Today's Tuesday Tip is another TV review. This time it's the three-part documentary Gaia: A Death On Dancing Ledge.
The programme is available on the BBC iPlayer.
The documentary, presented by Zara McDermott, explores the mysterious disappearance of nineteen-year-old Gaia Pope-Sutherland.

Many of the documentaries I recommend delve into the mechanics of investigating serious crime, such as police procedure and forensics. This one is a little different. As writers of crime fiction, we often portray ultimately successful police investigations. Also, we can sometimes skirt over the victims' stories to focus on the detectives. This series redresses that balance, somewhat.

In a nutshell, Gaia went missing from Swanage, Dorset in November 2017. She was missing for eleven days, before being found dead. The initial police investigation was described as 'amateurish' in that the officers handling the initial report incorrectly categorised her as low-risk, rather than high-risk, perhaps leading to her unnecessary death. During the search, three individuals were arrested on suspicion of murder, although they were subsequently released without charge and Gaia's death ruled non-suspicious.

That in itself is an interesting story. But the backstory leading up to these tragic events is a convoluted, dark and heart-breaking tale. Gaia's family and friends are at the heart of this story and McDermott is an engaging and sensitive presenter. She delves deep into the circumstances surrounding Gaia's disappearance and death, and goes to some very dark places, unearthing an online culture of abuse and toxic masculinity.

I recommend this documentary as a reminder that the police don't always get it right, and that behind even a seemingly accidental death, there is often a complex and upsetting story.

Did you see the programme? What did you think? Have you any other recommended shows?
Feel free to comment here or on social media.
Until next time.
Paul
If you are a writer with a tip to share, or fancy writing a fictional interview between you and one of your characters, please feel free to email me.

This week's #TuesdayTip is a recommended watch. Code Blue: The Killing of June Fox-Roberts, available free on ITVX in the UK.
https://www.itv.com/watch/code-blue-the-killing-of-june-fox-roberts/2a5302
I'm recommending this two-part documentary because not only is a fascinating fly-on-the-wall documentary following a horrific and tragic murder investigation, but because it shows the police investigation beyond just the usual 'forensics and following leads' that we see in many of these shows.
I'm not going to give away too many details, in case you are unfamiliar with the investigation and want to follow it through to the end. But in summary, June Fox-Roberts, a 65-year-old grandmother, was found by her daughter dead in her home near Pontypridd, South Wales in November 2021. She had been dismembered and beheaded with an axe and an attempt had been made to clean up the scene. Her limbs and head were missing.
The documentary follows the police from the very start of the investigation, and includes lengthy interviews with June's family as they come to terms with the horrific circumstances of the killing. As a writer of crime fiction, I found it a useful reminder of the human cost behind such crimes. The investigation itself was pretty standard fare; it yielded little in the way of new procedural details for me to incorporate into future books, although others may find it more useful. That being said, if you are looking to build a realistic investigative team for your books, the various job titles for the different specialists are worth noting and it was interesting to see the meetings between detectives and forensic and search experts as they formulated their strategies before commencing their tasks. All too often in fiction you could be forgiven for believing that a body is found and within half-an-hour, the paper-suit brigade are traipsing around the crime scene hunting for clues.
You might not want to incorporate all the details of these meetings in your book, but references to them taking place adds authenticity. Since this occurred in November 2021, there were some interesting clues as to how the police, like the rest of society, were learning to live with covid; some officers were without masks, whilst others clearly felt more comfortable with them.
Most of all, the candid interviews with family and police gave me insight into the impact on all concerned. It was clear to see that for many of the officers involved, the scene that greeted them was something they could never unsee. June's daughter, who found the body, was clearly still in shock months later. She admitted that she hadn't really started grieving properly. June's other daughter had to endure cruel speculation on social media that she was the culprit and her interview was heart-rending.
As crime writers, it is important not to forget that there is a human story behind the crimes we portray. And that everyone involved, whether it be the victim, their loved-ones or the professionals that deal with the crime, will be impacted in some way.
Did you see the programme? What did you think? Have you any other recommended shows?
Feel free to comment here or on social media.
Until next time.
Paul
If you are a writer with a tip to share, or fancy writing a fictional interview between you and one of your characters, please feel free to email me.

Today's #TuesdayTip looks at the way in which a whodunnit narrows down the field of suspects until only one or two remain, before the big reveal identifies the culprit. In many ways, this goes hand-in-hand with the setting of Red Herrings #TuesdayTips153.
There are lots of different ways to do this, and a full-length novel will often (but not always) have more than a short story. But here is a commonly-used structure for many novels.
Opening: The crime occurs.
First section: One or more viable suspects are introduced.
Second section: More suspects are introduced. Some of the earlier suspects are ruled out. Perhaps try and keep one of the early suspects in the game here (it could be the culprit or a Red Herring). This can help fixate readers and characters on one person, who with a few twists and turns either makes it to the end and is revealed as the killer, or is eventually dismissed.
Third section: More of the suspects are eliminated, but there is still more than one possibility.
The second and third sections can be repeated more than once, if you want a longer, more twisty tale.
Fourth section: Now you really need to start working on the remaining suspects. Do you eliminate them gradually, narrowing the field, or keep them all in the game until the very end?
Denouement: Finally, all the evidence is pointing to the culprit(s) and there is the big reveal.

