This book is filled with interesting trivia about police work, but it doesn't really help me write a character. I don't know why the author thought it would be helpful to describe in detail the inner workings of fingerprint and DNA analysis machines, but never actually describes what those machines look like or how to operate them. Lofland clearly has a lot of experience in law enforcement, and did an absolute ton of research for this book, but I don't think he spoke to enough writers before setting out to write this "guide." Even after reading the book, I have no idea what a day in the life of a police detective is really like, though I could tell you all about the equipment they use and the laws they enforce.
The book would have been a lot more helpful if some of that abstract information were more effectively paired with personal stories or hypothetical situations. It's important to know what type of equipment the police use, but it's more important we understand an officer's daily duties and relationship within a department. What does a typical detective's bullpen look like? What's a typical day in the "office" for a detective vs. a patrol officer? What's the typical relationship between the different ranks and the chief/sheriff? One of the challenges is that Lofland is trying to comprehensively cover ALL police departments, which is virtually impossible without writing a dictionary-sized book. More personal anecdotes and stories from real policemen and women would have been much more helpful.
I found the most compelling and helpful areas where Lofland goes into detail about his experience on the force, but they're far too rare, and they sometimes feel like the author is trying too hard to sound like a cliche crime writer than provide helpful details for other writers, which comes off as slightly self-congratulatory and a little egocentric. I forgave those areas, though, because it shows that the author has a passion for crime writing, despite the execution.
I don't want to trash the book, though. Lofland deserves credit for this extensively researched beast. He just needed to spend more time figuring out what information writers need when researching a character and their job.
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