*sigh*

[innerslytherin]

So I need to ask questions of a police detective. I happen to know of a former police detective who is now a public defender (he was going to law school when he talked to my high school class, lo, these many years ago). I left him a voice mail explaining that I'm writing a novel that includes police procedure as well as FBI characters, and that I would love to pick his brain, if he has the time. I mentioned that he'd come to my high school class years ago, and that I'd remembered that visit. I gave him my cell phone number and my email address, and said I would completely understand if he was too busy, but that I would appreciate it if he could let me know.

Two days later and I have heard nothing.

Now...I am only 99% I have the right guy. I'm sure, given what I knew about him and knowing that his wife is in politics in my county (I just voted for her last week!), that he's still in the area. I know he's not a Detective in my county seat any more, and it makes sense that after being in law school he would be a lawyer.

But still, I am 99% certain I have the right guy. Furthermore, my last name is one that he should recognize, having gone to school with my dad, uncle, and a few second cousins, and just the fact that my cousins are very well known and active in this county.

So now I'm sitting here wondering if I should give it up as a bad job and try to find some random police detective who will let me do a job shadow and ask questions or something...or what.

It's sort of discouraging. I was working up to calling the FBI next if I got a good interview experience with him. (Of course, I'm thinking about calling the FBI anyway because I want to look into their civilian academy, but still.)

Comments

[imkalena.livejournal.com]

Well, as a last resort, is that Howdunit series any good? Like Howdunit: How Crimes Are Committed and Solved or the Howdunit Book of Police Procedure and Investigation: A Guide for Writers.

This looked interesting, too: http://www.amazon.com/Forensics-Fiction-Intriguing-Downright-Questions/dp/0312365519/ref=sr_1_22?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1226632706&sr=1-22

[innerslytherin]

LOL Actually, I HAVE the Howdunit books. I haven't looked through that one, because I thought going to the source a better idea, but those books are actually the reason severity_softly and I even decided to make the jump to co-writing original fiction instead of fanfiction. I slyly mentioned to her that I had bought those.

And so thank you to my favorite librarian for the reminder that I have that book! :D

[drusillas-rain.livejournal.com]

I was having lunch with my SIL today who's a criminal lawyer, and she was talking about how she's had an idea for a book about trials and procedures for non-lawyers, but she wasn't sure who would read it. I mentioned that writer's love books like that, and then told her your story.

She had a solution to your problem that I wanted to share:

Find out which courts in your city deal with the type of questions you have (e.g. violent crimes, it would be superior court in Canada - or something like that). Go there during the day and look for a very bored looking guy sitting in front of a court room, likely reading a book, and looks like he's a cop. He most likely is, and is most likely waiting to be called in for a case. He will also very likely be willing to chat with you (maybe in exchange for coffee) while he's waiting to be called in. She suggested you just go up to the person and ask if he's a cop, and if he'd be willing to answer some research questions you have for a novel.

HTH!

[innerslytherin]

I think she DEFINITELY should write that book! Actually true crime is one of the most checked-out sections of libraries, so I'm sure she'd have a wide audience. And definitely writers love that kind of book. Writer's Digest has a series of books called "Howdunit", which includes books on prison, forensics, poisons, and police procedure, but sadly the book on police procedure doesn't answer all my questions, and it only has about 40 pages on court, so anyone wanting to write a legal thriller who isn't a lawyer wouldn't get any help from that.

[innerslytherin]

Oh, and also, that's a fantastic idea! Thank your SIL for me! :D Of course, I'll have to compile more than three questions before I do that, but it definitely sounds interesting, and it would be great if I could get someone to talk to me.

(I know if someone ever wanted to write about my profession, I'd want them to get it right. *G*)

[whiskeygirl8.livejournal.com]

He might be on vacation (I'm assuming you're calling his work number.)

[innerslytherin]

Well, she said he was in court when I called, but it's true that I'm also just impatient. :D

[whiskeygirl8.livejournal.com]

Well, I don't know, because you posted this on the 13th and it had already been a couple days, then two more went by (not counting the weekend.)

But, he could just be really busy and that's low on the priority list.

I say give him a week (not from now, but from when the original call was made) and then try the detective division for your local PD.

[innerslytherin]

Yeah, I'm going to look and see if I can find a woman detective, too, since having a woman's POV would be much better. I originally chose him because we are (albeit loosely) acquainted. But our main character is a woman detective, anyway, so. :D