Writer's Detective Bureau

By Det. Adam Richardson

What's Writer's Detective Bureau about?

The Writer's Detective Bureau is a podcast hosted by veteran Police Detective Adam Richardson. Adam answers questions about criminal investigation and police work posed by crime-fiction authors and screenwriters writing crime-related stories. To submit a question, visit https://www.writersdetective.com/podcast

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Writer's Detective Bureau episodes:

10.01.2023
Alcoholic Beverage Control, Military Murder Investigations, and Tribal Police
Adam answers questions about: California’s Alcoholic Beverage Control agency, who investigates murders involving the military, and the surprising limitation on Tribal Police law enforcement powers.
08.02.2023
International Crime Rings, FBI Legal Attaches, INTERPOL, Proactive Investigations, and Transnational RICO Cases
In this episode, Adam answers questions about investigating international crime rings, FBI Legal Attaches, INTERPOL, the difference between reactive and proactive investigations, and where prosecutions might happen for transnational RICO cases.
07.27.2023
DA Investigators, Warrantless Arrests in the Home, and Cover-Ups
Adam talks about a DA Investigator moving over to a police department as a detective, the legalities of making a warrantless arrest inside a suspect's home, and how to conduct a cover-up.
07.12.2023
Threads App, Life Insurance Lookups, VINELink, Confidential Name Changes, Restraining Order Violations
Adam talks about the new THREADS app, whether detectives can find out if someone is listed as a beneficiary on a life insurance policy, victim notifications when an inmate is released from prison, confidential name changes, and violating protective orders.
06.21.2023
WGA Strike, Mini Rooms, AI, Phone Warrant in a Homicide, and California Crime Labs
In this episode, we dive into the ongoing WGA strike. We'll also explore the role of artificial intelligence in writing and storytelling, and how it's poised to change the way we create and consume content. Then, we'll answer some of...
05.03.2023
Federal Inmate Escapes, Hawaiian Floaters, and a Foreign Leader Murder Suspect
This week we are talking about what happens when a federal inmate escapes from prison, a body in Hawaiian waters, who handles the investigation if a murder victim is found in a visiting world leader’s hotel room.
03.15.2023
Disaster Fraud, Moving to a New State, and Percipient Witnesses
This week, Adam answers questions about financial crimes, how a detective could go about becoming a police chief in another state, and he explains what it means to be a percipient witness.
03.01.2023
Undercover FBI, Prisoner Release, Pyromania, and Gun Types
Adam answers questions about a fictional FBI undercover story involving a prisoner release, pyromania, and gun types.
02.15.2023
Why Choose to be a Detective -and- Martial Arts in Law Enforcement
This week, we do a deep dive into why your character might want to be a police detective. Plus, I talk about police batons and martial arts in law enforcement. Transcript: writersdetective.com/129
01.18.2023
US Marshal Task Forces, Warrant Time Restrictions, Good Faith
10.24.2022
Interview with Matthew Gentile - Writer and Director of AMERICAN MURDERER
Adam interviews Matthew Gentile about writing and directing his new feature film, AMERICAN MURDERER. This true-crime inspired movie stars Tom Pelphrey, Ryan Phillippe, Idina Menzel, and Jackie Weaver. Watch it now on iTunes, Amazon Video, or any other on-demand rental...
10.20.2022
UK vs. US CSI, Lying about Immunity, Ring Doorbell Footage
The Writer's Detective Bureau is now also a video podcast on YouTube. In this episode, Adam talks about the differences between UK and US Crime Scene Investigation, the ramifications of a detective lying about immunity to a witness, and how...
07.31.2022
Exonerations, Getting SWAT to a Victim, and Legalities of Eavesdropping
Adam talks about exonerations after perjury, getting to a downed victim during a SWAT call, and the legalities of eavesdropping with a room bug.
07.13.2022
Cold-ish Case, Civilians in LE, and Arrests Made Outside of Jurisdiction
Register for Adam's upcoming writing workshop on Detective Character Mindset & Motivation. writersdetective.com/workshop In this episode, Adam talks about a cold-ish case scenario, civilian jobs in law enforcement, and how arrests made outside of your local jurisdiction are handled...plus...
06.19.2022
Sketching a Crime Scene, Immigration in 1995, and Trespassing to get the Scoop
Adam talks about sketching a crime scene, how immigration status violations were handled in California circa 1995, and what would happen if a journalist went trespassing to get the scoop on a major crime.
