It’s been a few weeks since I wrote a policing post on the blog. I’ve been busy trying to get Hannah 2 completed and these posts take a bit of time to pull together and it’s time I have been directing on the manuscript. But, this topic was something that came up as I was filling in some gaps I’d left blank to go back and check and I thought it would make a readable blog post. (There will be exciting news on both Hannah 2 and Shallow Waters next Tuesday, so do come back then!)
Anyway, one of the things I was going back to fill in was when a uniform officer was using their call sign to shout the control room. I knew the call sign, but I didn’t know if it was public knowledge, so I researched it on the internet. I found a Freedom of Information request from someone asking for these call signs and the response was that in the interest of security they couldn’t release them. So I had my answer. The call signs used in Hannah 2 are completely made up.
It’s what I do when using policing techniques in my writing, because it’s all so natural to me, having worked it, I have to check the internet, ask the question as though I don’t know, to see if the information is in the public domain. A lot of it I know is already out there because I’ve read it in crime novels or I’ve seen it in TV programmes, but there are things I check – like the call signs.
So, if you’re simply interested in policing and what and how and why, or you’re writing crime, here are some great sites that may be of interest or useful to you.
HOLMES 2 – the computer system you have read about or seen on TV that police use to hold all the information, cross-check it all and allocate ‘actions’. This website, though it looks very basic, if you go into it, there are some fantastic PDF’s that you can print out and keep that tell you a lot you need to know about the running of a Major Incident Room. A brilliant website.
College of Policing – Now, the college isn’t just about teaching police, they are about helping and supporting police, in what they do. It is mainly a police focused site as it has a library on it only accessible to officers and staff, but there is a page Here with some research papers available that may be of interest.
NCA (National Crime Agency) – The UK law enforcement’s agency to cut serious and organised crime. They have national and international reach and the website has a great deal of information relating to many topics covering human trafficking, drugs, firearms and cyber crime, to name but a few.
CPS (Crown Prosecution Service) – For all your legal, court charging questions.
This last one is simply the best. Ask The Police. Really. That’s what the site is called and it’s brilliant. It covers everything and if you can’t find what you’re looking for, you can submit your question. In fact, you won’t need these blog posts anymore!
I hope you enjoy these and don’t get too lost down the rabbit hole of the internet! Which one are you heading to first?
bookboodle says
Fascinating stuff 🙂
Rebecca Bradley says
Lots of information:)
MarinaSofia says
Wow, I wish I had you as an expert and all of the resources you describe above for the Swiss police (which varies from canton to canton), as my WIP is set in Geneva… plus some cross-border action, so I need to study the French police as well.
Rebecca Bradley says
The Internet is a great police nowadays Marina. I’m sure if you input Geneva police support agencies into a search engine you’d get a list of great sites because they are all on the web now. Really helpful of them 🙂
writerdsnelson says
Thanks Rebecca, this is really great information, as always. It’s interesting what we assume everyone must know, once we’ve been doing a job for a while and it must be a bit of a minefield sometimes trying to figure out what you know but the rest aren’t supposed to 😉
Rebecca Bradley says
Exactly. You’d think it would be a breeze and I’d be googling less than some crime writers but I have to google to check what I know, everyone else already knows! 🙂
Josephine Bayne says
Can’t wait for the news next Tuesday! Very helpful blog, too. Thank you.
Sent from my iPad
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Rebecca Bradley says
I can’t wait Josephine. I’m sitting on my hands 🙂 Glad you found the post helpful.
Margot Kinberg says
Oh, this is very useful, Rebecca! Thank you for sharing. And I think you’re absolutely right about the importance of fact checking and so on. Very much looking forward to your news!
Rebecca Bradley says
Thanks Margot. I’m looking forward to sharing. I just have to sit on my hands for a week!
Alex J. Cavanaugh (@AlexJCavanaugh) says
That’s a real smart idea to make sure it’s public knowledge. Wouldn’t want to get yourself in trouble.
Rebecca Bradley says
I know! And not just that, but I really wouldn’t want to be responsible for disclosing policing tactics that weren’t already out there. So many are now but there are some things they have to not tell the bad guys! 🙂
Jacqui Murray says
I’ve bookmarked this. I need a Symbaloo account so I can organize this under ‘Police’.
Rebecca Bradley says
I’m glad you found it useful Jacqui.
Sue Coletta says
Wonderful resource, Rebecca. Do you mind if I add a link to this post in my Crime Writer’s Resource page? It’ll be nice to have some references for policing outside the US.
Rebecca Bradley says
Thanks Sue. No, of course I don’t mind. I’m glad you liked it.
Rena George says
Great links, Rebecca. Thanks for sharing them.
Rebecca Bradley says
You’re welcome. I hope you find them of interest.
tmewalsh says
Great post, very useful 🙂 Have shared it
Rebecca Bradley says
Thank you. I appreciate it. I’m glad you found it useful.
cleopatralovesbooks says
Fascinating information and lots of good resources!
Rebecca Bradley says
It’s great in today’s world where even policing support organisations have websites. You wouldn’t have had these to help you a few years ago.