But this isn't the only way to structure a novel, and there are plenty of alternate structures.
Here are a few more popular formats:
Lots of initial suspects introduced simultaneously, before being whittled down to one.
Popular with 'stuck on an island with the killer' thrillers or similar. There are countless examples of this, especially in Golden Age fiction. A typical scenario might be a deserted mansion with an eclectic bunch of guests (each with their own secrets and agendas). Someone is murdered. We know that the killer has to be one of these guests. Over the course of the book, each of the guests is eliminated (either through evidence or by becoming the next victim). Eventually, there are just a couple left, and finally the culprit is revealed. A variant might be that there is more than one killer.
Two suspects - each remains viable until the final reveal (although the reader might alternate between who they think it is). This structure lends itself really well to psychological thrillers or unreliable narrators. Someone is telling the truth (or at least a partial truth), whilst the other is lying (again with some partial truths mixed in). Ideally, the reader (and other characters) will find themselves switching between who they believe. Given that the odds of guessing the culprit from the outset is 50/50, the goal is to have the reader change their mind repeatedly (see TuesdayTip151 for why readers guessing who did it halfway through isn't a disaster).
Everyone is guilty - for obvious reasons I won't be naming any particular stories here, but suffice to say there are some extremely good examples where it turns out that multiple characters played their part in the crime. The trick here is to falsely eliminate some of those characters early on, so that the reader doesn't guess where you are leading.
The late entrant - this is a very dangerous approach that risks alienating readers and leaving them feeling short-changed. As mentioned before in Tip151, it is largely accepted that all the suspects should be present in the story early on, so that readers have a sporting chance of working out who did it. Suddenly revealing at the end that the culprit was someone that hasn't featured at all is a bad idea. My advice would be to either steer clear of this entirely, or if you must, perhaps introduce them in a very minor role early on (eg a faceless delivery driver scoping out the scene before they commit the crime, or an unknown face at the victim's funeral); easily forgotten by the reader, but still there. But treat this with caution (and I recommend testing this with honest and open beta readers to see if they think you've played fair).


Are there any other story structures that I haven't included here? As always, feel free to comment here or on social media.
Until we meet again, Paul.
If you are a writer with a tip to share, or fancy writing a fictional interview between you and one of your characters, please feel free to email me.

In last week's #TuesdayTip (Tip149) I discussed how it is important to make your procedure authentic, rather than realistic; to craft a compelling story without burdening your readers with too much detail. This week I want to look at a related idea - how to get away with using artistic licence.
It's something that we all struggle with. Artistic licence is the need to 'break the rules' to create a compelling story. We often see this in police procedurals. An admittedly unscientific survey I conducted of the books on my bookshelf, reveals that the main character in most of these books (especially those in a series) is usually an implausibly high rank. A Detective Chief Inspector or Detective Inspector, or even a Superintendent. This dogged individual will visit crime scenes, interview witnesses and suspects, chase bad guys and even perform the arrest at the end. My own series of books centre around DCI Warren Jones, who does all of the above.
Unfortunately, in real-life this is far from what really happens. In the UK, inspector ranks and above are largely office-based. They are likely to be the Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) in charge of a major investigation, but it is an organisational role. They direct the case, but the legwork is usually carried out by detective constables or detective sergeants. Interviewing is a highly specialised role these days, conducted by interview specialists, which are almost exclusively DCs and sometimes DSs. SIOs will often visit a crime scene, but they are usually being shown around by other experts who have already been on site for some time. And they certainly don't go running after suspects and arrest them.
But for narrative purposes, a DI or DCI is an extremely useful rank. The implied level of seniority means that they can plausibly decide how the case is going to be solved, with a team below them to carry out the work, whilst still having to answer to those above them (a great source of narrative conflict). In theory, they see all the evidence and can piece together all the pieces to 'solve the case'. That's not how it works in real-life. In reality it is far more of a team effort, but for the purposes of story-telling readers (and viewers) need a 'hero' they can focus on.


I came up against another instance of reality getting in the way of my story very early in the series. My books are set in a fictional north-Hertfordshire town called Middlesbury, but Warren and his team are officers in the very real Hertfordshire Constabulary. About halfway through writing book one, The Last Straw I was doing some research and realised to my horror that ALL major crime in Hertfordshire and the adjoining counties of Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire is investigated in one big building in Welwyn Garden City run by the three constabularies to increase efficiency and save costs. I had already set up the team structure as described above, with Middlesbury CID consisting of a Detective Superintendent in overall charge, my hero DCI Warren Jones as SIO and then a small team of officers below him. This places Warren in the centre, and limits the number of major characters that readers need to get to know. It also allows those characters to remain consistent from book to book, rather than each investigation being staffed by a different selection of officers assigned from a pool (conveniently, none of my main characters are on annual leave when each year's murder happens!).