06.01.2022
Inside Dispatch, Moving a Morgue, and Getting Investigative Help from Ma Bell
Adam talks about how 9-1-1 calls get dispatched over the police radio, what would happen if the morgue becomes unusable, and how detectives worked with the phone company on investigations in the 1950s and 60s. writersdetective.com/122
04.23.2022
Complaining About Paperwork, Fatal Hit & Run Investigations, and Suspect Extraditions
Adam complains about his least favorite bureaucratic paperwork and then talks about fatal hit & run investigations and suspect extraditions.
04.12.2022
Investigating False Accusations, Alphabet Soup Body Snatchers, and Investigating Decades-Old Remains
Adam talks about investigating false allegations made against a detective, what would happen if Alphabet Soup feds barged in to take possession of a decedent, and the realities of investigating the remains of someone that died sixty or seventy years...
04.06.2022
Personal Ties to a Homicide, Chalk Outlines, Jury Duty for Cops, and ChefsForUkraine
Adam talks about what happens if a homicide detective has personal ties to a homicide victim, if chalk outlines are really used, whether cops can serve on a jury, and how reviewing this podcast on Podchaser.com can raise money for...
03.29.2022
Coroner Inquests, Small Town Sheriff or Police Chief, and different Investigative Divisions
Adam explains what a Coroner's Inquest is and why inquests aren't used much anymore, the difference between a small-town Sheriff and Police Chief, and he talks about the various investigative units and their divisions. writersdetective.com/118
02.19.2022
Fusion Centers, Brady List, and Teletypes
Adam explains what DHS Fusion Centers do, what a Brady List is and how to use them in your writing, and we go old school tech with Teletypes.
01.19.2022
Home Invasion Robberies, Environmental Crimes, and Computer Forensics
01.02.2022
New Years Day 2022, Finding Last Wills, Historical Policing Questions from 1912 and 1980s
11.28.2021
Stake Outs, Closing Cases, Writer's Detective School, and 20BooksVegas Debrief
11.07.2021
20BooksVegas, Missing Teenagers and Murder
10.24.2021
Exigent v. Extenuating, Green Lasers, and Gang Association Warrants
07.21.2021
Money Laundering & Gun Trafficking, Main Character Innocence, and As You Like It
06.16.2021
Search Warrant Walk-Through, Pinging a Missing Person's Phone, and California Arson Investigations
05.15.2021
Rainy Day Vehicle CSI, White-Collar Murder, and Writer Outreach to Law Enforcement
05.05.2021
Interview with Marc Cameron - NYT Bestselling Author and Chief Deputy US Marshal
03.25.2021
SWAT Snipers, White Collar Crimes, and Consent for Autopsies
03.03.2021
Attaching Double Jeopardy, Forensic Artists, and that Bloodhound Story
01.31.2021
Inmate Testimony, Drug Labs, and Drone Flights
Adam talks about transporting an inmate from federal custody to testify in state court, creating realistic clandestine drug lab scenes, and the realities of cops using drones for an aerial search.
01.12.2021
Finding Addresses, Detective Caseloads, and Duty Assignments
Adam talks about how detectives find peoples’ addresses, Detective Caseloads and what happens during a murder investigation, and the differing responsibilities a detective may have based on their duty assignments.
12.21.2020
Lost Person Behavior, a Rogue Investigation, and the Difference between Probation and Parole
11.26.2020
Internal Affairs, Hold-Backs, and PSD Work
11.19.2020
Fingerprints, Vigilantes, Fiction Writing, and Technical Advising
11.12.2020
ONE HUNDRED
10.21.2020
Partial License Plates, Manner of Death, and the Peter Principle
10.13.2020
Missing In a Blizzard, Rapid DNA, and Sexual Assault Investigations
09.23.2020
Old Crime Scenes, Cellphone Location Tracking, Investigating a Child Death, and Police Reform
08.23.2020
Vehicle Tampering Clues, Trademarks, Notice of Warrant Service
08.03.2020
Writer's Detective Bureau - Trailer
08.01.2020
Areas of Responsibility, Nolle Prosequi, and GPS Tracking
07.22.2020
Finding Digital Evidence, Elicitation of Detectives, and RP Statements
07.05.2020
Minimum Staffing, Insider Trading, and TECS
06.27.2020
SWAT Teams, FBI Offices, and Cocaine Production
06.02.2020
Black Lives Matter
05.23.2020
Investigating a Murder of One of Your Own, Filming Props, and Testimony Dialogue
Adam talks about who investigates the murder when the victim is a police officer of your own agency, how to best secure realistic props for filming, and tips for creating realistic testimony dialogue. Transcript: writersdetective.com/90
05.10.2020
Cellphone Photos, Real-Life Red Herrings, and Courthouse Waiting Rooms

