The Fallen

  The Graveyard Shift extends our condolences to the families of these brave officers. Officer Anthony "Tony" Alan Giniewicz, 58 Signal Hill California Police Department In 1985, Officer Giniewicza was wounded during a shootout…
The art of peace

Aikido: The Force Behind Use Of Force

Before police officers actually hit the streets to begin making arrests, directing traffic, responding to domestic complaints, and investigating murders, they must attend a basic police academy to receive their certifications as police officers.…
Jail visits: pros and cons

Jail Visits: Pros And Cons

He stands at a tiny window watching and waiting for her car to round the bend. Any minute now. The drive is long. Four hours, one way. The little ones, five and seven now, will have on their Sunday best. The boy's hair'll be slicked…
Where have they gone

Where Have They Gone?

  Where have they gone? Why, just yesterday they were here There was laughter And games and hugs and bedtime stories Family meals School plays Trips to the beach Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the new year Special…
Friday's Heroes - Remembering the fallen officers

Friday’s Heroes: Remembering The Fallen

  The Graveyard Shift extends our condolences to the families of these brave officers. Chief of Police Jerry E. Hicks, Sr., 69 Leadwood Missouri Police Department December 4, 2011 - Chief of Police Jerry Hicks was on his…
Skimmers, Scammers, And Slicksters: Tis The Season

Skimmers, Scammers, And Slicksters: Tis The Season

It's that time of the year---presents and bows, snow and good cheer, eggnog and fruitcake. It's also the time of the year for spending tons of cash and many, many visits to ATM's and credit-card-swiping devices. Yes, this is the busiest shopping…
Castle: Cuffed

Castle: Cuffed – A Review

  This was an episode that, for me, was the return of the show that its fans fell in love with way back in season one. It was extremely good, well-written, and the actors were at the top of their games. Even Lanie was good. Her handlers…
10 Holiday shopping tips

10 Holiday Shopping Tips: Keeping The Bad Guys Away

Every single day since the moon rose over Black Friday shoppers, I've read sad story after sad story about thefts, assaults, robberies, and other Grinch-like criminal activity. We all know they're out there, the holiday shoplifters, stocking…
Writing is for the birds

Writing Is For The Birds

  I'm finally working on a new book and thought I'd found the perfect place to write---at the beach on a long, lonely pier. As far as I could see in either direction was nothing but sand and water, well, with the exception of three dolphins…
Friday's Heroes - Remembering the fallen officers

Friday’s Heroes: Remembering The Fallen

The Graveyard Shift offers our condolences to the family of this brave officer. Correctional Officer Buddy Ray Herron, 42 Oregon Department of Corrections November 29, 2011 - At approximately 11:00 pm, Corrections Officer Buddy…
True Crime Thursday

True Crime Thursday: Would You Believe…

  Sometimes truth is far more difficult to swallow than fiction. Would you believe... Brunswick, Ga. -  A former Appling County Georgia deputy sheriff, Richard W. Crosby, has been sentenced to two years in prison for alerting…
Silence and tears

Silence And Tears: Page 104 Of My Spiral Notebook

"Help me, please!" "Yes, he has a gun. My shotgun..." "Please, he's all I have." "He's seventeen." "Yes, it's loaded." "Please, do something!" "In the living room, sitting on the floor." "The far wall, next to the sofa." "Wait…
11 college campus's

11 College Campuses with Major ‘Occupy’ Movements

Occupy Wall Street has been going on for months now, and although reactions to the movement are mixed, there are protest locations numbering somewhere near 1,000. Within that number are several college campuses that boast major Occupy movements,…
Could you spot a stolen car?

Could You Spot A Stolen Car?

How do cops spot stolen cars before they're even reported as missing? Well, it takes a good eye and knowing the sometimes obvious clues. Here's a checklist that just might help the hero of your story spot that stolen Infinity on page 76 of your…
Savannah's River Street

A Stroll Along Savannah’s River Street

  A walk along Savannah's River Street is a modern-day stroll back in time. If you listen carefully you can almost hear the cheers as the S.S. Savannah, the first steamship to cross the Atlantic, pulled away from the port on that May…
Friday's Heroes - Remembering the fallen officers

Friday’s Heroes: Remembering The Fallen

  The Graveyard Shift extends our condolences to the family of this brave officer. Agent Mariano Rodríguez-Maldonado, 37 Puerto Rico Police Department November 21, 2011 - Agent Mariano Rodríguez-Maldonado was killed in…
Is pepper spray really the issue?

Is Pepper Spray Really The Issue?

Pepper spray (Oleoresin Capsicum) is made from the fruit of plants, such as chili peppers. The chemical is basically a simple concoction---a high concentration of ground pepper suspended in pressurized water. Sometimes a dye is added to the…