detective

KN, p. 329 “What Do Private Investigators and Police Detectives Do?”

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Private Investigators and Police Detectives are so popular as fictional characters that they are depicted in movies and TV in several different subcategories. There’s a lead character for every type of viewer: hard-boiled, amateur, dark, cozy, humorous, and everything in between. If a writer can come up with a detective or investigator that strikes a cord with any part of a crime-focused audience, he/she will be in demand for a very long time. There is a crime-solving series on TV almost every night of the week, and a mystery hungry audience out there that will watch reruns of favorite shows for years.

Investigator or Detective?

A Private Investigator is a person who works directly for clients to chase down witnesses, investigate fraud cases, provide evidence for marriage conflicts and civil suits, and find missing persons. Attorneys who handle criminal cases frequently have an investigator on staff. Both the prosecution and the defense might use investigators. The moniker ‘private detective’ is sometimes used interchangeably with Private Investigator, but it’s not the same as a ‘police detective.’ P.I.s have no arrest powers. Investigators may work for private companies, or be in business for themselves.

A Detective works for a police department or other law enforcement agency to solve crimes. They investigate, determine who the perpetrator was and discover why the crime happened. Detectives gather evidence, interview suspects and witnesses, create reports, prepare arrest warrants, and make those arrests.

P.I.s and Police Detectives sometimes work together.

Real or Fictional? There are differences between the real-life version and the purely entertainment types of investigators. In a fictional scenario, let’s say that the body of a regular customer is discovered in the back of a hair salon when the owner opens the shop in the morning.  She shrieks and when calm enough to think, calls 911 to report the death. The police detective on call might arrive at the scene, close the shop (it’s a crime scene) gather information about the behavior of the customer and relationships with other customers, but would not ask the hairstylist to ask questions on his/her behalf. That’s the job of the police.

Part of the fun of watching/reading a mystery that involves an amateur is second-guessing the pros who seem to be missing the clues. Means and opportunity must be proved, along with motive, and some official law enforcement character should provide part of the solution in a realistic story.

So…what does a REAL, professional, Private Investigator do?

  • Uncover facts and assess financial and personal information for clients
  • Conduct interviews in order to obtain information
  • Do computer searches or look at public records to do background checks
  • Do surveillance work by taking photographs and/or following a possible suspect to check out their deviation from the normal routine
  • Write and present reports to the client
  • Work for lawyers, private citizens, and companies

While P.I.s work on cases dealing with a client’s personal issues, a Police Detective only works on criminal cases.

What skills does a P.I. need to be successful?

  • Ability to look at clues and analyze how they fit (or not) into the investigation
  • Communicate with people from all walks of life
  • Ability to investigate without breaking the law

Whether working as a P.I. or a Police Detective, the jobs are not glamorous. The guys/gals work odd hours, including weekends and nights. It’s common to have to eat on the run, in the car, or at the desk. This is definitely not a 9 to 5 job and they often work more than one case at a time. The TV show, Magnum, P.I. (2023 version) was great fun to watch, but bent reality a bit with the always available helicopters and snipers and the ‘I know a guy’ connections.

Despite what prime-time entertainment indicates, both police detectives and private investigators must follow the law. Avoiding contamination of evidence during its collection and then following chain of custody rules is essential. The evidence must stand up to scrutiny in a court of law.

Best Route to becoming an Investigator There is no speedy way to become a fully licensed, practicing private investigator, but here are some paths others have taken after demonstrating active interest and ability:

  • Work in law enforcement until retirement, then apply for the license.
  • Work as a paralegal where similar skills are needed to that of an investigator in the office part of the job
  • Have a career in the military first, setting up a path to private security and drug/gun related investigations in the private sector.
  • Work for an insurance company and move into fraud investigations.

Education Needed A P.I. working at the level of background checks may not need a college degree, but there are a number of two and four-year courses at criminal justice institutions that would help with the knowledge needed to complete the common tasks – where to find information, methods for conducting successful interviews, etc. Computer literacy is a must.

