Rating: 
Summary: Excellent First Refence Book
Review: A very-well researched book on police procedural, which covers most of the bases. It's a dry read, but then it is a reference book and should be used as such. It covers police administration, detection techniques, different type of crimes, arrests, interviews and the justice process. Worthwhile as a shelf refence for any crime writer who needs to check information quickly. However, you'll have to do more research in your local area or wherever the setting in your novel takes place if details are crucial to your book.
Rating: 
Summary: Another good one
Review: I have been using nearly all of the books in the Howdunit series. I am not primarily a crime writer but like being accurate on the little facts I do use when I include a crime or crime scene or police procedure in my books. I have found this book very helpful.
Rating: 
Summary: Full of information but rather dry.
Review: I have no doubt that Police Procedural is a mother lode of information about the police, but the tone is so dry and factual that I found myself unable to make it through the book. Had the writers attempted to keep the tone more conversational (as in Scene of the Crime, Private Eyes, and Missing Persons), Police Procedural would be much more effective. As is, it is still useful as a spot reference, but I found it rather hard to read.
Rating:
Summary: Good, but needs more detail...
Review: I often refer to "Police Procedural" during writing involving police office/law enforcement characters. I think the writing is comprehensive and covers many elements you will need to write a convincing police character. My only disappointment with this writing reference, is that there is not enough material discussing popular mistakes in fiction made by authors of police procedurals, (such as the police/witness romance), and there is not enough information about initial police training, codes of conduct, or disciplinary action taken towards police officers. (As happens in nearly every police film). What mistakes warrant suspension? What mistakes warrant getting canned? Who decides on what? If there is a re-issue of this material, I'd really like to see: discussion of Internal Affairs, in depth discussion of police vehicles, police conduct, and writer's do's and 'don'ts. Overall Great basic reference, but needs more detail for a 5 star book.
Rating:
Summary: Good, but needs more detail...
Review: I often refer to "Police Procedural" during writing involving police office/law enforcement characters. I think the writing is comprehensive and covers many elements you will need to write a convincing police character. My only disappointment with this writing reference, is that there is not enough material discussing popular mistakes in fiction made by authors of police procedurals, (such as the police/witness romance), and there is not enough information about initial police training, codes of conduct, or disciplinary action taken towards police officers. (As happens in nearly every police film). What mistakes warrant suspension? What mistakes warrant getting canned? Who decides on what? If there is a re-issue of this material, I'd really like to see: discussion of Internal Affairs, in depth discussion of police vehicles, police conduct, and writer's do's and 'don'ts. Overall Great basic reference, but needs more detail for a 5 star book.
Rating:
Summary: Good, but needs more detail...
Review: I often refer to "Police Procedural" during writing involving police office/law enforcement characters. I think the writing is comprehensive and covers many elements you will need to write a convincing police character. My only disappointment with this writing reference, is that there is not enough material discussing popular mistakes in fiction made by authors of police procedurals, (such as the police/witness romance), and there is not enough information about initial police training, codes of conduct, or disciplinary action taken towards police officers. (As happens in nearly every police film). What mistakes warrant suspension? What mistakes warrant getting canned? Who decides on what? If there is a re-issue of this material, I'd really like to see: discussion of Internal Affairs, in depth discussion of police vehicles, police conduct, and writer's do's and 'don'ts. Overall Great basic reference, but needs more detail for a 5 star book.
Rating:
Summary: Another Great Howdunit!
Review: Police Procedural is really a "who does what" kind of book. It allows a writer to use the correct person or group to work a particular crime scene. Police Procedural explains the police services and uses a 'family tree' to display the order of command within the police department. Police Procedural also goes through the specific jobs such as bomb squad, homicide squad, etc. and it tells you what departments are responsible for certain crimes. It describes arrests and the procedures involved, interrogation, as well as the justice system. This book is basically a step by step guide of how the police work, how they file, train, what equipment they use, and even how law enforcement officers are selected. Police Procedural shows great pictures of search warrants, general affidavit, etc. Really helpful if you are presenting a document to your character. Overall this book is packed to the extreme with information...from who does it, what they do, and how they do it! The only down fault I found with this book is that I had trouble staying tuned in to read it in it's entirety, however it IS an excellent reference tool for the crime scene writer and should not be left out of your collection!
Rating:
Summary: Another Great Howdunit!
Review: Police Procedural is really a "who does what" kind of book. It allows a writer to use the correct person or group to work a particular crime scene. Police Procedural explains the police services and uses a 'family tree' to display the order of command within the police department. Police Procedural also goes through the specific jobs such as bomb squad, homicide squad, etc. and it tells you what departments are responsible for certain crimes. It describes arrests and the procedures involved, interrogation, as well as the justice system. This book is basically a step by step guide of how the police work, how they file, train, what equipment they use, and even how law enforcement officers are selected. Police Procedural shows great pictures of search warrants, general affidavit, etc. Really helpful if you are presenting a document to your character. Overall this book is packed to the extreme with information...from who does it, what they do, and how they do it! The only down fault I found with this book is that I had trouble staying tuned in to read it in it's entirety, however it IS an excellent reference tool for the crime scene writer and should not be left out of your collection!
Rating:
Summary: Another Great Howdunit!
Review: Police Procedural is really a "who does what" kind of book. It allows a writer to use the correct person or group to work a particular crime scene. Police Procedural explains the police services and uses a 'family tree' to display the order of command within the police department. Police Procedural also goes through the specific jobs such as bomb squad, homicide squad, etc. and it tells you what departments are responsible for certain crimes. It describes arrests and the procedures involved, interrogation, as well as the justice system. This book is basically a step by step guide of how the police work, how they file, train, what equipment they use, and even how law enforcement officers are selected. Police Procedural shows great pictures of search warrants, general affidavit, etc. Really helpful if you are presenting a document to your character. Overall this book is packed to the extreme with information...from who does it, what they do, and how they do it! The only down fault I found with this book is that I had trouble staying tuned in to read it in it's entirety, however it IS an excellent reference tool for the crime scene writer and should not be left out of your collection!
Rating: 
Summary: Basic Info
Review: This book covers the basics of police departments, investigations, crimes and arrests, and the judicial system. I would not use this as my sole source because every state has different laws, obviously. So does every branch of law enforcement. It was interesting learning the layout of a typical police station.
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