As a law enforcement officer, Lance J. LoRusso worked the street, served as a trainer, hostage negotiator, and investigator. As an attorney, he has represented over 85 law enforcement officers who have taken a life, used deadly force, or been involved with an in-custody death. As an attorney representing cops in three states, he has combined thirty years of law enforcement experience, nearly thirty years as a law enforcement trainer, and experience as a use of force expert,He has incorporated all of this information and experience into his book, Hunting of Men to create characters that are both strong and vulnerable, courageous and compassionate, while telling the real story of American law enforcement. LoRusso has appeared on CNN, FOX News Channel, Court TV, and Wall Street Journal for his expertise.
I had a chance to interview him to learn more.
Tell me about Hunting of Men?
Hunting of Men, the first book in the Blue Mysteries series, introduces readers to newly promoted Detective Johnny Till of the Lawler Police Department. He is a bright and diligent police officer who, in a rare move for most police departments, is transferred directly to homicide. On his first day in homicide, he selects a cold case to work on. This is a time honored tradition in the Lawler Police Department. When he inadvertently chooses a cold case from 20 years before involving the murder of Lawler Police Officer Michael Dunlap, he turns down an opportunity to choose another case and digs in to solve it. The Dunlap case is an open wound for the Lawler Police Department and the community. As Johnny dives in head first, he learns about Dunlap, the evil that led to his death, and the other victims who are still at risk. Johnny also learns a lot about himself.
What led you to write it?
I wanted to explore the concept of a cold case involving the murder of a police officer. I have had friends and fellow officers murdered and otherwise killed in the line of duty. Such events turn police departments and communities upside down. I couldn't imagine how a cold case like this would affect the men and women of the Lawler Police Department. It also gave me an opportunity to show readers the true people behind the badges. Some cops are funny, witty, people. Some are introverts, and others are gregarious. They all have hearts and suffer losses. I wanted readers to learn about real cops and real police procedure that is not typically portrayed on television and in the movies.
Was it difficult shifting from non-fiction to fiction in writing?
It was very different and quite enjoyable. The biggest challenge was allowing myself to use more words instead of less. I love painting pictures for readers. Non-fiction is focused on presenting thumbnails rather than landscapes.
How is it different from other mysteries featuring detectives and law enforcement?
While a work of fiction, readers will learn much about law enforcement handles cases. I made the investigation that Johnny Till pursues the same as how real detectives handle real cases. Readers will also experience the frustration and hard work involved in solving crimes while gaining a window into the emotional challenges of being a police officer.
Do you plan on writing more mysteries featuring Johnny Till?
Absolutely! For Johnny as well as the characters in his world. Johnny's partner, Holly Forrester, is a tough, intelligent, and experienced, woman who is a nightmare for any killer. There are a lot more tales to tell about Johnny Till and his world. Hunting of Men is the first book in the Blue Mystery series that will feature Johnny.
Why are law enforcement officers often portrayed as loners, or as people who struggle with drinking or maintaining relationships?
For two reasons in my opinion. First, it has become the predictable stereotype so people copy it. Second, quite frankly, it's easy. It is harder to describe and understand the struggles of a cop who chases child molesters during the shift and coaches her son's little league team on the weekends. For example, all too often, the female officers are portrayed as overly emotional or involved romantically with their partners. The female officers in Hunting of Men are like the women I worked with on the street. They are strong role models and fearless professionals.
What are the effects of using these types of depictions on the screen?
We are seeing some of these negative effects in our society right now. People who rant about officers being uneducated brutes really believe it. The detriment is that people who do not know real cops rely upon those stereotypes when they examine the actions of a cop from a ten-second video.
Can you provide some examples of movies or shows that offer a more balanced picture of law enforcement?
Homicide Hunter, Bosch, Blue Bloods, and, forgive me as some of your audience may not remember it, Barney Miller from the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Why is it important for people to see law enforcement officers as individuals with strengths and weaknesses, instead of following a stereotypes?
