In 1995, New York State Police Captain Roger Fulton had an idea. He knew from personal experience that police officers really liked telling stories. He also knew that a lot of civilians really liked writing about what police officers did. So, why not get them together? The result was the Police Writers Club that included both officers and writers and offered an annual conference and writing competition.
Five years later, a group of the club’s members published CopTales 2000, an anthology that included the works of contest winners and submissions by other members. Soon, the club began to attract not just police officers but aspiring writers from a wide variety of public safety affiliations, as well as civilians who wrote in a wide variety of genres.
In 2007, to better reflect the composition of its membership, the club changed its name to the Public Safety Writers Association (PSWA), and is now a national organization providing its membership with an annual writing conference, a writing competition and multiple opportunities to collaborate, creating the stories all love to tell. Felons, Flames & Ambulance Rides: Stories by and about America’s Public Safety Heroes is an anthology containing the works of members of PSWA.
For more information about the Public Safety Writers Association, visit www.policewriter.com
Table of Contents
Commentary Tear Down these Walls Ron Leonard
Tears on the Wall Joseph B. Haggerty, Sr.
Wolf Warriors Bob Haig
Crime/Mystery Bullfrog Lake John M. Wills
Deceived Dave Cropp
Johnny Walker Thonie Hevron
Loved to Death Jackie Taylor Zortman
Missing on the Beach Joseph B. Haggerty, Sr.
One Foot in the Black Kurt Kamm
Quake Prince Steve Scarborough
The Confessor Lonni Lees
The Detective Ken Decker
The Divorce Bob Doerr
The Donation Wendy Gager
The Guns of Pierre Joseph B. Haggerty, Sr.
The Heavy Silver Star John H. Morgan
The Perfect Crime Jack Miller
The Runaway Volitta Fritsche
Thug’s Brew Quintin Peterson
Seattle Mourn Lisa Swenson
We Hardly Knew Ye Emily Simerly
Humor A Hobo Buys a Hospital H. M. Trebor
Beeler’s Fog Monster Bob Haig
Close Encounters of the Cop Kind Ron Corbin
Dinner Service Murder Duane Preimsberger
Scuba King Duane Preimsberger
Sheriff’s Sergeant Grandpa Herb Duane Preimsberger
Should Have Kept the Front Door Locked H. M. Trebor
Space Aliens Duane Preimsberger
Murphy’s Law Volitta Fritsche
Waldo the Talking Duck Duane Preimsberger
Life on the Job Divine Intervention Joseph B. Haggerty, Sr.
Gray Mail John Bray
Life on Two Tracks Michael Black
Making Tracks Honora Finkelstein and Susan Smily
Not from Around Here Is Heaven in Cyberspace? Keith Bettinger
Tiger Stadium Fire Bob Haig
The Journey Home Marti Colvin
With a Little Help from my Friend Barbara Hodges
Personality Profile Burning Desire Gavin Keenan
Dying with Honor Volitta Fritsche
It’s Another Day that God Cried Joseph B. Haggerty, Sr.
It’s Nice to Come Home Ron Leonard
Memoriam Jackie Taylor Zortman
Nightlights Gavin Keenan
Scars of the Heart Keith Bettinger
Shoes J.L. Greger
Sick Kids and Carson Cops Duane Preimsberger
Something Shiny Mysti Berry
Thank you, Teresa Bob Cohen
The Last Run of Psychodog Tim Dees
The Majestic Ballroom Ellen Kirschman
The Nightstand John M. Wills
Trapped John M. Wills
Unspoken Promises Glenn French
Where the Devil Dances Michelle Perin
Marilyn Olsen, editor of Felons, Flames and Ambulance Rides: Stories By and About America’s Public Safety Heroes, was publisher and principal writer for Indiana’s Finest, an 80-page quarterly magazine about the Indiana State Police. During that time she published more than 400 articles about law enforcement. She is the author of two published books, Gangsters, Gunfire and Polictical Intrigue, the Story of the Indiana State Police and Women Who Risk: Profiles of 11 Women Who Do Extreme Sports. She is co-author of two medical books and is co-editor of CopTales 2000, an anthology of 37 police stories. She is one of the founding members of the new PSWA and has served as president since that time. She is also the immediate past president of the Washington Press Association. She and her husband live in Bellingham, Washington. Email: Marilyn.Olsen44@gmail.com.
