By Staff Writer Dennis J. McGowan
Questions submitted this month are for the most part composed by authors with works-in-progress. Can you figure out who wrote which question? Visit their web sites where available. Robert Furlani [http://www.robertfurlani.com]; Frank Calabretta; Nan Strebeck; Audrey Yoeckel [http://www.peacockchronicle.com]; Robert Fulton [http://www.rivergeezer.com]
My TOUR OF DUTY begins ~~~
1. What would be the police slang for a dead or murdered cop?
No official name or any police parlance. The dead or murdered cop would be given his/her peers' respect by using his name, rank and affiliation [i.e., Sergeant Who out of the Four-Oh]. An individual officer might use his/her own vernacular. In this case, the dead or murdered cop could be "one down" in the early stages of the investigation before identity is known. The cop killer would fall in the category of "dirt bag."
2. This question has been broken down to four parts due to its nature.
A. What is the structure of an NYPD Task Force?
Surprisingly, NYPD doesn't have much of a different structure for its task forces than any other jurisdiction. A task force is structured based on jurisdiction and the crime, i.e., mass homicide, serial killers, drug enforcement; bank robberies.
Let's say Rockland County has a string of bank robberies. Due to the nature of the crime (bank funds are insured by the FDIC), the FBI would be involved as would the County Sheriff's Department [Rockland County jurisdiction] and local town and village police [bank locations where robberies took place]. Among the various law enforcement divisions might be a robbery unit or a major case unit. Members of these units would then be assigned to the task force. If murder was involved [a bank clerk, innocent bystander, etc.] detectives from different homicide units might be called in to participate in the investigation. Naturally, the district attorney of a particular county might also want one of his own investigators from his/her office included in this case. The head of the task force would be decided on by first case jurisdiction and could be one of the local town detectives from the major case, homicide or robbery units.
All of these law enforcement officers would be assigned to specific tasks which would coincide with their particular expertise.
B. Number of persons working a task force would all be full-time employees, but their quantity would vary depending on severity and urgency of the crime.
A task force assigned to the bank robberies example might number twenty to forty officers. A serial killer covering all the boroughs of New York City might number one to two hundred law enforcement officers.
C. Would the structure of a task force be the same as it was in 1977?
Yes, basically. But today, you might have a computer expert.
D. How would the press be handled by the task force?
The same as in any other case. The official word in the beginning would be something like this, "This incident is still under investigation." Short and to the point, cutting off any further discussion.
After an alleged perpetrator is apprehended, still the stock answer with kudos by the task force facilitator to all the men and/or women under his command.
3. I've seen cases where a person was convicted of a domestic crime...
I would appreciate more detail.
A. because they didn't show enough emotion when questioned...
Most investigators, detectives or otherwise, are quite prepared for the lack of emotion or a range of different emotions. Everyone acts differently when confronted by a detective.
B. or when they called 911.
One must remember though, emotions can be manipulating or manipulated. More information is necessary to properly answer this question.
C. How much of a factor is this phenomenon when searching for a suspect?
None, as most detectives/investigators expect an individual to be taken aback by their presence.
4. What is and isn't considered admissible evidence in court when officers find contraband during a "probable cause" search?
As you ask the question, admissible evidence is the contraband taken in the "probable cause" search.
My own questions: Are we working off a warrant in your story? And what was the "probable cause?" These answers might change mine.
5. Say a known minor drug pusher has been murdered. Several citizens witnessed a deputy sheriff threaten to rip said pusher's guts out if the pusher ever went near the elementary schools again. The deputy doesn't want to give his alibi because it would effect someone's reputation and career.
Would the deputy be arrested on such slim evidence or be put on suspension ... or what?
The deputy sheriff issued a strong warning. He would be looked at as a suspect and suspended until the investigation was complete. But you are dealing with personalities in your story. Even though the deputy is a suspect, you might not have him suspended. This would be up to his superiors who might perceive the warning as the deputy sheriff's normal way of speaking and his alibi checked out.
See you next month!
Signing off,
Dennis J. McGowan
Have a question for Dennis? Send it to:
ReadersRoom2@aol.com
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