Path to become a Detective The work can sometimes be dangerous, but if this looks like a great career, there are a few ways to make yourself look more appealing as a candidate. They also give you a better idea of what you’re getting into.

  • As cases become more demanding and applications for positions become more competitive, departments in bigger cities require at least a two-year degree in criminal justice. Some departments point to a bachelor’s degree for those interested in reaching rank.
  • Obtain the required level of education, then submit the application. If accepted, then police academy training is next.
  • After the academy training, working as a patrol officer for several years is required before being allowed to become a police detective. Some departments will send you for additional training if you have the aptitude for detective work. Some departments allow officers who demonstrate an interest/capability, to shadow detectives on the job and will then put talented candidates right to work.

 

(Some information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics)

 

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KN, p. 314 “Does Your Protagonist Need Total Knee Replacement?”

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Twelve years ago, Kerrian’s Notebook came to life because of several bullets that managed to find their way into my body during a drug bust gone bad. Yup, I was injured on the job. The bullet holes healed, but bones were broken during that same shootout and intense rehab began. I was out of commission for over a year, bored and with a bad attitude, until I found that people were interested in what I had to say about life as a law enforcement officer. I could focus on something besides quad lifts and stretching.

I did get back on the job on limited duty at first, then went back fulltime as a Detective when the doc cleared me around the 18 month point. Truth be told, I lost a step in the ‘racing after the bad guys’ part of the job when we caught a runner, so I mostly left that to younger partners with better knees. Light repair surgery took care of torn ligaments, but a few months ago, total knee replacement became a necessity when Osteoarthritis settled into my achy bones.

You know me, I asked the Doc a LOT of questions pre & post surgery. My surgeon builds the knee replacement device to fit the specific patient on the day of the surgery. Other surgeons take the one-size-fits-most approach.

During my total knee replacement surgery, any remaining damaged cartilage was removed. The end of the thigh bone and the top of the lower leg bone were sliced off to create a flat surface, then areas drilled out to accommodate the titanium implants. Those implants were press fit (inserted) into the bones where the two bones join together, then Palacos Bone Cement was used to permanently attach the implants to the existing bone. Fun fact: the cement is green.

My own ligaments and tendons are still there. A plastic spacer (replacing the long gone cartilage) was inserted between the metal pieces to create a smooth surface, making it easier for the bones to glide against each other. The result should be that my stride will return to normal.

 

Recovery has taken longer than the average Knee Replacement Surgery since I have bowed legs. Because of that, one of the bones needed to be turned a bit during the surgery, allowing the knee apparatus to line up properly with the thigh and calf bones.

Surgery took a little over two hours. The brochures state that each person/situation/surgery is different. Yup. I’ve had stabbing pain in my knee cap, like somebody stuck a screwdriver in it. Repeatedly. I had no feeling in a large section below the surgical spot for about three months, making rehab a tad strange at times. The knee was massaged, iced, rotated, pulled on, you name it, we tried it. Then finally, when feeling partially returned, I began to make real progress with stairs, standing to get out of chairs, etc.  After five months, my knee function is returning to normal, slowly, but getting there.

 

Physical therapy consists of strengthening the muscles above and below the knee. Quad lifts, leg lifts, all manner of moving that leg to get the body used to the new thing invading the space. Occasionally, the knee buckles, due to weaker-than-they-should-be quad muscles. We’re working on that. Sometimes, I hear/feel clicking when I walk. That’s normal.

Balance issues do occur as the body adjusts to its new position in space. One leg is marginally shorter than the other. After the other knee gets replaced in a few months, the body will adjust again.

If your legs are physically toned before the surgery, recovery is easier. If you sit around the house a good part of your day, then rehab will take longer. Sometimes, people are allergic to the metal being used in the implants, infection sets in, and the surgery has to redone. Sometimes, scar tissue builds up, locking the knee in place, and the surgery has to be redone.

