Would You Believe…?

Would you believe?

 

I, as do most police officers, began my career as a uniformed patrol officer doling out traffic citations to speeders, reckless drivers, and red-light-runners. This assignment was not one of my favorites (I preferred the Sherlock Holmes crime-solving side of law-enforcement), but traffic enforcement was a necessary rite of passage.

The only thing that saw me through the mundane ritual of writing tickets was the array of humorous excuses from drivers. I would compare days with officers to see who’d heard the best story.

Here are some of my favorite excuses for traffic violations:

“Sure I know the speed limit is 65, but I wasn’t speeding. I had my cruise control set on 78. You do allow ten miles per hour over the speed limit. Don’t you?”

“My mother just died three days ago, and I really need to get to the hospital to see her.”

I’m sorry; I must’ve dozed off for a minute. Was I really speeding?”

“But the light had just turned red a second ago.”

“I have to go to the bathroom and it really helps me to not think about it if I go fast.”

Every time I switch from beer to Vodka, I seem to drive too fast.”

“Smoking dope always makes me drive fast, but I’m coming down now. I should be okay in few minutes.”

Sometimes, officers cannot resist adding a bit of sarcasm when they respond to a violator. Here’s an example of some of the real answers I’ve heard.

Speeder. “Officer, I don’t have a clue as to how fast I was going.”

Officer. “I guess that means I can write anything I want to on the ticket, huh?”

Speeder. “Couldn’t you just give me a warning? One more ticket and I’ll lose my license.”

Officer. “Okay, I’m warning you not to speed again or I’ll give you another ticket.”

Speeder. “I want to talk to your shift supervisor before you write that ticket. We’ll get this straight!”

Officer. No problem. You can talk to the shift supervisor, but I don’t think he’ll help you. By the way, did I mention that I’m the shift supervisor?”

Speeder. “Why did you stop me? Oh, I know, you have a quota, right?”

Officer. “No sir, we don’t have quotas anymore. We used to, but now we’re allowed to write as many tickets as we can. In fact, my boss encourages me to do just that.”

Speeder. “It’s okay Officer, I’m a police officer.”

Officer. “Great, then you already know where to sign.”

 

Speeder. “Officer, I’ll bet you don’t give out tickets to attractive women, do you?”

Officer. You’re exactly right, we don’t. Sign here, please.”

 

Offender. “You’re not man enough to arrest me.”

Officer. “I’m man enough to know that if you take your hands off the car again, I’ll make your brother an only child.

 

Officers stop hundreds of drivers for various offenses during their careers, and they hear hundreds of reasons why they shouldn’t issue traffic tickets. However, there is only one proven way to avoid receiving a traffic citation — drive the speed limit.

 

The Bulletin Board

Last night author Kate Flora and I traveled to Franklin, Ma. to speak to a group of new writers. The event was sponsored by the adult education division of the Franklin school system. Kate and I do this as representatives of our local chapter of Sisters in Crime.

Kate Flora

From the Associated Press

– A Sylvania, Ohio police officer has been suspended because his mustache was too long, extending below the corners of his mouth.

– A MAMARONECK, N.Y. police officer has ticketed his own city’s mayor, twice, for using a cell phone while driving.

– Inmates on death row in Texas made 2,800 phone calls on a cell phone that had been smuggled inside by a prison guard. The phone was discovered after one of the inmates made a threatening phone call to a state senator. The governor of the state ordered all prisons locked down after the discovery of the phone.

– Last week a Baltimore police officer shot two suspected burglars in his home.

– Officers in Corpus Christi, Texas have been told to cover up all tattoos. For some officers, that could mean wearing a long sleeve shirt during the hot Texas summers.

*Don’t forget to enter the 200 word short story contest! Details here.

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Stop In The Name Of…Walmart?

 

Yesterday’s blog topic prompted a question regarding the arrest powers of private citizens. Here’s a follow up to my answer.

Stop In The Name Of…Walmart?

Since I’m a former police detective turned writer I spend a great deal of time reading about my present day counterparts. I also enjoy seeing how law-enforcement officers of yesteryear handled the complex issues of their day. Perhaps my all-time favorite examples of police work at its finest are the old black-and-white episodes of The Andy Griffith Show.