As a writer, I therefore had two choices. Either ignore reality and hope my readers will forgive me because it's a cracking story. Or address it head-on. In my series, I decided to address it head on. I explain that Middlesbury CID (which is geographically quite distant from Welwyn Garden City and semi-rural) is a unique 'first response CID unit'. Middlesbury deals with major crime in the local area and recruits additional officers as needed from Welwyn. This is a complete fiction, as far as I am aware.
This set-up also helped me address the other big use of artistic licence; DCI Jones being the heart of the action. I've made it a bit of an in-joke, with Warren being acknowledged as probably the only officer of his rank who still interviews suspects and visits crime scenes (some of his peers are jealous that he gets to poke around crime scenes whilst they are stuck in budget meetings). Narratively, it also means that Middlesbury and Warren are always under pressure to justify their unique (and costly) status.
Touch wood, my readers seem happy to accept this and I have had few, if any criticisms. I've even had the odd retired police officer comment that 'it sounds like something we might do'.
So my advice is this:
If you are going to use artistic licence to break the rules, first know the rules so you can break them effectively. Then decide whether you are going to ignore this on the grounds "it's fiction, innit?" or if you are going to explain it away.
Lee Child once said that readers will forgive one big instance of implausibility. He was specifically referring to the fact that about once a year, Jack Reacher will wander into a small American town where there is a problem bubbling beneath the surface, which he will then fix in his own unique way (spoiler alert: there will be violence and mayhem and the evildoers will usually end up buried in the ground, before Reacher moves on, never to be seen again until it's time for the next book).
So, decide what your instances of implausibility are and decide whether you are going to keep them or fix them. And if you keep them, whether or not to address them head on.
Do you have examples of artistic licence? How do you think they should be dealt with?
As always feel free to comment here or on social media.
If you are a writer with a tip to share, or fancy writing a fictional interview between you and one of your characters, please feel free to email me.
Until next time,
Paul 

With a bumper crop of bank holiday's coming up, you have a choice to make: Mow the lawn or sit on your bum and binge-watch boxsets (not during the coronation, obviously, that would probably be treason). Assuming you choose the latter, this week's #TuesdayTip is another TV recommendation.
In Tip129 I reviewed the fantastic 24 Hours in Police Custody. Channel 4's incredible documentary series that follows the investigation of a major crime from the 999 call to the outcome of the court case.
Night Coppers looks at the other side of policing. This time, Channel 4 are following the uniformed response officers who are policing Brighton's nightlife. Unlike 24 Hours in Police Custody, this isn't about investigative techniques. It won't directly help you craft your detectives. However, policing is a collaborative effort and all detectives came originally from the street, so it's important not to neglect or dismiss your non-detective characters as faceless 'uniformed officers'.


The series largely showcases the challenges of policing drunks in a city renowned for its nightlife (my wife and I refer to it as 'Brighton's Biggest Bell-ends', given some of the idiots that these poor officers find themselves dealing with). However they also get called out to crimes in progress, and are the first on scene at serious incidents that may require detectives at a later date.
For me, the show is full of little nuggets of detail. From the way the officers address each other and chat, to the equipment they have on their belts and the strategies they deploy to de-escalate a situation and hopefully avoid the need to arrest. The show can be extremely funny at times, with some of the officers genuinely witty. Other times we see the grind of the job and the toll of years of chronic under-investment by the government, not only in the police, but other key services.
They say that the police are the service that 'can't say no'. The officers find themselves dealing with the fallout from a failing mental health service and the people they meet are a mixture of the mad, the bad and sometimes just sad.
It's well worth a watch.
Select episodes are available for streaming on the All4 service from Channel 4.
Visit https://www.channel4.com/programmes/night-coppers for details.
What do you think? Do you have any recommendations for shows that are worth watching for crime writers?
As always, feel free to comment here or on social media.
If you are a writer with a tip to share, or fancy writing a fictional interview between you and one of your characters, please feel free to email me.
Until next time,
Paul 

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Today's #TuesdayTip is another book review. This time it's the brilliant "The Real CSI. A Forensic Handbook For Crime Writers", by Kate Bendelow.
Bendelow has the unusual distinction of not only being a currently serving forensic scientist with Greater Manchester Police, but she is also the author of two novels featuring CSI Maya Barton. Because of this, the handbook is very much geared towards writers.

I was really impressed with this book. Although it has been around for a few years (2017), it's still going to be pretty much up-to-date for a few more years yet, and of course a lot of things don't change. These sort of books tend to fall into two categories - what I call 'dippy books', where you dip into or out of them using the extensive index to find the specific topic you want to read about, and 'cover to cover' books, where you sit down with a cuppa and read from the beginning to the end.

Unusually this book is both. The first chapter, 'A day in the life of a real CSI' is a chapter to be read in one sitting. As are the next couple, 'Dealing with death' and 'Crime scene preservation'. After then, the book is divided into more broad chapters with lots of subsections, such as Fingerprints, DNA, Footwear, Trace evidence, Fire scenes, Drugs and toxicology, and Firearms. You can either read the whole chapter, or home in on a subsection, such as "issues affecting fingerprint quality".

​The science is well written and detailed and aimed broadly at a general audience. Those who haven't studied science since they were at school may find themselves Googling the odd term that they aren't familiar with or accessing the glossary at the end, but generally speaking it's pretty accessible.
Another advantage that this book has over some in the field, is that Bendelow is still working as a CSI, rather than looking back on a career or observing from afar. This is real boots-on-the-ground stuff and helps dispel the myths as portrayed on TV or in fiction. Obviously, as writers we are more concerned with telling a story than 100% accuracy, but it's always best to learn what the rules are before you decide to break them.

One of the things I like about this book is that the writing is very personable, with plenty of examples of true life cases. Both infamous tales that you may have heard of, and those that Bendelow has encountered personally in her day job. What demonstrates that Bendelow is herself a writer, is that almost every section ends with thoughts about how a writer could use what she has just described or things to be careful of.

