WPA Offers Intensive Sexual Assault Investigations Workshop…and more
Those of you who’ve attended the Writers’ Police Academy in past years already know how intensive some of our workshops can be. However, we’ve added one this year that is probably the most detailed and thorough we’ve ever offered.
Criminal Investigations of Sexual Assault (CISA) is actually a four-part workshop beginning on Thursday night following the overall WPA orientation. The first session, taught by course instructor instructor Andy Russell, is a briefing about what you can expect during the workshop.
The CISA session is a hands-on course where WPA recruits will work as 5 teams of 4, investigating a sexual assault case from the initial call to collecting evidence at the crime scene, interviewing the victim and the suspect, report writing, writing and obtaining search warrants, processing a rape kit, and finally arresting the offender and presenting their case to a judge and jury.
CISA participants will meet for a session each day, ending with the presentation of the case on Sunday morning. This course offers writers a rare inside view of the internal workings of a real police investigation. Class size is limited to 20 participants—sign-up information coming soon.
* Other WPA news and notes of importance:
Last year we introduced an underwater evidence recovery course where police divers demonstrated what they do in the water and why they do it. Well, this year they’ve agreed to allow 6 WPA recruits (3 per session) to suit up and go into the pool with them. Any takers? Sign-ups for this session will be available soon.
*Building searches were also added to the 2012 schedule, and those sessions were such a huge hit that we’ve increased the number of sessions and participants. This year we’re expanding the workshop to 4 sessions (20 per session) which will allow 80 recruits (that’s you) to join in on the door-kicking and the search for dangerous bad guys who’re hiding to evade capture. As always, you’ll “suit up,” carrying weapons and shields before “going in.”
– There are only two days left to send in your Golden Donut Short Story entries. Hurry!
– The schedule is 99.9% complete. Please visit the schedule page on the WPA website to begin making your plans. Remember, you will not be able to see and do everything, and workshops fill quickly, so please have 2nd and 3rd choices ready. It is best to make your plans ahead of time.
– The WPA is a rain or shine event, so please remember to bring wet weather gear just in case—umbrella, poncho, hat, etc. If a session is scheduled outdoors, then that’s where it will be, rain or no rain. The weather is unpredictable in that part of N.C., especially in September during hurricane season. No, hurricanes are not a worry, but the deluge of rain that comes with them is a possibility. Also, it may be hot and humid. Or, it could be cool and crisp early in the morning. So, if you pack everything from shorts to parkas you should be fine. Seriously, we’re anticipating nice warm days.
– If at all possible, please register on Thursday at the hotel. By doing so you won’t miss a single minute of the exciting events taking place on Friday morning. This thing truly is Disneyland for writers. You’ll see.
– Dress comfortably and wear comfortable shoes!
– Suggested banquet attire is business casual.
– We have some absolutely fantastic items available for raffle and auction, including items signed especially for us by folks such as Charlie Daniels, Reba McEntire, Ricky Scaggs, the Oak Ridge Boys, Diamond Rio, Josh Turner, Shawn Hatosy (Southland and CBS’s new show Reckless), and many, many more!
Shawn Hatosy
Oh yeah, Shawn even donated a t-shirt that he promises he only wore once… Now that is a collector’s item for sure!
By the way, we’ve gone all out this year, bringing you the largest and best event we’ve ever produced, so be prepared to have a real blast! Oh, speaking of blasts…well, you’ll have to see for yourself.
Remember, there is no other event like the Writers’ Police Academy anywhere on the planet!