 

One episode in particular stands out above the rest. It’s the show where gas station attendant and all round goofball Gomer Pyle takes it upon himself to make a citizens arrest. Small town deputy, Barney Fife makes an illegal U-turn prompting Gomer to chase after him on foot while yelling in that southern drawl he’s so famous for, “Citizen’s arrest, citizen’s arrest!”

 

The scene is hilarious, but did you know that it’s really true that private citizens can make arrests for certain crimes. However, even though that law allows it, I don’t recommend that you or any of your loved ones take it upon yourselves to save your neighborhoods from masked bandits, drug lords, mafia hit men, or foreign terrorists. Doing so could result in great bodily harm and if handled improperly, the loss of everything you own through civil lawsuits. Courts lean heavily against the use of force by non-police officers during arrest situations.

Should the situation arise where you feel that you simply must apprehend the local candy bar thief there are certain guidelines that citizens must follow when detaining a criminal. Most states require that a civilian has either personally witnessed the crime or that they are certain a felony has been committed and they’ve detained the guilty person.

 

The most common offense in which citizens make arrest is shoplifting. Department stores frequently employ loss-prevention personnel whose primary duty is to prevent the theft of merchandise by shoplifters. Sometimes those workers are required to physically detain a thief until the police arrive. They must do so using whatever means is necessary and in many cases the employees have never received any defensive-tactics training nor have they been taught proper arrest techniques. This lack of training further increases the potential for bodily harm and the potential of a lawsuit.

In most cases private security guards are not sworn police officers and have only the same powers of arrest as ordinary citizens. Sometimes local governments permit security guards employed at such places as shopping malls and construction sites to make lawful arrests for minor crimes such as trespassing. These uniformed guards have no authority outside the property where they are employed.

There is a provision in the law that allows a police officer or sheriff to command the assistance of a private citizen in the case of an emergency. In this instance, the citizen is required by law to aid the officer with the apprehension of a dangerous criminal, or simply to help an officer subdue an unruly suspect. This law stems from the days of the Old West when a sheriff needed a posse to round up bank robbers or horse thieves. It’s a law that rarely used today, but the option is still available.

I know from experience that it’s much safer to write about arrests than it is to actually slap the cuffs on a disorderly criminal who may have nothing to lose by being violent. So, my best advice to you is to send your protagonists after the bad guys, on paper.

* * *

The Bulletin Board

– Don’t forget to send your entry for the 200 word contest. The dead line is approaching quickly.

– If you haven’t received an email acknowledging receipt of your story please contact me again. Your message may have been overlooked.

–From the Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO – An anti-war protester confronted former Bush administration aide Karl Rove while he spoke at a San Francisco mortgage bankers’ meeting.

A statement by the group Code Pink identified the woman as 58-year-old Janine Boneparth, who tried to handcuff Rove in what she called a citizen’s arrest for “treason.”

– From the Associated Press

EUSTIS, Fla. – A rookie police officer in central Florida has been fired after supervisors learned that he Tasered a teenager at a birthday party that involved underage drinking.

The officer was a guest at the party. He was not on duty.

– I’m going under the knife on November 3rd to repair a ruptured disc in my neck. Hopefully, I won’t be out of commission for very long. Author/NYC medical examiner, Jonathan Hayes, will be filling in for me on the 3rd while my surgeon slices and dices away on my flesh and bones. I go today for my first pre-op visit, whatever that means.

I’m pleased and excited to announce that Jonathon will soon be joining us as a regular blogger on The Graveyard Shift.

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Friday’s Heroes: Remembering the Fallen

Friday's Heroes - Remembering the fallen officers

 

Deputy Sheriff David Gilstrap

Oconee County Georgia Sheriffs Office

 

Deputy Gilstrap was killed on October 9, 2008, when he was struck and killed by a car while he was directing traffic at the entrance to a school. He is survived by his wife.

Officer/Paramedic Bruce Harrolle, 36

 

Officer Harrolle was killed during the rescue of two stranded hikers. The officer had already assisted the first hiker and was attempting help the second into the helicopter when he was struck by the aircraft’s rotor. He leaves behind a wife, two children, and his parents.

Game Warden George Whatley, 45

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

 

Game Warden Whatley suffered a fatal heart was participating in a required department physical fitness assessment. He leaves behind a wife and two sons.