 

Attitude is everything in recovery from any major surgery. Younger patients (below 50) will recover more quickly than older patients, based mostly on physical fitness and willingness to do the demanding rehab.

 

Several TV shows and movies have included injured characters in the storyline. The protagonist is reluctant to go under the knife ostensibly because the team will have to work without their leadership. People hem and haw over the decision, with lots of drama involved. BUT, what’s really going on with the reluctant patient is that they will miss doing the job they love to do if anything goes wrong. If you write an injured character into the plot, don’t forget the emotional toll that major injury causes. The worry and sleepless nights are real. However, if the character needs a legitimate excuse to leave the job, the damaged bones can be a hidden gem.

Think Jason Hayes in the popular military TV show, “Seal Team.” During the third season, to avoid going under the knife, he had PT after wrecking his knee. Eventually, he followed the doc’s initial advice and had the work done. He needed a minor, rather than major repair, only missed one mission, and his anxiety level dropped dramatically.

If you or anyone in your circle sustains an injury, use it in your stories. Courage in the face of months of recovery, fears, tension, the effect on loved ones (good and bad) who have to change their routines to help? It might not be fun in real life, but it all works on the page.

 

*Charlie Kerrian is a fictional character, but this knee replacement story is real and rehab is ongoing.

 

 

 

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KN, p. 258 “Foxglove: Pretty, Medicinal, and Deadly”

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In general, an investigation into a suspicious death must show that the suspect had motive, means, and opportunity in order for a D.A. to pursue and prosecute a case.

A traditional mystery (not much blood and gore, with an emphasis on the howdunit, whodunit, and why) might focus on the little old lady who seems that she would never harm a soul. In fact, she may be the dastardly evildoer in a cleverly plotted story.

A detective must discover why the victim needed killing – the motive. Was the crime committed to cover up another crime? Was the mild-mannered little old lady, barely making ends meet through a glitch in her pension system, cashing social security checks that belonged to a long dead spouse now buried in the garden? Did the victim uncover the truth and need to be silenced before spilling the beans? Readers and jury members alike might relate to her desperate plight as a motive that pushes people over the edge.   

The detective must show that the suspect had the means to pull it off.

What would a little old lady do? The victim had no outward signs of blunt force trauma from being struck by a baseball bat or golf club. The answer lies in the multi-colored display of foxglove, readily available in our senior citizen’s garden. Every part of the foxglove plant can cause allergic reactions and a few fresh leaves are enough to kill a person. Collecting the foliage can irritate the skin and eyes, so wearing gardening gloves, eyeglasses, and a mask (commonly worn in pollen season) would have protected her when working with her weapon of death.

A detective must figure out if the suspect had an opportunity to deliver the poison to the victim. The foxglove leaves look very much like large baby romaine, if a bit fuzzier. But lathered in salad dressing at a neighborly gathering, nobody would be able to tell the difference.

Or, the senior citizen could bake up a special plate of brownies and share them.

From J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter to Agatha Christie, foxglove has been a popular way to ‘off’ annoying people in fiction. Snape uses foxglove to make a potion in Potions 101 and Christie mixed it with other, edible greens in the garden in “The Herb of Death.”

My wife, Sheila, picked up six plants in three different colors at the garden center. I warned her about washing her gloves after handling the plants. All protocols were followed and no brownies have been made recently at our house.

 

So, why do we allow foxglove to be grown if it can be deadly?

The botanical name for foxglove is Digitalis purpurea. “Digitalis” is heart medicine made from foxglove. With a controlled dosage, digitalis is valuable in treating heart failure, but the wrong amount of foxglove can cause irregular heart function and death. Long-term use of foxglove can lead to symptoms of toxicity, including visual halos, yellow-green vision, and stomach upset.

The good news is that measuring digoxin (a form of digitalis) concentrations in the blood can help detect foxglove poisoning. If the detective and the other investigators are savvy about plants and gardens and the neighborhood dynamic, asking the right questions will uncover the reason and method of the deed. Case closed.

*Please note: This post is for entertainment purposes only.

 

 

 

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