Writers’ Police Academy: A Romantic Suspense Writer’s Dream Come True

Bomb Squad and K-9 Demonstration

At the Guilford Technical Community College in Jamestown, NC, WPA 2013 boasted a DNA expert and forensic anthropologist, a psychologist and scientist, a medical examiner and a nurse, a prosecutor and a judge. The Bomb Squad was there, along with EMS, an ATF agent, a federal agent, undercover detectives, chiefs, sheriffs, captains, officers—I’ve only scratched the surface, the list goes on and on. Suffice it to say, crime scene to fire investigation, emergency room to underwater recovery, felony stops to dangerous microorganisms, they have every topic covered either in class or hands-on.

A.J. Scudiere and I tried handcuffing techniques (no bedposts, people, keep it clean!), and I learned self-defense techniques, then whaled on a dummy. P.A. DePaul got to suit up in protective bomb gear, and other attendees investigated an entire criminal case and then presented it to a judge. Carey Baldwin and some other lucky writers got to “ride-a-long” on real calls with local police.

The Meggitt Firearms Simulation Training (FATS) guns are modified into lasers, though we still needed to reload the magazines. But this is the same training simulation officers receive: live-fire experience with real-world, high-octane situations. I got to feel the weight and size of a Sig Sauer. Turns out, my hand is too small. I had to twist the gun to hit the magazine release—wasting precious seconds that might matter in a life or death situation. You think an officer has to make a split second decision? Try far faster even. It turns out that I am both way too trusting and not nearly observant enough. (What? That woman isn’t only draping herself over her shot husband from grief? Really? She is REALLY picking up that gun on his chest and actually aiming it at me?) Oops, yep, I’m dead—reacting so late, that I returned fire only after the fact. Law enforcement officers, however, train, train, and train some more, learning to quickly juggle the presented facts with their instincts.

I could not have been more impressed with all the law enforcement instructors I encountered. More than once I heard, “Everyday you get beat up, cussed out, spit on, and sometimes shot at, but it’s all part of the job.” These folks accept it, as part of the job to serve and protect, and they carry on, with more compassion than you can imagine.

Jenna Blue, ready for Building Search

Did you know a trained raid team doing a high-risk entry can sweep a residence in about 8 seconds flat? You know how long it took my writer team of five? Uh…probably about 8 minutes. But acting out the tactics and team positions, was experience I’d get nowhere else.

Beside the cool hands-on stuff, I enjoyed each and every class. My favorite was Human Trafficking, because my eyes were opened. I didn’t realize just how many kinds of modern day slavery there are, nor how prevalent it is in our society. We’re not just talking about sex slaves, here. You know those Mexicans cooking at your favorite Chinese buffet? The au pair who rarely leaves the house and still hasn’t learned English? Yes, in your town and mine. Trafficking is everywhere. And the detective presenting the material? Despite the fact that he can’t help them all, man, he’s sure doing his damnedest.

A.J. Scudiere, Jenna Blue, P.A. DePaul, & Carey Baldwin at the Banquet

The networking is great—plenty of time to mingle with others who write in similar genres. We were so jazzed to be among friends, new and old. And all of us writers felt so lucky to have the WPA professionals’ attention for a long weekend. More than willing to answer all our varied, crazy questions, the instructors and staff were psyched to help us “get it right.” My sincerest thanks to them all, and to Sisters in Crime, who helped keep the event cost down for many of us, and the other many generous sponsors. Above all, kudos and thanks to Lee Lofland, whose baby WPA is! The 2013 event was stellar!

Readers, what part of the Writer’s Police Academy, would have interested you? Do share! And then, if you’d like to see others’ experiences, here’s a few blog links:

Lee Lofland’s blog (chock full of info) includes posts by presenters Judge Bill Hopkins and Chief of Police Scott Silverii: http://www.leelofland.com/wordpress/judge-bill-hopkins-why-i-did-not-like-the-writers-police-academy/ and http://www.leelofland.com/wordpress/chief-of-police-scott-silverii-who-knew/

Check out the WPA site itself: http://www.writerspoliceacademy.com. The schedule of events shows all our amazing opportunities.

Penni DePaul: http://padepaul.com/writers-police-academy-sept-2013/

Kelsey Browning: http://www.kelseybrowning.com/a-contemporary-romance-writer-at-writers-police-academy/

Thanks for visiting The Violet Femmes!

Posted by JB Schroeder on September 23, 2013

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