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Writer's Detective Bureau

by Det. Adam Richardson

The Writer's Detective Bureau is a podcast hosted by retired 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/ask

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Episodes

  1. Relaunching the podcast on its 8th birthday

    Today is the Bureau's 8th birthday...so what better way to celebrate than to fire things up again. This podcast episode is available as a video podcast on YouTube.

  2. AI Bots and Ghost Guns

    Adam talks about AI bots, the future of the Writer's Detective Bureau, and ghost guns.

  3. Bunco Crimes, Investigator Associations, Retired Cops, and POVs

    Adam talks about bunco crime investigations, the value of belonging to investigator associations, the trope of retired cops being forced back to work for one last case, and a different kind of POV. Submit a question: writersdetective.com/ask

  4. Cybercrime, Trap and Trace, and Concealed Carry

    Adam talks about cybercrime investigations, how wiretap investigations involve "trap and trace" and "pen registers" tools, and how undercover detectives conceal their firearms. Submit your own question to the podcast: writersdetective.com/ask

  5. Core Character Question, Celebrities, and An Unnoticed Serial Killer

    The Writer's Detective Bureau podcast is BACK and now ad-free! Adam has retired from law enforcement and is back answering writers' questions. Adam shares a core character question that he contemplated at the end of his career that could inform how you plot a character arc. Adam then answers...

  6. 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.

  7. 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.

  8. 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.

  9. 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.

  10. 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 your writing questions, including the logistics of obtaining...

  11. 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.

  12. 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.

  13. 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.

  14. 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

  15. US Marshal Task Forces, Warrant Time Restrictions, Good Faith

  16. 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 service.

  17. 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 police might obtain Ring doorbell footage.

  18. 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.

  19. 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 some...

  20. 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.

  21. 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

  22. 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.

  23. 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 ago. writersdetective.com/120...

  24. 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 ChefsForUkraine during the #Reviews4Good campaign....

  25. 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

  26. 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.

  27. Home Invasion Robberies, Environmental Crimes, and Computer Forensics

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

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

  30. 20BooksVegas, Missing Teenagers and Murder

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

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

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

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

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

  36. SWAT Snipers, White Collar Crimes, and Consent for Autopsies

  37. Attaching Double Jeopardy, Forensic Artists, and that Bloodhound Story

  38. 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.

  39. Finding Addresses, Detective Caseloads, and Duty Assignments

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

  41. Internal Affairs, Hold-Backs, and PSD Work

  42. Fingerprints, Vigilantes, Fiction Writing, and Technical Advising

  43. ONE HUNDRED

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

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

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

  47. Vehicle Tampering Clues, Trademarks, Notice of Warrant Service

  48. Writer's Detective Bureau - Trailer

  49. Areas of Responsibility, Nolle Prosequi, and GPS Tracking

  50. Finding Digital Evidence, Elicitation of Detectives, and RP Statements

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

The Writer's Detective Bureau is a podcast hosted by retired 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/ask

HOSTED BY

Det. Adam Richardson

CATEGORIES

arts books true crime

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Writer's Detective Bureau have?

Writer's Detective Bureau currently has 142 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Writer's Detective Bureau about?

The Writer's Detective Bureau is a podcast hosted by retired 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...

How often does Writer's Detective Bureau release new episodes?

Writer's Detective Bureau publishes regularly with 142 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.

Where can I listen to Writer's Detective Bureau?

You can listen to Writer's Detective Bureau on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts Writer's Detective Bureau?

Writer's Detective Bureau is created and hosted by Det. Adam Richardson.
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