* * *

Thanks to ODMP

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Mobile Labs

 

Evidence is often destroyed, contaminated, or even lost during transport from the crime scene to police department laboratories. Mobile labs eliminate those problems by providing on the spot reception of all evidence recovered at the scene. Many items can actually be examined at the scene.

Mobile units are also used for blood alcohol testing and arson investigation.

 

Exterior storage compartments.

 


 

Exhaust hoods remove dangerous fumes during the examination of hazardous materials.

 

Mobile conference room.

(Thanks to LDV and the Pinellas County Sheriffs Office)

 

These high-tech labs-on-wheels are even available to departments with small budgets.

Seriously, high-ticket mobile labs are simply not an option for smaller police departments that operate on limited funding. In fact, most small agencies are not equipped with any type lab. In those departments officers collect and package their own evidence (they normally don’t have separate CSI units), and then deliver it to a central state lab. Technicians and scientists at the state labs examine the evidence and then deliver, via snail mail, a written report to the submitting officer. Each of the scientists are available to testify in court about their findings.

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Bouchercon 2008: A Real Friendfest

 

We’ll return to our regular format soon. Until then I’d like to introduce you to more of my friends. We all had a wonderful time catching up on old times. This is one Bouchercon I truly hated to see end.

Alexandra Sokoloff

Publisher Benjamin LeRoy

Bill Cameron chatting with fans.

Rack of books containing 2008 award nominees. Notice the book on the far right of the third shelf from the bottom.

Donald Bain, author of the Murder She Wrote tie-in series.

Donna Andrews

Fans, eager to have Lawrence Block sign their books, formed a line that stretched from one end of the Sheraton to the other. That’s nearly an entire city block.

Lawrence Block

Linda Landrigan, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine editor.

Lucienne Diver and Hank Phillippi-Ryan

Rebecca Drake

Rosemary Harris and me.

Sandra Parshall welcomes Mike Black to the Friday night auction.

Me and my buddy, SJ Rozan.

Zoe Sharp

Lee Child

James O. (Jim) Born

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Friday’s Heroes: Remembering the Fallen

Friday's Heroes - Remembering the fallen officers

 

Correctional Officer Rodney Kelley, 36

Alabama Department of Corrections

 

Officer Kelley was killed in an automobile accident on October 4, 2008, when his prison van was struck head on by a tractor trailer. The officer was driving six job applicants to a corrections facility when the accident occurred. All six potential officers were also killed.

Officer Bradley Moody, 29

Richmond California Police Department

 

On October 4, 2008, Officer Moody was responding to back up a fellow police officer when he lost control of his patrol car. He was severely injured in the crash and was placed on life support. Officer Moody succumbed to his injuries on October 7, 2008. He leaves behind a wife and two children.

Thanks to ODMP for all they do to preserve the memories of the brave men and women of law enforcement who lost their lives in the line of duty.

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Writers Police Academy Registration Now Open!


 

The workshops are set, the instructors are ready, and registration is now open for the 2009 Mad Anthony Writers Conference and Writers Police Academy. A must for mystery writers! Sign up early because space is limited. For details please visit:

www.madanthonycbf.org/

 

Keynote Speakers

Lee Lofland, author and former police detective

Roger D. Launius, Ph.D., Chief Historian for NASA, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution

Special Guests

Verna Dreisbach, author and literary agent with Dreisbach Literary Management

April Eberhardt, literary agent with Reese Halsey North Literary Agenc

Jane Friedman, F& W Publications (Writers Digest; Writers Market)

Benjamin LeRoy, Publisher Bleak House Books

Presenters

Boldman, Craig

Boyd, Amanda

Brohaugh, William

Krisher, Trudy

Paris, Anne (PhD)

Pinard, Nancy

Singer, Nathan

Police Academy Presenters and Instructors:

· Dr. Richard Burkhardt, Butler County Coroner

· Sgt. Mike Black (law enforcement, author)

· Crime Prevention Specialist Dave Crawford (law enforcement)

· Verna Dreisbach (law enforcement- former California Highway Patrol officer and deputy sheriff, author, literary agent)

· Lee Lofland (former deputy sheriff, police detective, police academy instructor and instructor trainer, author)

· Rick McMahan (ATF Special Agent, author)

· Sheila Stephens (former ATF Special Agent and Alabama State Police officer, author)

· Lt. Dave Swords ret. (Police investigator, author)

 

FRIDAY AFTERNOON- POLICE ACADEMY

Photo courtesy of the Los Angeles Times

Writers Police Academy Friday (Tours)- 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Presentations by Lee Lofland, author, Dr. Richard Burkhardt, Butler County Coroner, and others plus tours of the Hamilton Police Department and Butler County Morgue and police K9 demonstrations and workshop. An additional fee of $45 is required for this portion of the Writers Police Academy/Writers Conference.


