TuesdayTips107

Conversations With Their Creations
Author Paul Gitsham in conversation with DCI Warren Jones

It's release day for DCI Warren Jones' eighth full-length outing! Time To Kill is available as an eBook today, and paperback and audio later in the summer.
​You can read more about it here, or download it here.
So I decided to celebrate by interviewing the star of the show, Detective Chief Inspector Warren Jones.
Enjoy.

PG: Welcome to this week's Heart of Herts podcast, in association with Middlesbury Gazette - your number one source for Hertfordshire news and views. I'm your presenter, Paul Gitsham, and today I am joined by Detective Chief Inspector Warren Jones. I'm sure listeners to the Heart of Herts podcast will be fascinated to hear from Middlesbury's most successful detective.
WJ: Um, thank you. That's very kind of you to say so.
PG: Now, just a little background. I can tell from your accent that you're from Birmingham, and I understand you started your career in the West Midlands Police?
WJ: Sorry, just to interrupt there, I'm from Coventry. The accents can sound similar to those not from the West Midlands.
PG: Oops, sorry about that. I guess my next question about whether you support Aston Villa or Birmingham City is a bit redundant! I imagine you follow Coventry City. The Sky Blues?
WJ: Erm, I don't really watch football...
PG: OK. Why don't we start that bit again? We can replace it in the edit.
[PG starts recording again.]
PG: You started your career with West Midlands Police, on the mean streets of Coventry. But you decided to transfer to our quiet corner of North Hertfordshire, back in 2011, I believe? Why the move?
WJ: That's correct. I did my training with the WMP, and worked in Coventry and the surrounding towns as a uniformed officer, before joining CID, where I was eventually promoted to detective inspector. Unfortunately, when it was time for me to progress further, there were no vacancies within West Mids, but a post had recently become available at Middlesbury CID, so I made the move down here.
PG: Ah yes, a vacancy became available after DCI Gavin Sheehy was sacked after allegations of corruption. Were you aware of the circumstances surrounding his removal before you moved down here?
WJ: I'm afraid, I can't really talk about that.
[PG sighs]
PG: OK, I'll cut that from the interview. Let's try something else.
I referred to Middlesbury as a 'quiet corner of North Hertfordshire'. And up until 2011, it certainly was. But since your arrival, it would seem that's no longer the case. How many murders have there been since you came here?
WJ: Um, I can't tell you off the top of my head ...
PG: At least one a year, often more. Some of our listeners feel that crime rates have soared recently. In fact, a few weeks ago, you investigated a serial killer. Can you tell us a bit about that?
WJ: Unfortunately, I can't comment directly on that investigation until the trial concludes.
[PG rubs eyes wearily]
PG: We're not having a lot of luck here, are we Warren?
WJ: Sorry.
PG: OK, let's try something more general.
Some of our listeners feel that crime rates have soared in recent years. What are you doing to try and bring the crime rate down?
WJ: That's not really the role of CID. Our job is to solve crimes that have already taken place. Hopefully, by locking up those responsible, we can prevent future offences. You really need to speak to the Community Policing Team about their initiatives to reduce crime. Why not contact the Media Relations Unit?
PG: I'm not sure our listeners are really interested in a press release, I think they'd rather hear it from you, Warren.
WJ: Sorry. It really isn't my department.
PG: In that case, let's start again and talk about how you go about solving a crime.
[PG clears throat and reactivates the microphone]
I believe that you are somewhat unusual in that despite your senior rank you still interview suspects and speak to witnesses. Why is that?
WJ: You are correct that most of my peers tend to have a more managerial role, however I've always enjoyed the hands-on side of policing. I am very fortunate that Middlesbury's unique role as a first-response CID unit allows me the freedom to pursue investigations in that way. It's one of the reasons I love my job.
PG: Some would say that it is a role better suited to a lower rank, such as a detective constable or perhaps a detective sergeant. And that with the ever-shrinking police budget, it would be better to close Middlesbury and absorb you and your officers into the combined major crime unit in Welwyn Garden City. How would you respond to that?
WJ: I can't really comment, it's a bit above my pay grade.
[PG stops the recording again]
PG: We're really struggling here, Warren.
[PG starts again]
PG: What are your views on the austerity cuts to the police under the Conservative government?
WJ: As a serving police officer, I'm afraid I have to remain politically neutral.
[PG sighs]
PG: What about the decision to close the Forensic Science Service in 2012? How badly has that impacted what you do?
WJ: Again, I can't ...
PG: Yeah, yeah, I get it.
[PG switches off the microphone]
PG: Warren, why exactly did you agree to this interview?
WJ: Off the record?
PG: If you must.
WJ: I lost a bet to DI Tony Sutton.
PG: Can I ask what about?
WJ: He said that I wouldn't be able to last a whole week without caffeine. If I managed it, I got to choose the music in the car for the next month. If I lost, I had to agree to do an interview with a journalist.
PG: How long did you manage?
WJ: Three days. Which is longer than my wife thought I would.
PG: Do you think DI Sutton would agree to an interview?
WJ: He'd be delighted. But he'd probably end up saying something that would get Hertfordshire Constabulary sued, so the Media Relations Unit have already banned him from speaking to the press.
PG: You know what? Maybe we should knock this on the head.
WJ: That's probably for the best.

Paul Gitsham is a former biologist, secondary school science teacher and tutor. Time To Kill is the 8th full-length DCI Warren Jones novel, with another four shorter novellas, plus short stories.
He currently lives in the east of England with his fiancee, in a house with more books than shelf space.