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!

If it quacks like a duck

If It Quacks Like a Duck Feed it Cheerios

  I'm writing this blog from a lakeside RV campground in North Carolina, near where I snapped the above photograph. The campground is our short-term home until we find and purchase a new house. Unfortunately, I anticipate living here…
Wacky Police News

Police Rumors, Scandals, and Scoops

  Officer Mark Minton, a North Carolina wildlife officer, will not face charges for fatally shooting a turkey hunter. The officer and the man were engaged in a confrontation when the officer fired the fatal round. Clyde Coffey…
Thomas B. Sawyer

Thomas B. Sawyer: Take Six

  Novelist, screenwriter, playwright Thomas B. Sawyer was Head Writer/Showrunner of the hit CBS series, Murder, She Wrote, for which he wrote 24 episodes. Tom has written 9 network TV pilots, 100 episodes, and has been Head Writer/Showrunner…
Ulrich Boser

Ulrich Boser: The Gardner Heist

  Ulrich Boser is an award-winning writer whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Smithsonian, among others. A former contributing editor for U.S. News & World Report, he is the founding editor of…
Dr. Katherine Ramsland: Inside the Archives of Rome's Crime History

Dr. Katherine Ramsland: Inside the Archives of Rome’s Crime History

Dr. Katherine Ramsland has published 34 books and over 900 articles, and is the chair of Social Sciences at DeSales University, where she teaches about forensic psychology, profiling, serial murder, and forensic science. Her latest book is The…
Sheila Lowe

Sheila Lowe: Did You Blink?

  Sheila Lowe is a forensic handwriting expert with more forty years of experience in the field. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology and is the author of several published books including Handwriting of the Famous &…
Lazy Days In NC

Weekend Road Trip: Lazy Days in North Carolina

  Boston is officially a page in our book of memories. It's over. Done. No more snow to shovel. Hooray! Hopefully we'll be in a new house, in a new city, soon. Until then, our temporary home here in North Carolina is quite peaceful.…
Friday's Heroes - Remembering the fallen officers

Friday’s Heroes: Remembering The Fallen

  Assistant Chief Joey Cannon, 50 Plumerville Arkansas Police Department On June 19, 2009, Assistant Chief Joey Cannon was shot to death while conducting a traffic stop. He was scheduled to retire in two weeks. Officer Henry…
P.K. Dawning

P.K. Dawning: Meth and Mayberry

  P.K. Dawning is a fifth generation Southerner, and as such, takes great pride in writing Southern Fiction. However, regardless of genre, all of her stories employ elements of romance, mystery, and suspense. During her attendance at…
Sgt. Josh Moulin

Sgt. Josh Moulin: Handling Digital Evidence

  Sergeant Josh Moulin supervises the Central Point Police Department's Technical Services Bureau and is the Commander of the Southern Oregon High-Tech Crimes Task Force. He is one of approximately 470 Certified Forensic Computer Examiner's…
David Browning: Life as the Mayberry Deputy

Exit Stage Left: I’m Outta Here!

  The movers finshed loading our truck last night (well, it was actually this morning) at 4:30am. It was a grueling twoi days, but it's over. I've loaded the car and now I'm ready to begin the new adventure. We're headed to the land…
Friday's Heroes - Remembering the fallen officers

Friday’s Heroes: Remembering The Fallen

  Officer Giovanni Gonzales, 23 Miami-Dade Police Department   Officer Giovanni Gonzales was killed in an automobile accident on June 16, 2009. Trooper Jorge Dimas, 23 Wisconsin State Patrol   Trooper Jorge…
Ben Small

Ben Small: Right Gun, Wrong Barrel

  An honors graduate from Indiana University and an experienced trial lawyer, Ben F. Small has over thirty years experience handling complex antitrust, litigation and other legal matters worldwide for Fortune 500 companies. A gun enthusiast…

Police In-Service Training

  Police officers are required to maintain active certifications. They do so by attending mandatory in-service training along with elective courses held at various academies and agencies. Mandatory in-service training is required at…

Uniforms: When to Wear What?

  Police officers wear a variety of clothing, and situation dictates what to wear and when they wear it. The officer in the image above is wearing a Class B uniform. Class B's are the outfits worn for general street duty. The material…
Rebecca Williams

2009 Golden Pen Award Winner: Rebecca Williams

My fascination with reading and writing began with detective magazines, The Hardy Boys, and Poe. I even read Nancy Drew when Frank and Joe Hardy weren't available. In fact, I practically read everything I could get my hands on - Archie, Superman,…
Boston: Love that dirty water

Weekend Road Trip: Boston Is In My Rearview Mirror

  Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in my life. Denene and I are leaving Boston as of 6:00 this morning. We're moving to a warmer climate where I won't have to spend the entire winter shoveling and blowing snow. Last winter's…
Friday's Heroes - Remembering the fallen officers

Friday’s Heroes: Remembering The Fallen

  Investigator Chadwick (Chad) Alan Carr, 31 Greene County Virginia Sheriffs Office   Investigator Chad Carr was killed on June 4, 2009, when his department vehicle collided with a tractor trailer.  Investigator Carr was…