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Good evening everyone. It's evening as I record this special solo episode of the Cops and Writers Podcast.

Why do a solo episode? Good Question. I have been super busy taking care of my wife who had a total knee replacement surgery a couple of days ago. She’s a tough cookie but needs a little help from me and that has put most things on the back-burner, including this podcast.

So, I thought it would be a good idea to answer some questions from the Cops and Writers Facebook group with stories from my career in law enforcement.

In today’s episode we discuss:

· The impending release of The Good Collar. Getting the cover to conform with Amazon, and releasing the paperback, then the hardcover, and then the Kindle version very soon!! Some reviews have already come out on Goodreads, with an average of 4.5! For Goodreads that is awesome! Thanks to everyone who was a beta and ARC reader!

· Fred Snyder asks: Current day United States. How much/what kind of paperwork is involved if a Federal officer (FBI, USSS, DHS) draws his/her gun? Doesn't fire it, just draws it.

· Connie Albus asks: A husband and wife are found dead, both with bullet wounds but the coroner is not sure if the husband murdered his wife then committed suicide due to the angle of the bullet wounds on him, or if it was a double murder. On the coroner's report would it show hers as "homicide" and his as "homicide/suicide"? or other wording? Thanks for the help. (story takes place in the USA) _(added the remains were found in a burned building). Rich Rybicki and Scott Morales did a great job answering and I added that we never assume anything, it’s a double homicide until it isn’t. The totality of the circumstances comes into play here. Were there any 911/DV calls at the address? Did they find a gun, if so, where was it? Is there a motive, such as an impending divorce or other problems? Any history of calls of one of them having a mental illness crisis? Was there a note? There was a fire, so that might be tricky. Witness statements or video?

· Allison Holland-Ray asks: In modern times, Portland, Maine, I have a suspect who’s pointing his gun at two bystanders, while three officers all point their weapons at him.

What is the protocol for getting him to drop his weapon? Right now, I have written that the officers are talking to him and they put their weapons down to show they are willing to talk.

Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!
Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!
Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.
Please visit the Cops and Writers website.

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It should be noted that this episode was recorded on January 2, 2025, one day after the terror attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas. Of course, there will be new information as the investigations proceed regarding these horrific acts of cowardly violence. My heart goes out to the victims and their families. We touch on this topic, but know that all the facts aren’t in and we may never know exactly what the motives were, how many were involved, and what could have been done to prevent these tragedies.

Today on the show I was lucky enough to get back up from my friend and fellow author, retired Chicago Police Department Detective Lieutenant Richard Rybicki.

The good lieutenant served for over 29 years on the Chicago Police Department where he worked as a Patrol Officer, Tactical Officer, Gang Crimes Specialist, Detective, Patrol Sergeant, Detective Sergeant, Patrol Lieutenant, and Detective Lieutenant. His last assignment was as the Lieutenant/commanding officer of the Area Three Homicide/Sex/Gang Crimes unit.

Thank you for joining us as we look back on 2024 and peer into 2025 with all its good, bad, and ugly.

In today’s episode we discuss:

· What’s a “ghoul pool” and other New Year’s Eve stories from big city cops.

· What really happens in big cities in the United States on New Year’s and how the cops cope with the stress.

· Me almost getting shot on my second New Year’s Eve as a rookie cop.

· The terror attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas on New Year’s.

· What is the FBI doing about these attacks?

· 144 police officers killed in the line of duty in 2024.

· The problem with recruitment and retention of law enforcement in the U.S.A.

· Writing and publishing trends in 2024.

· What’s going to be big in 2025 in the writing biz?

Visit Richard's author page on Amazon.
Check out the Sam Laska Crime Thriller page on Facebook.
Visit Richard at his website!

Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!
Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!
Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.
Please visit the Cops and Writers website.

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Today we are bringing back returning champ, retired NYPD Detective, Author, and Podcaster, Vic Ferrari.

Vic worked a distinguished twenty-year career with the NYPD as a patrol officer and later moved up to the organized crime unit working in the auto theft squad as a detective. During his retirement, he wrote NYPD Tell All books. This has blossomed into a catalog of amazing books, including his latest NYPD: Presumption & Dysfunction!