Overall, I was very impressed and very much recommend it to both writers and those who just want to know a bit more. And to quote the wonderful Lynda La Plante 'Every crime writer should have a copy of this book on their desk.' Who am I to disagree?

If you are a writer with a tip to share, or fancy writing a fictional interview between you and one of your characters, please feel free to email me.

Until next time,
All the best,
Paul

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Welcome back, and a Happy New Year! This week's #TuesdayTip is a review of a fantastic book I received for Christmas.
Murder Investigation Team - How Killers Are Really Caught - is a brilliant account from recently retired Scotland Yard detective inspector Steven Keogh.
Released in 2022 (and containing data up to March 31st 2020 when things changed somewhat!), this is an in-depth insight into the process of solving murders and taking them to trial.
Although it deals specifically with the Metropolitan (London) Police Service, who divide Greater London into autonomous Murder Investigation Teams (MITs) and thus might be operationally slightly different to the way other police forces deal with such crimes, most of it is generally applicable to other forces in England and Wales.


Unlike some books, which are more like reference guides designed to be dipped into and out of, this can be read cover to cover (which I did over three days). I was really impressed with it, and heartily recommend it to authors writing British Police Procedurals, and non-writers who want to learn more about what really goes on. Keogh's writing style is both personal and personable and very accessible, without feeling patronising for those with previous knowledge. It feels almost as if he has been invited to give a lengthy talk to a room full of interested laypeople. And I mean that as a compliment and endorsement.

Divided into chapters, he first takes us through some of the technicalities of what is murder, how it differs from manslaughter and some of the potential defences or partial defences (ie when you would push for a murder prosecution, when you might decide no offence has been committed, and why a person might be convicted of manslaughter, rather than murder). He also describes the structure of an MIT (it might be subtly different in other forces) and the roles of individuals.

The remainder of the book is broadly chronological, dealing first with the crime scene(s). This includes forensics and what they are specifically looking for. Of particular note is the section on phone data. Keogh is fascinated by this and voluntarily took on this role in many investigations, so he has real expertise.
The next chapter is the longest and concerns the investigation itself, but is sub-divided. He looks at investigative thinking, lines of investigation and the arrest and interview of suspects. In this subsection, he describes how modern interviews are conducted. There is then a section where he answers some of the questions that people regularly ask.
Finally, there is a chapter describing a trial and the aftermath.

Throughout the book, he illustrates his points with anonymised case files. As a mark of respect, he doesn't name any victims or suspects, although afficionados of true crime will probably recognise some of the more well-publicised cases. He also has regular "Myth Busters" and "Did You Know?" facts. All crime fiction writers accept that the relating of an investigation in exacting detail would be rather less exciting than they hope for, but I'm a firm believer in the adage that to break the rules, you need to know the rules first. Knowing how your book needs to differ from real life for dramatic purposes can help you choose what liberties to take, whilst minimising the gnashing of teeth (and smart-arse Amazon reviews) of the armchair detective.

The book is refreshingly honest. Keogh is not afraid to admit to mistakes that he and his team have made, and the learning that came from them, and whilst the book is understandably very pro-police, he admits to failings. He is also quite happy to point the finger where necessary at the impact of government cuts, the sometimes cut-throat and often underhand or callous tactics of defence barristers, and the sometimes inexplicable decisions made by juries. Throughout it, he is clearly in awe of the dignity shown by victims' loved-ones.

My wife, who is not a writer, commented that she is looking forward to reading it next because it looks really interesting. I think she'll thoroughly enjoy it, and so will you.

Steven Keogh runs The Murder Academy website that looks at True Crime and the solving of crimes.

For today's #TuesdayTip, I have chosen to review a TV documentary series that I highly recommend for those seeking an authentic insight into UK policing.
If true crime is what you are after for your TV viewing, there is no shortage of programmes to choose from. There are whole channels that are devoted to it. But the quality varies enormously, from the down-right sensationalist to the truly insightful. Unfortunately, you can't always be certain what you are tuning into. Some of the US series in particular are quite bad.
Furthermore, police procedure varies enormously between the US and the UK, so if you are looking to write a UK police procedural they are of limited use. That's not to say they should be dismissed out of hand; I've certainly found inspiration for plot ideas over the years.
However, if you want an authentic UK-based series (specifically England and Wales - Scotland and Northern Ireland have slightly different justice systems), I heartily recommend 24 Hours In Police Custody. Aired on Channel 4 in the UK, many (but strangely not all) programmes are archived on the free All 4 streaming service.

The name of the show is something of a misnomer, and is why I was rather late to the party, only finding it during lockdown. It conjures up images of fly-on-wall scenes from cameras above the custody desk as an endless parade of drunken idiots are booked into the cells for the night - think Big Brother, but everyone is wearing a grey tracksuit. However it is far from that.
Based primarily in Luton, it follows detectives from Bedfordshire police as they solve serious crimes. Camera crews follow them from the initial 999 call right through the investigative process, including interviews with witnesses and suspects, candid discussions with the detectives and specialists involved, and occasionally victims' loved-ones. Forensic specialists are shown going about their business and if necessary, the science explained. Sometimes body-worn camera footage is also shown. My wife and I sometimes joke that you can guess who is guilty, as they are the only person who hasn't had their face pixelated for legal reasons!
An individual episode might span several years, with the programme only aired once all the legal proceedings are completed (and the outcomes are given before the end credits). There are a couple of special episodes that pick-up detectives revisiting a cold case many years after the original crime was committed.