What's Writer's Detective Bureau about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Writer's Detective Bureau episodes:

Alcoholic Beverage Control, Military Murder Investigations, and Tribal Police

International Crime Rings, FBI Legal Attaches, INTERPOL, Proactive Investigations, and Transnational RICO Cases

DA Investigators, Warrantless Arrests in the Home, and Cover-Ups

Threads App, Life Insurance Lookups, VINELink, Confidential Name Changes, Restraining Order Violations

WGA Strike, Mini Rooms, AI, Phone Warrant in a Homicide, and California Crime Labs

Federal Inmate Escapes, Hawaiian Floaters, and a Foreign Leader Murder Suspect

Disaster Fraud, Moving to a New State, and Percipient Witnesses

Undercover FBI, Prisoner Release, Pyromania, and Gun Types

Why Choose to be a Detective -and- Martial Arts in Law Enforcement

US Marshal Task Forces, Warrant Time Restrictions, Good Faith

Interview with Matthew Gentile - Writer and Director of AMERICAN MURDERER

UK vs. US CSI, Lying about Immunity, Ring Doorbell Footage

Exonerations, Getting SWAT to a Victim, and Legalities of Eavesdropping

Cold-ish Case, Civilians in LE, and Arrests Made Outside of Jurisdiction

Sketching a Crime Scene, Immigration in 1995, and Trespassing to get the Scoop

Inside Dispatch, Moving a Morgue, and Getting Investigative Help from Ma Bell

Complaining About Paperwork, Fatal Hit & Run Investigations, and Suspect Extraditions

Investigating False Accusations, Alphabet Soup Body Snatchers, and Investigating Decades-Old Remains

Personal Ties to a Homicide, Chalk Outlines, Jury Duty for Cops, and ChefsForUkraine

Coroner Inquests, Small Town Sheriff or Police Chief, and different Investigative Divisions

Fusion Centers, Brady List, and Teletypes

Home Invasion Robberies, Environmental Crimes, and Computer Forensics

New Years Day 2022, Finding Last Wills, Historical Policing Questions from 1912 and 1980s

Stake Outs, Closing Cases, Writer's Detective School, and 20BooksVegas Debrief

20BooksVegas, Missing Teenagers and Murder

Exigent v. Extenuating, Green Lasers, and Gang Association Warrants

Money Laundering & Gun Trafficking, Main Character Innocence, and As You Like It

Search Warrant Walk-Through, Pinging a Missing Person's Phone, and California Arson Investigations

Rainy Day Vehicle CSI, White-Collar Murder, and Writer Outreach to Law Enforcement

Interview with Marc Cameron - NYT Bestselling Author and Chief Deputy US Marshal

SWAT Snipers, White Collar Crimes, and Consent for Autopsies

Attaching Double Jeopardy, Forensic Artists, and that Bloodhound Story

Inmate Testimony, Drug Labs, and Drone Flights

Finding Addresses, Detective Caseloads, and Duty Assignments

Lost Person Behavior, a Rogue Investigation, and the Difference between Probation and Parole

Internal Affairs, Hold-Backs, and PSD Work

Fingerprints, Vigilantes, Fiction Writing, and Technical Advising

ONE HUNDRED

Partial License Plates, Manner of Death, and the Peter Principle

Missing In a Blizzard, Rapid DNA, and Sexual Assault Investigations

Old Crime Scenes, Cellphone Location Tracking, Investigating a Child Death, and Police Reform

Vehicle Tampering Clues, Trademarks, Notice of Warrant Service

Writer's Detective Bureau - Trailer

Areas of Responsibility, Nolle Prosequi, and GPS Tracking

Finding Digital Evidence, Elicitation of Detectives, and RP Statements

Minimum Staffing, Insider Trading, and TECS

SWAT Teams, FBI Offices, and Cocaine Production

Black Lives Matter

Investigating a Murder of One of Your Own, Filming Props, and Testimony Dialogue

Cellphone Photos, Real-Life Red Herrings, and Courthouse Waiting Rooms