On the show today we discuss the homicide of United Health Care’s CEO, Brian Thompson, and the suspected killer, Luigi Mangione, and his newest book, NYPD: Presumption & Dysfunction.

Please enjoy my chat with the informative and highly entertaining, Vic Ferrari!

In today’s episode we discuss:

· The homicide of United Health Care’s CEO, Brian Thompson, and the suspected killer, Luigi Mangione.

· How the suspected killer Luigi Mangione was not a professional hitman like so many news agencies were portraying him early in the investigation!

· The ridiculous support he is getting from strangers.

· Vic’s recent book release, NYPD: Presumption & Dysfunction (Tell All NYPD Books).

· What do his former co-workers say about the books?

· The use of nicknames in police work. Some funny ones and if anyone has been salty about you bringing them up.

· Vic’s nickname.

· Vic’s podcast, NYPD Through The Looking Glass.

Visit Vic Ferrari's Amazon Author Page to learn more about him and his books!

Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!
Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!
Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.
Please visit the Cops and Writers website.

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Welcome to a bonus Christmas Eve Cops and Writers with my friend Chicago PD Detective Richard Rybicki!

Today’s bonus episode is filled with police stories from working Christmas during the holidays. We also both answer the burning question, is Die Hard a Christmas movie?

Please enjoy this fun holiday Cops and Writers.

In today’s episode we discuss:

· How a suspect was throwing his own blood at Rich on Christmas.

· How the cops celebrated Christmas while working.

· Crackhead Christmas with a communist!

· Fighting with a gunshot victim in the back of an ambulance.

· Never volunteer. No good deed ever goes unpunished.

· Suicidal people during the holidays.

· Suicide hotline 988, the police hotline is 800-267-5463. You are not alone. Don’t make a permanent decision based on a temporary situation!

· Is Die Hard a Christmas movie and some interesting Die Hard trivia.

· Rich’s newest book series, The Corpse Whisperer.

· Patrick’s book, The Good Collar, is hopefully being released soon!!

All of this and more on today’s episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.

Visit Richard's author page on Amazon.
Check out the Sam Laska Crime Thriller page on Facebook.
Visit Richard at his website!

Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!
Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!
Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.
Please visit the Cops and Writers website.

Would you like to win a Free Kindle Fire and signed copies of the Good Collar? Here is the link!!

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Today we are traveling to the great white north, Canada where we are chatting with Stephen G. Metelsky, M.A. Steve is a criminal psychology professor at Mohawk College in Hamilton, Ontario. He also lectures about organized crime at Queens University in Kingston, Ontario.

Steve spent 21 years as a police officer and later was promoted to sergeant with the Halton Regional Police Service & the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU) of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). He specialized in traditional organized crime, informant development and undercover operations as an operator and covert handler.

Please enjoy this eye-opening and entertaining conversation with Steve.

In today’s episode we discuss:

· How Steve got interested in police work.

· Life as a recruit in a Canadian police academy back in the 1990s.

· The best job on the police force, sergeant!

· Steve’s first exposure to undercover police work.

· “Good Stress” in police work.

· Steve specializes in organized crime, undercover operations, and informant development.

· Mexican drug cartels, Hell’s Angels, the Wolfpack alliance, and Asian gangs in Canada.

· Steve’s book, Undercover: Stories from the underworld of law enforcement.

Head on over to Steve's website to learn more about him and his books!

Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!
Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!
Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.
Please visit the Cops and Writers website.

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Today we are traveling across the pond to England to speak to Author, Award-Winning Journalist, and Television Producer Robert Murphy and Retired British Police Officer Michelle Leonard.

Ron Evans, aka, The Clifton Rapist, had been arrested and convicted of raping and killing a young woman but only served 10 years in prison. In 1979, when he was released from prison, he went back to his criminal behavior and raped at least 7 young women eluding the police for several years.