As a writer of police procedurals, I have found it invaluable. The interview scenes are especially useful. Conducted by trained interview specialists, the days of banging the table and trying to intimidate the suspect into a confession are long gone. In fact, most interviews are 'no comment'. However, there is a real science to effective interviewing, plus a raft of legislation that has to be adhered to.
Equally insightful is the CID office and the team briefings. This is where you get a real sense of the scale of a major murder investigation. As writers, we tend to keep our cast of characters limited, so that readers don't get confused with too many names, and all characters get a chance to shine. In reality there are dozens of police officers and civilian specialists, each of whom plays their part. You should aim to reflect this in your books, without swamping the story with detail and too many featured characters.
It also captures the sheer banality of most murders. Generally speaking, the victims knew each other, and it's less about working out who the suspects are than figuring out what role they played in what transpired. Yet it is still a fascinating watch. Occasionally the investigations are more of a whodunnit, especially some of the special episodes that might have several parts.

If you want your writing to be realistic, you would do well to watch a few episodes of this excellent show.
Do you have any recommendations for useful documentaries? Feel free to comment here or on social media.
Are you a writer with a tip to share? Don't be shy, I'm always looking for guest bloggers or ideas for future posts.

I am going on a brief hiatus for the holiday period. I'll be back in the new year. Until then, happy holidays!
Paul 

​In today's #TuesdayTip I am going to highlight a huge difference between crime writers and real-life police officers.
Writers love custody clocks!
In most jurisdictions around the world, there are strict limits on how long a suspect can be detained for questioning before they have to be charged with a crime or released. This is sometimes known as 'The Custody Clock'.
This article will focus on the UK, specifically England & Wales, so if you are setting your book somewhere different, be sure to do your research. Similarly, the rules have evolved over the years, so again make sure of the facts for your time period.

For law enforcement, these limits can be something of a headache. The clock essentially starts from the moment of arrest, meaning that unless the police want to release their suspect (either without charge, or on bail, or more recently 'under investigation'), they have to amass enough evidence within that time to pass the 'threshold test' and receive authorisation to charge from the Crown Prosecution Service (or Procurator Fiscal in Scotland).
But for a crime writer, this same restriction injects a element of dramatic tension into the narrative - will your hard-working detectives manage to reach the threshold in time, or will a suspected serial killer be let back onto the street, to potentially kill again?

PACE yourself - the rules in England & Wales.
Rules concerning detention limits are governed by the Police And Criminal Evidence Act of 1984 (specifically Code C).
When a suspect is brought into the station for questioning under caution, their detention has to be authorised by a custody officer - this is usually a trained constable or sergeant. They are responsible for the welfare of the detainee (not the 'prisoner' or the 'criminal') when they are in custody, and are independent of the investigation. The custody officer has to be satisfied that that they have been correctly arrested, they have been properly cautioned, and there is reasonable suspicion that they may have committed an 'indictable offence'.
At this point, they will be risk and medically assessed and a solicitor arranged if requested (a 'duty' solicitor will be engaged for free, if they cannot arrange their own representation). Translation services will also be organised and, if necessary, an appropriate adult (for example if the detainee is a minor or a vulnerable adult).
Contrary to what is shown on TV, their phone call can be withheld if there is a a risk that they may use it to communicate to accomplices.
This is the point at which they may be searched and fingerprints and DNA etc taken.  
If you want to see this in action, I recommend fly-on-wall documentaries such as 24 Hours In Custody.
Unless you are specifically intending to write about police corruption, avoid the temptation to 'bend the rules'. Neither the custody officer or the detainee's solicitor will let this happen. I recommend making a note of what time your character is arrested in the timeline of your book and when they would need to be released to avoid any errors.

Period of initial detention.
Persons can be detained without charge for an initial period of up to 24 hours after their arrest. This time starts typically when they are presented at an appropriate police station and their detention is authorised - this is referred to as the 'relevant time'.  No later than 6 hours after this, their detention must be reviewed by an inspector or above, followed by further reviews every 9 hours. The review officer has to be satisfied that there are still reasonable grounds for them to remain in custody. This cycle of reviews is sometimes referred to as the 'review clock'.  
This is often overlooked by writers of fiction, but could be a source of narrative tension.
Initial extension.
An officer of at least the rank of superintendent, who isn't directly involved in the investigation, can review the detention and extend it by up to 12 hours, to a maximum of 36 hours from the relevant time. Further 9 hour reviews by an inspector are still required. Again, they have to be satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for their continued custody.
Further extensions.
Further extensions can only be granted by a warrant issued by a magistrates' court. These can be up to 36 hours in duration to a maximum of 96 hours (There can be multiple extensions of 36 hours or fewer, it is just that the total time must not exceed 96 hours from the relevant time). For practical reasons, these applications can be made before the previous extension has elapsed or up to 6 hours after.
Disposal or charge.
Once the relevant extension has expired, the detained person has to be either released (disposed of) or charged - remember, in serious cases, charging must be authorised by the CPS or Procurator Fiscal.
Upon charging, the suspect will be taken to a Magistrates' Court (the 'lower' of the two UK courts - no jury). 
For a lesser offence (less than six months maximum custody or fine) the case may be heard and dealt with there and then. For serious offences that are beyond the remit of the magistrate to deal with, the magistrate will then commit them to a jury trial at the Crown Court. They do not enter a plea at this point. The detainee can either be placed on 'remand' (sent to prison) to await their trial or released on bail to return at a later date. Unlike in the US, there is no 'bail bond' - in other words, you cannot stump up money to avoid being remanded. The decision to remand into custody is based on flight risk and potential danger to the public. Any time served on remand will be subtracted from any subsequent custodial sentence, so people convicted can in theory be found guilty then released immediately due to time served.

