What really happens in the line of duty?
Chris and I have taken a run at this before, both collaboratively and individually.
I worked solo in the genre of “Pirates and Big Tits” and created some true nonsense. When we wrote together the quality improved, because we stayed with what we knew, (that being law enforcement), and because Chris limited how many times I could have blouses being torn asunder.
Then came the daunting tasks related to writing a good story; character development, story arcs, plot twists, and so forth. Things we knew nothing about. Before you knew it another great “Cops in Robbers” tale would fizzle and die.
Then we had the epiphany! What do old cops and old soldiers do when they get together - tell war stories! Tales that always begin with, “No shit! Remember when…” So we set about compiling some of our favorite stories from the job. Writing somehow got easier! We knew the characters and their experiences.
It then occurred to us that we would need a vehicle to deliver the stories. From that we created Solly’s Tavern and a cast of storytellers. Solly’s is the anchorage you’d want to tie up to, pour a stiff one, and listen for a while.
We base the fictional cops that weave tales in the backroom of Solly’s on real guys Chris and I knew over the years. We try to keep them in character throughout a long night of drinks, testimonials, and a “Holy Shit!” ending.
I coined the term Night Police about a decade ago while I was on deployment with my reserve unit in the Middle East. One of my subordinates was trying to get hired by one of the top tier federal law enforcement agencies. He knew that I was a retired special agent and he was seeking information about the hiring and background process.
I could tell that it confused him when I told him I didn’t know all the current criteria, but it was for damn sure I could not get hired in the modern age of enlightenment. He looked at me expecting an explanation. I explained that after my term as a Night Policeman I moved on to the feds. This still meant nothing to him, so I wrote a short story for him to illustrate the differences between the cops that enjoy balls to the wall night policing and those that prefer dayshift. The methods used by the night police of the 1970s do not comport with the guidelines of 21st century policing.
In our book, The Night Police, Chris and I expand on the character of night policemen. We introduce the concept of Street Monsters, an evolved enforcement animal operating at the peak of ass kicking efficiency. Crooks fear them, and lessor cops breathe easier when a Street Monster backs him or her up on a tough call. Every agency has them, they are a pleasure to watch in action, and their stories are the stuff of legends.
We hope you will pour yourself a deep adult beverage and join us at Solly’s Tavern for a night of swapping lies with Night Policemen and Street Monsters.
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