FRIDAY EVENING

Keynote Speaker (for all Conference attendees)- Dr. Launius National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institute

Panel: How to Write Your Book- editors from F & W Media (publishers of Writers Digest Books and more)

Night Owl Session: Murder, Mayhem, and the Macabre: A Story of Hamilton’s Bizarre Murders–a candlelight visit with the infamous killers and their unfortunate victims who made national headlines. This night owl presentation offered by Lee Lofland is not for the faint of heart.

 

SATURDAY

Fiction Strand (* for scheduling purposes Writing Sci-Fi and Fantasy is listed under Nonfiction)

Comic Book Writing– Craig Boldman.

 

Plotting the Mainstream/Literary Novel – Nancy Pinard This class will distinguish the literary/mainstream novel and establish how it is different from the novels of the romance, mystery, sci-fi, and western genres. Together, the class will generate a novel situation/conflict and demonstrate ways a mainstream/literary novelist thinks about the characters’ dilemmas to develop the novel’s story line.

Characters– Nathan Singer We will discuss the process of building full-blooded, engaging, three-dimensional characters, with particular attention to how they speak and interact. We will also discuss introducing dark, troubling and/or controversial themes and concepts via these flawed and compelling characters.

Jumping the Fences: What a Writer of Children’s and Young Adult Literature Needs to Do to Leap the Hurdles – Trudy Krisher The author will offer hints for success based on her own experiences as a writer for children and young adults.

Writing and Illustrating Children’s Books – Andrea Cheng I will show the relationship between my background and my writing. Listeners will see how experiences in Shanghai, Budapest, and Cincinnati come together in picture books and novels for children and young adults. Participants will find the “seeds” of their own stories.

Nonfiction Strand

Craft a High-Powered and Salable Nonfiction Book Concept-Jane Friedman Find out the difference between a nonfiction book concept that gets an immediate, enthusiastic response from agents/editors-and one that gets no response. Learn how to craft a selling-handle with sizzle, and most importantly, learn the philosophy behind the one golden rule of nonfiction: Don’t sell what you write-sell what readers will buy!

Nonfiction Writing– Dr. Launius As a writer you have been advised to “write what you know.” Wouldn’t your job be the first place to start? Find out how Dr. Launius used the knowledge he acquired for and through his job to publish an impressive list of articles and books.

Researching Your Book: Streamlining Your Search– Diane Bengson Do you have a article, book, or fiction idea that requires a little, or maybe a lot, of research? This workshop will cover approaches to research, where to find information, how to organize the information while you are gathering it, what to do when you you’ve hit a dead end, time-saving tips, and when to stop researching and start writing.

*Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy – BT Robertson: Come bathe in the wondrous worlds, characters, plots, and magic offered by the Science Fiction and Fantasy genres. B.T. Robertson – author of the Chronicles of the Planeswalkers novel series – offers tips and hands-on exercises focused on the creative development of these essential components.

Five Habits of Highly Effective Magazine Writers (that magazine editors love)- Amanda Boyd Looking for the magic words that will make magazine editors love your pitches? Trying to break the secret code to getting more assignments? It doesn’t take supernatural powers, but it does take these key steps. Follow them and you’re well on your way to winning over magazine editors.

Writing As a Career Strand

Write Tight – Bill Brohaugh A mixture of instruction and exercise in writing what you mean with precision and power. Should I write this down in the first place? Should I “pour down” or “pour up?” Are four examples better than three? Should I spell things out or evoke images? In reviewing the book this workshop is based on, Dean Koontz said, “These days, most creative-writing courses teach self-indulgence. Write Tight counsels discipline. It is worth more than a university education. Its advice is gold.”

Unleashing Your Creativity– Anne Paris, PhD. Dr. Paris will show a video then facilitate a discussion with audience members, including a question and answer period. Her presentation will help you understand your blocks and procrastinations, and will offer unique ideas about how to move through the entire creative process.