If there is insufficient evidence for them to be charged at that time, then the police have several options.
No Further Action (NFA).
There is insufficient evidence that the offence occurred, or no realistic chance of a conviction. They are released, but this decision can be revisited if further evidence comes to light. They are still recorded as having been arrested.
They can be released on pre-charge (police) bail pending further enquiries.
Bail can have a wide-range of conditions imposed. For example, no conditions set, the requirement to report to a police station at regular intervals, surrendering of passports, restrictions on movements, electronic tagging or who they associate with etc. This would be authorised by an Inspector or above.
The suspect is required to surrender to the police for further questioning etc when asked to do so. Breaking these rules can result in them being remanded in custody. Unlike the US, the requirement for a surety (financial or otherwise) is extremely rare. As a writer, I'd recommend not going there.
Note: The rules surrounding bail changed in April 2017 in England & Wales.
Prior to this, people could and would be placed on bail for months, even years, as the investigation ground on. Given the impact that bail restrictions can place on a person's life (not to mention the complications and stigma arising from being suspected of a crime - eg suspension from work, or the blocking of child access arrangements, not to mention the stress and affect on relationships), it was decided that it should be restricted to a period of 28 days. An extension of 3 months can be granted by a senior officer (superintendent or above), after which applications need to be made to a magistrates court  (the complexity of Fraud cases mean that these can have longer time limits). 
Fundamentally, the change was to stop police dragging their heels and keeping potential suspects on bail 'just in case'. Remember, in the eyes of the law, these people are innocent.
Once this period of bail has expired they must either be charged or disposed of. 

To compensate for the fact that in complex cases it may take longer to amass the necessary evidence to charge than the bail rules allow, a new option was created.
Released Under Investigation (RUI).
This differs from bail in that there can be no restrictions placed on them, and they do not have to keep police informed of their whereabouts. They will need to return for further questioning if asked to do so and the police can retain their property. 
Note: being 'de-arrested'.
This is different to being released without charge. It can happen for example in cases of mistaken identity or if a person is able to give a good reason for their actions (eg arrested at the scene of a crime, but they later demonstrate that they had just arrived there by coincidence). The fact of their arrest is not logged, but may be recorded in the police report if relevant and in theory can come up on an enhanced DBS check (a criminal records check that determines if a person should be barred from certain types of work).
The timing here is crucial - the de-arrest should happen before the detainee is processed by the custody officer.

Additional rules, complications and exceptions.
In order to stop police 'gaming the system', the custody clock and the review clock are not reset each time a person is released from custody. So police cannot simply release a suspect approaching their detention limit, then detain them again and have another 24 hours.
In simple terms, if a person is detained at midday on Tuesday, reviewed at 6 pm and released from custody after 10 hours, then if they are brought in again for further questioning on the Friday, the police only have 14 hours remaining of their initial detention, before they need to extend, charge or release. They will also need a review within 5 hours (9 hours, minus the 4 hours they were in custody after their first 6 hour review). 
A change to PACE in 2006 allowed people suspected of terrorism offences to be held without charge for up to 28 days. The rules are outlined in the Terrorism Act 2006.
Detainees are entitled to 8 hours sleep every 24 hours, 3 meals and drinks 'on demand'.
The custody officer will enforce these, so no getting your naughty detectives to interview them for 48 hours straight until they break!
The custody clock does not stop during this time.
Suspects are not typically questioned under caution in hospital or outside a police station. But exceptions to the rules do exist and are outlined in PACE Code C.
Forensic delays don't give you a free pass.
It can takes days or weeks to fully search a property or process samples. Unfortunately (for the police), they can't simply hold onto a suspect whilst they await what may or may not turn up. The detention limits are inviolable. Unless they have other evidence sufficient for them to be charged, they have to be released.
Running down the clock.
If a suspect believes that the detectives don't have enough to charge them within the custody time limits, then they may try to 'run down the clock'.  By refusing to comment or cooperate they may gamble that the investigating officers may eventually have to release them without charge.

I stated at the beginning that I love custody clocks. Although the time limits can sometimes cause logistical problems when structuring a novel (eg can I realistically get a DNA match back before the time expires?), the narrative opportunities from the race against time are well worth it. Can the interviewer get the suspect to stop 'no commenting' and cooperate before they run the custody clock down?

Where do you stand on custody clocks? Are they an annoyance that get in the way of your story, or are they an opportunity to be exploited?
As always, feel free to comment here or on social media.
Until next time,
Paul.