These are the men and women they will call when their lives are in danger, when their children are lost, and when they need help immediately. They should understand that cops are real people with tender hearts behind those badges. They feel the weight of the horrible events they witness, mourn the loss of the lives of strangers they could not save, and put themselves in danger for anyone who calls - even if the caller does not support them. For all this, they deserve our respect.
Hunting of Men, the first book in the Blue Mysteries series, introduces readers to newly promoted Detective Johnny Till of the Lawler Police Department. He is a bright and diligent police officer who, in a rare move for most police departments, is transferred directly to homicide. On his first day in homicide, he selects a cold case to work on. This is a time honored tradition in the Lawler Police Department. When he inadvertently chooses a cold case from 20 years before involving the murder of Lawler Police Officer Michael Dunlap, he turns down an opportunity to choose another case and digs in to solve it. The Dunlap case is an open wound for the Lawler Police Department and the community. As Johnny dives in head first, he learns about Dunlap, the evil that led to his death, and the other victims who are still at risk. Johnny also learns a lot about himself.
What led you to write it?
I wanted to explore the concept of a cold case involving the murder of a police officer. I have had friends and fellow officers murdered and otherwise killed in the line of duty. Such events turn police departments and communities upside down. I couldn't imagine how a cold case like this would affect the men and women of the Lawler Police Department. It also gave me an opportunity to show readers the true people behind the badges. Some cops are funny, witty, people. Some are introverts, and others are gregarious. They all have hearts and suffer losses. I wanted readers to learn about real cops and real police procedure that is not typically portrayed on television and in the movies.
Was it difficult shifting from non-fiction to fiction in writing?
It was very different and quite enjoyable. The biggest challenge was allowing myself to use more words instead of less. I love painting pictures for readers. Non-fiction is focused on presenting thumbnails rather than landscapes.
How is it different from other mysteries featuring detectives and law enforcement?
While a work of fiction, readers will learn much about law enforcement handles cases. I made the investigation that Johnny Till pursues the same as how real detectives handle real cases. Readers will also experience the frustration and hard work involved in solving crimes while gaining a window into the emotional challenges of being a police officer.
Do you plan on writing more mysteries featuring Johnny Till?
Absolutely! For Johnny as well as the characters in his world. Johnny's partner, Holly Forrester, is a tough, intelligent, and experienced, woman who is a nightmare for any killer. There are a lot more tales to tell about Johnny Till and his world. Hunting of Men is the first book in the Blue Mystery series that will feature Johnny.
Why are law enforcement officers often portrayed as loners, or as people who struggle with drinking or maintaining relationships?
For two reasons in my opinion. First, it has become the predictable stereotype so people copy it. Second, quite frankly, it's easy. It is harder to describe and understand the struggles of a cop who chases child molesters during the shift and coaches her son's little league team on the weekends. For example, all too often, the female officers are portrayed as overly emotional or involved romantically with their partners. The female officers in Hunting of Men are like the women I worked with on the street. They are strong role models and fearless professionals.
What are the effects of using these types of depictions on the screen?
We are seeing some of these negative effects in our society right now. People who rant about officers being uneducated brutes really believe it. The detriment is that people who do not know real cops rely upon those stereotypes when they examine the actions of a cop from a ten-second video.
Can you provide some examples of movies or shows that offer a more balanced picture of law enforcement?
Homicide Hunter, Bosch, Blue Bloods, and, forgive me as some of your audience may not remember it, Barney Miller from the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Why is it important for people to see law enforcement officers as individuals with strengths and weaknesses, instead of following a stereotypes?
These are the men and women they will call when their lives are in danger, when their children are lost, and when they need help immediately. They should understand that cops are real people with tender hearts behind those badges. They feel the weight of the horrible events they witness, mourn the loss of the lives of strangers they could not save, and put themselves in danger for anyone who calls - even if the caller does not support them. For all this, they deserve our respect.
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