There was an incredible public outcry for the police to capture this maniac. In complete secrecy, a daring new plan was introduced, unlike anything previously attempted by a UK police force. A small group of young female officers – some just 18 – put their lives on the line, walking the quiet residential roads late at night, acting as bait until one fateful night The Clifton Rapist attacked Undercover Police Officer Michelle Leonard who was acting as a decoy.

Please enjoy this incredible story told by the police officer who lived it and the journalist who wrote the book and produced the movie, Decoy: The gripping true crime story of one of Britain’s most shocking and secretive historical undercover police operations.

In today’s episode we discuss:

· How Michelle got interested in police work.

· How many years she was in the police force when she was approached to become a decoy.

· Bristol 1979 being a safe area before the Clifton Rapist started his one-man crime wave.

· How the British police force investigated sexual crimes back then without the aid of modern science.

· What it was like for Michelle when this homicidal manic attempted to assault her.

· Robert Murphy’s interest in the case and the book he wrote and the documentary he made depicting this case.

All of this and more on today’s episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.

Please visit Robert's website to learn more about him, Michelle, and his work.

Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!
Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!
Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.
Please visit the Cops and Writers website.

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Get your pen and paper ready to take notes! Today’s show is for you writers out there or those of you who are curious how a New York Bestselling author navigates the ever-changing waters of publishing books and collaborating with other authors.

On the show today we chat with J.D. Barker and Christine Daigle.

J.D. Barker is the New York Times and international best-selling author of numerous novels, including DRACUL, THE FOURTH MONKEY, A CALLER'S GAME AND BEHIND A CLOSED DOOR. He is currently collaborating with James Patterson. His books have been translated into two dozen languages, sold in more than 150 countries, and optioned for both film and television.

By day, Christine Daigle is a clinical neuropsychologist whose work includes brain-computer interfaces translating brain signals into commands to control technology. When she has time, Christine Daigle is a multi-genre author whose latest release, Heavy Are The Stones, is a serial killer thriller co-authored with New York Times bestselling author J.D. Barker. She and Barker are also collaborating on a reboot of Flatliners, based on the original screenplay.

In today’s episode we discuss:

· Their experience at Author Nation writers’ convention.

· The attention grabbing first line of Behind a Closed Door, “Would you kill a stranger to save your partner?”

· Pushing sexual boundaries in books and movies.

· The essential elements to writing a good thriller!

· The research involved with the controversial book, Behind a Closed Door.

· How to overcome writer’s block.

· Best advice for new writers or those writers trying to up their game.

Check out Christine's website to learn more about her and her books!
Head on over to J.D.'s website!

Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!
Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!
Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.
Please visit the Cops and Writers website.

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On the show today we are going true crime detailing the murder for hire plot involving former NYPD Police Officer Valerie Cincinelli.

On May 17th, 2019, Valerie solicited her boyfriend, John DiRubba, to hire a hitman to murder his own daughter and Valerie's ex-husband, Isaiah Carvalho. Isaiah and John worked with the FBI to secretly record conversations and to stage a crime scene photo which was sent to John by an FBI agent posing as a hitman.

To help me out today I brought in my favorite NYPD Detectives, Marique Bartoldus and Vic Ferrari. They both gave us invaluable insights into the NYPD and incredible feedback regarding the case, not to mention some laughs.

Please enjoy this story of greed, jealousy, lust, and sometimes, just plain stupidity.

In today’s episode we discuss:

· We talk about Vic Ferrari’s newest book, NYPD: Presumption & Dysfunction and Marique Bartoldus’ book, Twenty and Out.

· The term, ‘hairbag’.

· The evolution of Valerie Cuccinelli’s career with the NYPD.

· The beginnings of her breakup with her husband and starting an affair.

· Valerie’s unusual behavior.

· The FBI staging her husband’s murder and the sting operation that led to her arrest.

· Valerie’s eventual arrest and resignation from the NYPD.

· Final thoughts regarding this case.

Check out Marique's Amazon Author Page.
Visit Vic Ferrari's Amazon Author Page to learn more about him and his books!

Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!
Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!
Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.
Please visit the Cops and Writers website.

Support the show