Welcome to this week's #TuesdayTip.
​Today is all about writing about UK police.
I'd planned on doing something along these lines for months, but recently I have been hanging around some writers' forums and I've realised that writing about the police, especially if you've never written a crime novel before, can be very intimidating. Furthermore, if you aren't a resident of these fair isles, then getting those little details that make a book set in the UK feel 'authentic' can be really difficult.
This is an unapologetically long post, so feel free to skim.
First of all, full disclosure. I have never been a police officer, and there are many who are far more qualified than I to answer specific questions about procedure etc. But I am a lifelong UK resident, and I have written more than ten police procedurals that - touch wood - readers seem happy have got it mostly correct.
If you're looking for specific details, you can do far worse than to check out Graham Bartlett's blog.
Basically, this is a bluffer's guide for crimewriters. Any errors are mine. If you spot one don't be shy about letting me know!
About this article.
First, I am going to assume that you are writing modern police procedure (ie set within the last 10 years or so). Second, that you are setting your book primarily on the UK mainland, not an overseas territory, and your officers work for a territorial force, not a specialist force such as the Ministry of Defence Police, the British Transport Police or the Civil Nuclear Constabulary. Third, my books are all set in England, so everything is based on English and Welsh law. Both Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own legal systems. Whilst a sworn police officer from one UK jurisdiction can exercise broadly the same powers in any of the other two jurisdictions (subject to certain rules being met), terminology and rules vary, so I urge you to double-check the details if you are setting your story outside England and Wales. A Scottish reader will not be impressed if you talk about the Crown Prosecution Service, rather than the Procurator Fiscal in a book set in Edinburgh!
The Basics.
The UK has 45 territorial police forces.

• 43 in England and Wales, based geographically.
• Police Scotland (consolidated from 8 regional forces to one single organisation in 2013).
• The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). This was known as the RUC (Royal Ulster Constabulary) until 2001, when it was rebranded in an effort to make it more inclusive, particularly to members of the nationalist communities.

Policing in England and Wales is overseen by the Home Office which is headed by the Home Secretary. The Ministry of Justice is responsible for courts etc. MI5 and MI6 are the domestic and overseas intelligence services respectively, and as such are not considered police.
A key difference between the UK and many other countries is that the police service is very joined up. This contrasts with the States, where a region can be policed by a city police department, the state police and even the local sheriff's department, all of whom have different responsibilities and organisational structures etc. For convenience's sake, you can generally regard the UK police service as a single organisation, with regional branches.
All forces use the same major computer systems. For example the Police National Computer (PNC) and the Home Office Large Major Enquiry System (HOLMES2). All vehicles are registered at the DVLA in Swansea, Wales. Therefore UK police are not plagued by the issues suffered by some countries, where an offender can mask their criminal history by simply committing crimes in different parts of the country. Details of an offence recorded in Devon and Cornwall for example, are immediately available to colleagues in Newcastle, should they have reason to look up that individual on the PNC. For major enquiries, such as murders, details previously inputted into HOLMES2 in Manchester about one crime, may be drawn to the attention of officers in London investigating a similar crime (the system has a form of Artificial Intelligence that allows it to recognise patterns and suggest courses of action).
Addressing misconceptions.

• We do not have an FBI.

The United States needs a federal law enforcement agency that can act across multiple states and jurisdictions. For the reasons listed above, the UK doesn't really need one. The National Crime Agency (NCA), is sometimes referred to as the UK's version of the FBI, but it isn't. It specialises in organised crime, rather than the FBI's broader remit.

• "New Scotland Yard" or "The Met" are colloquial terms for London's Metropolitan Police Force.

Although the biggest force in the UK, they are not like the FBI. Other forces are typically quite capable of dealing with most crimes, and the Met will not swoop in uninvited to take over. A smaller force might request assistance if they feel that the Met has additional resources or skills that would be useful. In Golden Age detective novels (think Agatha Christie's era) small, rural forces might never have dealt with a murder and so they might 'send for Scotland Yard', but that is no longer the case in modern times.

• All UK police officers are constables.

Regardless of rank and title, whether they are on the beat or behind a desk, they remain a sworn constable with the same powers of arrest etc.

• UK Officers carry Warrant Cards, not badges.
• Suspects are charged by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

The CPS (Procurator Fiscal in Scotland and Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland) authorises charging of suspects for serious crimes. The closest analogy in the US would be the District Attorney. The CPS will work with officers to determine if they have reached the 'threshold' for charging and then conduct the prosecution. CPS Direct allows for charging decisions to be made electronically or by phone 24/7.

• UK suspects are entitled to a solicitor not a lawyer.

It's a small detail, and is essentially just a label, but lawyer is a rarely used term in professional circles (although the public will often refer to them that way). In the UK suspects have solicitors, and are represented at trial by barristers.

• Suspects are entitled to free legal counsel if they cannot afford their own.

Police stations have lists of independent 'duty solicitors' who can provide this. Unlike the US, where detectives will try and stall suspects from 'lawyering up' as long as possible, in the UK suspects will typically request one as soon as they can. I am assured by defence solicitors that it is not unknown for an interviewing officer to try and push a suspect to get a solicitor - ultimately, it is better for everyone concerned if it is all above board. The 'no comment interview' is as popular in the UK as the US!

• Custody Officers are responsible for a detainee's welfare.