Marketing: The Times They Are A-Changin’– Jane Friedman Major book and magazine publishers are recreating themselves, transitioning from businesses based on paper to businesses based on content, community, and experiences. Digitization, social networks, and customization-these are the buzzwords in the industry today. How do these trends affect writers? What do you need to know, or do differently, to advance (or start!) your career?.

Your Website I basics– Ken Macke An overview and explanation of typical web site designs and features used by popular as well as up-and-coming authors.

Your Website II advanced: Ken Macke This session will build on the concepts learned in the Beginner’s presentation. Gathering the tools necessary to build and grow your web site.

Police Academy

All sessions taught by active or retired law enforcement personnel. Titles describe the content of the sessions. Note – Some workshops will be hands-on sessions. Be prepared to dust for prints and handcuff some bad guys!

Writing Realistic Fight Scenes – Rick McMahan & Staff

Prison & Jail, Slang & Gangs – Verna Dreisbach

Police Tools & Equipment -Dave Crawford & McMahan

SWAT I – Mike Black

Nonlethal Weapons – Sheila Stephens

Arrest Techniques & Handcuffing – Rick McMahan & Staff

High Risk Traffic Stops – Crawford & Staff

Interview & Interrogation – David Swords

Writing Compelling Villains – Lee Lofland

Technology & Crime – Sheila Stephens

Primer of Handguns – Rick McMahan

Hostage Negotiations – Mike Black

Fingerprinting – Crawford, McMahan, & Swords

Kenesics: Human Lie Detecting – Lee Lofland

* I’m on my way to Bouchercon and I hope to see some of you in Baltimore. I’ll check in later today. Please stay tuned for Bouchercon updates and photos.

 

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Robin Burcell: My Day Off – Barbecue, Beer, and Kidnapping

Robin Burcell

 

Robin Burcell has worked in law enforcement for over two decades as a police officer, detective, FBI-trained forensic artist and hostage negotiator. She is the author of the Anthony Award winning SFPD Homicide Inspector Kate Gillespie novels: Every Move She Makes, Fatal Truth, Deadly Legacy and Cold Case, and the upcoming novel Face of a Killer. You can visit her website at: www.robinburcell.com/

Publisher:
HarperCollins
10 East 53rd St.
NY, NY 10022

1. COLD CASE 2/04 Avon 0-06-105377-5
2. DEADLY LEGACY 2/03 Avon 0-06-105787-8
3. FATAL TRUTH 8/02 Avon 0-06-106123-9
4. EVERY MOVE SHE MAKES 12/99 Harper 0-06-101432-X

Barbecue, Beer, and Kidnapping

It was a late summer afternoon, barbecued steaks fresh off the grill, a cold beer on the counter in front of me. I remember cutting into that steak, taking a bite, and thinking, wow, there sure are a lot of helicopter-flying going on out there. Figured they were looking for someone. Glad I was on my day off and didn’t have to worry about it.

The phone rang. My lieutenant calling, saying I had to come in right then, they had a kidnapping. A what? I thought. First words out of my mouth were, “You’re kidding, right? I just sat down to dinner.” After all, he knew I was on my days off, and we never got called in for overtime on the weekends, and he was right up there with the best of them when it came to practical jokes. What he said was, “No. We have a Polly Klaas-type kidnapping. We’re calling everyone in.”

And that’s just what they did. The entire department. Didn’t matter if you were on vacation or days off or sleeping from your last stint on graveyard.

Turns out a little 12 year-old girl was kidnapped from her home after her sister and a friend were raped by the suspect. Our city had never seen anything quite like it before. Sure, we had murders, we had rapes, we even had the occasional

adult-boyfriend-kidnapping-the-under-age-girlfriend-

because-the-family-didn’t-want-them-to-be-together,

or the parental-abduction-custody-battle-type cases. But never anything like this. It was all very surreal.

First thing that happened was that we commandeered another building, the library if memory serves correctly, as a command post. The FBI was called in for assistance. Why? They’ll help anywhere/anytime needed if the crime involves a child, and there doesn’t need to be a crossing of state lines or any amount of time passing. They will help set up a command post, bring in experts if needed, fly in an artist (which we didn’t need, since I was there) and anything else to assist. And unlike TV shows, they don’t try to take over the case. We also contacted the Polly Klaas Foundation to get the latest on what we should do. They took mistakes made from that case, and turned it into the best of circumstances, helping other agencies avoid the same mistakes. Start with a press blitz, post fliers on every shop window, attempt to get the suspect identified. If that is done, if we can find out who he is, we’re one step closer to figuring out where he might have taken the girl. I was immediately hustled off to do a series of sketches from various witnesses, one witness at a time. The suspect had been wandering around the neighborhood, knocking on doors, asking strange questions, before he hit on the victim’s house.

