The Graveyard Shift Blog

Since 2008, Lee Lofland has written over 2000 articles on his blog, The Graveyard Shift. Topics such as police procedure, forensics, criminal behavior, and what it’s like to be a cop has helped countless numbers of popular and aspiring writers.

His life’s mission – to remind writers that cordite is dead and gone. Just say no to cordite in your books!

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Murderers on the Block: James Ruppert and Timothy Bradford, the Minor Avenue Killers

Easter is nearly here and with its arrival I'm reminded of two horrific murder cases, one of which occurred on Easter Sunday. The other, nearly twenty years later in a house across the street from the first homicide scene. I've visited both…
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Postmortem Decomposition: How To Properly Rot Your Corpses

Putrefaction is the destruction of the soft tissue caused by two things, bacteria and enzymes. As bacteria and enzymes do their jobs, the body immediately begins to discolor, and it slowly transform into liquids and gases. The odd thing about…
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REACHER Review: Season 1 Episode 2 – “First Dance,” A Review of Police Procedure and Forensics

Before I begin I'd like to point out that REACHER the TV show, like the Jack Reacher books, contains quite a bit of over the top action. There's a fair amount of fighting and violence. That's what makes the Reacher legacy what it is. Reacher…
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REACHER Reviews: Welcome to Margrave – A Review of Police Procedure and Forensics, Part Two

When Jack Reacher stepped into our living room several days ago I knew I wanted needed to bring REACHER to this blog, and to you. There are many intricate details in the show that mirror real police officers and how they carry themselves. I'll…
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Exciting Offer From Writers’ Police Academy

Are you registered or plan to register to attend the 2022 Writers’ Police Academy? If so, you could receive an exciting offer from Writers' Police Academy - a $50 rebate and FREE registration to a special live Writers’ Police Academy Online…
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REACHER Reviews: Welcome to Margrave – A Review of Police Procedure and Forensics, Part One

Not since CASTLE and SOUTHLAND have I found a cop-type television series that stirred in me the desire to once again examine the police procedures and forensics used by TV officers ... until now. Well, there was BOSCH, which is a wonderful series,…
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Harriet Tubman: Spies, Spies, Everywhere You Look … Spies

With the current situation involving the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and with Russia’s cyberattacks on other countries, it should not be surprising to anyone that Russian spies live and work within the U.S. Elena Branson, also known as…

There’s a Head in the Bucket, Dear Taylor, a Head

On February 23, 2022, Officer Alex Wanish of the Green Bay, WI police department, responded to a rather grisly call after a woman called to report the discovery of her son's severed head in a plastic bucket. During their investigation, law…
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A Beaver Tale: How NOT To Leave Fingerprints At Crime Scenes

"Hey, Sarge," said Officer Trevor "Curly" Barnes. "Would you do me a favor and see if you can get a clear set of prints from this guy? I've tried three times and all I get are smudges. I must be out of practice, or something." "You rookies…

Non-Fatal Shootings are Failed Homicides

In the film Dirty Harry, Clint Eastwood's character Inspector Harry Callahan engaged in a shootout with armed bank robbers. When the shooting stopped, and there was lots of it, Harry approached a wounded robber who locked eyes with Harry while…
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First it Was SpongeBob, Now it’s Satan: Mothers Murdering Their Kids

Last week I wrote about twenty-two-year-old Justine Johnson of Iosco County, Michigan, who told police investigators the fictional cartoon character SpongeBob ordered her to kill her daughter Sutton Mosser. Police did indeed find the…
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4 Rules of Factual Cop Fiction: Avoid Writing a Stinky Story!

Realism in fiction is important, when it's needed and when placed in the proper context. The ability to weave fact into fiction is a must. But writers must have a firm grasp of what's real and what's made-up before attempting to use reality…

2022 Writers’ Police Academy Registration is OPEN … again!

After several days of downtime for an unexpected website redo, the 2022 Writers' Police Academy registration is once again OPEN! We apologize for any inconvenience. We invite you to join us for THE most exciting writer event of the year. And…
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SpongeBob Orders Mother to Kill Her Child

If only the title of this blog piece were as ridiculous as it sounds. Unfortunately, it is not. Twenty-two-year-old Justine Johnson of Iosco County, Michigan told police investigators she had received and carried out orders from the fictional…

Meet the 2022 Writers’ Police Academy Instructors

It is with great pleasure that I introduce you to an esteemed group of experts, the instructors and presenters of the 2022 Writers' Police Academy. Detective Nichole Crocker Nichole is presently assigned as a detective with the Oconto…
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A Preview of the Exciting 2022 Writers’ Police Academy Classes

A well-written book engages a reader's emotions, as well as each of their five senses---touch, sight, hearing, smell, and taste. To do so, writers must call upon their own experiences to breathe life into their characters, setting, and actions. Crime…

Writers’ Police Academy: A Deep and Heartfelt “Thank You” to Our Generous Supporters

To Our Treasured Sponsors On behalf of the Writers' Police Academy, I'd like to take a moment to personally extend a deep and heartfelt “Thank You” to the generous supporters who make it possible to produce this one of a kind, thrilling…
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Shopping at a SuperMax Prison: USP Florence ADMAX

With grocery list in hand and coupons arranged by order of item location in store aisles, it's time to go Shopping at a Federal SuperMax Prison: USP Florence ADMAX. As you pass by the deli counter you  remember back to just a few weeks ago,…