When a person is arrested, they are taken to a police station for detention or questioning. The custody officer (usually a sergeant) authorises their detention (books them in) according to strict criteria. They are then responsible for their wellbeing - physical, mental and legal. They take this role seriously, and cannot be compelled to bend the strict rules surrounding time limits or access to legal counsel by a senior officer. Unless your book specifically has a corrupt or negligent custody officer as part of your story, don't try and fudge this.

• The rules for arresting or cautioning suspects, detaining them, conducting searches and interviews etc are the same across the entire country.

In England and Wales this is governed by the Police and Criminal Evidence Act of 1984 (PACE). Scotland and NI have broadly similar documents. I am going to write a specific blog post on this, but it is worth downloading a copy as reference. Unless your officers are bent, they will adhere to this. Wikipedia is a good introductory source.

• The term WPC (Woman Police Constable) fell out of use years ago.

No distinction is made between male, female or non-gendered officers.

• The correct term is 'senior officer' not 'superior officer'.
• Detective is not a title or mode of address.

Officers would be addressed by their rank or name, not as 'Detective Jones'.

• Detectives do not outrank non-detectives (see below for more detail).
• UK Police Officers are not routinely armed (see below for more detail).

UK Police Ranks
With the exception of the most senior ranks, which can vary slightly between forces (eg the head of the Metropolitan Police is called 'Commissioner', rather than Chief Constable), UK police forces use the same rank structure.
(Note that the abbreviations in brackets can vary, so are only a guide to some of the more common ones).

• Constable (PC or Con)
• Sergeant (PS or Sgt)
• Inspector (Insp)
• Chief Inspector (Ch Insp)
• Superintendent (Sup)
• Chief Superintendent (Ch Sup)

Then there are the chief police officers, who are largely managerial.
Assistant Chief Constables (ACC)
Deputy Chief Constables
With the head of the force referred to as the Chief Constable.

All these officers typically wear uniforms, and are often referred to collectively as 'uniformed officers' to distinguish them from plain-clothed detectives.

Officers who undergo additional training and pass appropriate exams to join the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) have the prefix 'Detective' added to their rank, however it is not a rank in and of itself. They typically wear smart business attire or clothing appropriate to their role.

• Detective Constable (DC Det Con)
• Detective Sergeant (DS)
• Detective Inspector (DI or Det Insp)
• Detective Chief Inspector (DCI or Det Ch Insp)
• Detective Superintendent (DSI or Det Sup - there can be some variation here)
• Detective Chef Superintendent (DCS Det Ch Sup)

The prefix is not used for chief police officers, who typically have a wider managerial role than just investigation.

It is important to stress that Criminal Investigation is a specialism, not a promotion. A detective constable does not outrank a regular constable. A constable joining CID won't be promoted to DS. A sergeant joining would not have to start again from the rank of DC.
Not everyone guns for promotion. Many officers happily remain as constables or sergeants for the entirety of their career, having found a role that suits them. Many become extremely specialised and are respected for their skills, rather than their rank.

Firearms.
This is probably the thing that most confuses non-UK citizens.
(Note: Because of the Troubles, the rules in Northern Ireland are different.)
Rank and file police officers are not armed and are not trained in firearm use. Gun crime is very rare in the UK and the private ownership of handguns is illegal. Other types of firearms are strictly licensed.
Armed officers are referred to as Specialist Firearms Officers (SFOs) and have to undergo specialist training. The guns are issued as needed, under strict authorisation. They are returned after use and officers are subject to the same laws as any other citizen, so they certainly do not take them home, nor do they have a personal weapon.
Only SFOs can use guns - regular officers cannot simply go and get tooled up, no matter the situation (decades ago, this was not the case, especially after the war when many officers may have done military service, which is why older crime fiction might have officers pulling a gun).
SFOs called to an incident will be in Armed Response Vehicles (with the guns secured in the boot of the car - not the trunk, that's an American term).
Armed patrols do exist of course. For example at ports or even on the streets during heightened terrorist activities, but again these will always be trained officers. Special Branch is a division of the Met and will provide armed protection for VIPs.
TASERS are similarly restricted.
A typical uniformed police officer is issued with a metal extending baton (ASP), the modern replacement for the old wooden truncheons, and incapacitant spray. It might not be as glamorous as a Glock, but I'm reliably informed it gets the job done!

Modes of address/nicknames.
Although the UK is a rather informal society, the police is still a hierarchical structure.
Senior officers would refer to junior officers by rank (eg constable) or by their name (or nickname).
More junior officers would refer to senior colleagues by rank or titles such as Sir, Ma'am or more informally Guv (abbr of Guvnor), Boss, Chief, Super (Superintendent) etc. This will vary regionally and within groups. As in any organisation, friendships develop and in more informal settings long-standing colleagues may refer to senior officers by their given names or nicknames.
The police are often referred to by the public as Coppers or Bobbies (after Robert Peel, father of the modern police service - the related term Peelers is rarely used these days). Regional terms might include Bizzies (for example on Merseyside), as well as less polite terms such as Pigs. American terms such as Fuzz or even 5-0 or Feds are occasionally used, although usually by younger people.

Well, I think that's about it!
As I stated at the outset, this is a bluffer's guide for crimewriters and is not comprehensive.
If you spot anything that is missing - or any errors! - please don't hesitate to let me know, and I am open to editing the post.
I hope it is helpful.
Until next time,
Paul