We worked 24/7 on the case. I didn’t go home that night. Between drawings, I attended a meeting at the command center, detailing information I had culled during my sketches from the victims and the witnesses, in an attempt to learn all we could. Aside from my drawings, I had one detail to add: One of my witnesses recalled that the suspect’s shoes were covered with dirt. Mind you, this area he struck happened to be very upscale, and all landscaped. No loose dirt. But being familiar with the area, I recalled that across the main thoroughfare, separating this neighborhood from the rest of the world, there was some lower-income country properties in the midst of orchards, and maybe this guy came from there. It was one more lead to check into.

The next morning, I and another detective headed down to the main county jail to interview a suspect who had just been taken into custody, who looked similar to one of my drawings. Wasn’t the guy. We drove back to town, a good thirty minutes away. Once in town, we stopped at a red light, and we both fell asleep. Time for more coffee. Time for another meeting of the minds with the rest of the team.

Good news. Someone had seen a copy of my sketch on a store window, and said the suspect looked like a guy staying with someone just down the street from her-the same street I’d suggested with the orchards and country property. Other team members went out there, talked with the neighbor, came back with a driver’s license he’d left behind. Victims and witnesses identified him. Now that we knew who he was, we were one step closer.

Hours passed. Search teams were in the air, on patrol, and even on horseback in the rural areas. Down in the south rural county, a farmer reported a fire in his field. They found the suspect, who had started the fire by driving his stolen car in the field. He’d taken the girl into the field, and hidden her. Searchers found the victim, uninjured shortly thereafter. There were a lot of tired but very happy officers that afternoon. I think they weren’t as happy as that little girl, when the officers walked up and found her.

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Weekend Road Trip: Pacific Northwest

Pacific Northwest

 

Our Weekend Road Trip this week takes us on a hike in the Pacific Northwest. A little over an hour drive north of Seattle lands you in some pretty nice scenery. Actually, anywhere in that area is spectacular. The countryside is simply beautiful, and full of surprises at ever turn. You’ll see our biggest surprise of the day in the last photo. It was during the drive home.

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Friday’s Heroes: Remembering The Fallen

Friday's Heroes - Remembering the fallen officers

 

Detective Tommy Keen, 59

Harris County Texas Sheriffs Department

 

Detective Keen died on September 15, 2008, from accidental injuries he received while assisting with the cleanup efforts following Hurricane Ike. Detective Keen leaves behind a wife and son.

Pilot Stephen Bunker

Trooper Mickey Lippy, 34

Maryland State Police

 

Pilot Bunker and Trooper Lippy were both killed on September 28, 2008, when their helicopter crashed after encountering bad weather. The troopers were transporting two accident victims to the hospital when the crash occurred. One of the accident victims also died in the crash. Trooper Lippy leaves behind a wife and four-month-old daughter.

Officer Nathaniel Taylor, Jr., 39

Chicago Police Department

 

Officer Taylor, a member of the gang and narcotics unit, was shot and killed on September 28, 2008, while serving a search warrant at a private residence. The suspect was wounded during an exchange of gunfire with other officers at the scene. Officer Taylor leaves behind a wife and daughter.

Sergeant Robert Douglas

Oklahoma City Police Department

 

Sergeant Douglas died on September 28, 2008, as a result of injuries he’d received in a 2003 motorcycle accident. His motorcycle was struck by a car and he was thrown in the path of a passing truck. Officer Douglas had been in a coma since the 2003 accident. He leaves behind a wife and six-year-old son.

Corrections Officer Douglas Falconer, 46

 

Arizona Department of Corrections

Officer Falconer suffered a fatal heart attack on October 1, 2008,  while supervising an inmate firefighting crew. The crew was in the act of fighting a wildfire when Officer Falconer became ill. Members of the inmate crew attempted, unsuccessfully, to perform lifesaving techniques on the officer. Officer Falconer is survived by his wife.

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