Cops in Mississippi and Missouri

Editor's Note: One of the authors is a Vietnam Vet.

Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. The website added one police officer from Mississippi and two from Missouri: James R. Kelly; Troy Cole; and, F.D. Jordan.

In 1966, James R. Kelly served one tour of duty in Vietnam with the United States Marine Corps. James Kelly received his BS degree from the University of Southern Mississippi. In 1971, he joined the ranks of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics; becoming one of the organization's first agents. James Kelly retired from the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics 1995. He is the author of two books: Prescription for Murder and Casting Alpha: Amtracs in Vietnam.

Casting Alpha: Amtracs in Vietnam, “depicts the daily life of U.S. Marine Corps amtrac crewmen during the Vietnam War and the continuing anxiety, as a result of enemy land mines, referred to as the big wait.” James Kelly served with A Company, 3rd Amtracs, 1966-67.

Troy Cole is a retired homicide investigator from the Kansas City Police Department (Missouri). He is the author of Rites Of Burial. According to the book description, “This books tells the gruesome true story of Robert Berdella, a serial killer while inhuman crimes of murder and dismemberment might have served to inspire Jeffrey Dahmer

According to a reader of Rites of Burial, “I was quite shocked by the graphic details and disturbing pictures in this book. Other reviewers have said this book is insensitive and biased. Although I understand this point, I disagree. If you truly want to examine the depravity of serial murderers, you have to know the details of their crimes to be able to understand the things of which these people are capable. In addition, other reviewers have charged the authors with being homophobic. I did not find this to be the case. Rather, the authors did expose how the homophobia of the KC police dept. affected their investigations and their handling of the victims and Berdella”

F.D. Jordan has over 21 years experience as a police officer working for the Kansas City Police Department (Missouri). He has extensive experience working the Kansas City Police Department Special Victims Unit, Sex Crimes Section. His is the author of Sex Crime Investigations: The Complete Investigator's Handbook.

According to the description of, Sex Crime Investigations: The Complete Investigator's Handbook, “when a sexual act occurs in combination with a physical or emotional assault, as in rape or child sexual abuse, highly sensitive issues often get misdirected, especially in the criminal justice system. For this reason, sex crime investigation in one field that investigators can ill afford to learn by trial and error. This book takes you step-by-step through how successful sex crime investigations are conducted and provides a clear and comprehensive look at the complexities and realities of the field that investigators and their agencies must learn to deal with, including selecting appropriate investigative personnel, gathering evidence at crime scenes, interviewing victims, interrogating suspected sex offenders and getting confessions, working with child sexual abuse victims, building solid cases for prosecution and much more. It is a must for investigators, prosecutors, defense attorneys, social workers, sexual assault victim advocates and the victims and their families.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 628 police officers (representing 276 police departments) and their 1341 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.