Maryland and Maine

Editor's Note: One of the authors is a former Marine.

Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. The website added three authors, two from Maryland and one from Maine: Michael E. Bemis; Mark Lindsay; and, James H. Lilley.

Michael E. Bemis is a career police officer who was also elected as the Sheriff of York County (Maine). He is the author of three books: Snow Waste; Safe & Sound: How to Buy a Safe, Private, Quiet Home; and, Safe From Terrorism: How to Protect and Save Yourself and Your Family At Home, Work and Play.

According to the editor of WordWeaving.com, “Three extremely diverse perspectives expose the dangers of greed, necessity and innocence in author Michael E. Bemis' SNOW WASTE. While the text is rather dense at times with needful explanation and exploration of technicalities and legalities, Bemis' elegant prose flows beautifully, making it easy for those who know the information to scan detail quickly yet keeping the explanations palatable for the uninitiated - truly a remarkable narrative feat. Indeed, Bemis utilizes his years in law enforcement and love of the snow to render a tale that is both powerful and thought provoking. SNOW WASTE comes very highly recommended.”

Mark Lindsay was a police officer and detective for the Baltimore Police Department (Maryland) for over twenty years. He has a BS in criminal justice and an MS in clinical psychology. He is a licensed psychological associate in the State of Maryland and has worked extensively in suicide investigations and hostage negotiations, and he has lead training courses for law enforcement personnel.

Mark Lindsay is the co-author of Suicide by Cop: Committing Suicide by Provoking Police to Shoot You. According to the book description, “This book examines what we know about the phenomenon of suicide by cop and places this behavior in a broader context. For example, some murder victims (perhaps as many as a quarter) provoke the murderer, to some extent, into killing them—so-called victim-precipitated homicide. In some cases, it has been suspected that murderers kill and act thereafter in such a way as to provoke the state into executing them. The authors then examine some of the issues specific to suicide by cop, such as whether there is a racial bias in these acts and what the legal implications are. Finally, they discuss the process of hostage negotiation (since those involved in suicide by cop often take hostages during the confrontation with police), the need to provide counseling for police officers involved in suicide-by-cop incidents, and how we might reduce the incidence of this behavior.”

James H. Lilley is a former Marine and Police Sergeant with the Howard County Police Department (Maryland). He worked in the Uniformed Patrol Division, Criminal Investigations Division, Forensic Services (CSI) and Drug Enforcement Division. His Street Drug Unit was featured in the book "Undercover" by Hans Halberstadt and published by Simon and Schuster. Some of his awards include The Medal of Valor, Four Bronze Stars, Four Unit Citations and the Governor's Citation. He is also an 8th Degree Black Belt in Shorin Ryu Karate and the first American to be promoted to the rank of Black Belt by Mr. Takeshi Miyagi. James Lilley is the author of six books: A Question of Honor; The Eyes of the Hunter; The Far Side of the Bridge; Just Retribution; A Miracle for Tony Clements; and, Death Knocks Twice.

According to the book description of Death Knocks Twice, “Halloween night, with a Hunter's Moon in the sky, finds Detective Jefferson Daniel Lewis on the scene of a murder. Another child molester's been killed with the signature double tap to the head. Two .22 caliber bullets, and little else to go on, puts Lewis in the middle of right and wrong when sentiment rests on the side of the killer. To complicate matters, he's assigned a new partner. Maria Santana, a dark-eyed, raven-haired beauty works beside him day and night, but knows she'd like to be a lot more than just his partner.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 608 police officers (representing 261 police departments) and their 1273 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.

Citizen-Soldiers Honor Fallen Firefighters

American Forces Press Service

July 2, 2007 – Warriors from 218th Enhanced Separate Brigade from the South Carolina National Guard assigned to Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix in Afghanistan paid tribute over the weekend to the nine firefighters who died in a June 18 warehouse fire in Charleston, S.C. As citizen-soldiers, many of the deployed members of the 218th, with headquarters in Newberry, S.C., worked alongside the fallen firefighters on a full-time basis in Charleston.

"It is important that we recognize our fallen comrades who died serving their community," said Brig. Gen. Robert Livingston, commander of CJTF Phoenix. "We all need to honor those who sacrifice every day, not only in our thoughts and prayers, but by living our daily lives mindful of what we all owe for our freedom."

Flags were flown over Camp Phoenix in honor of the firefighters, and plaques will be presented to the Charleston City and Pine Ridge Fire Departments.

"We are all part of a brotherhood as firefighters; we need to honor them in any way we can, and it doesn't matter where you are," said Sgt. Thomas J. Junkin, who served with two of the men who died. "It saddens me to know that they are gone, but they were courageous."

"It is ironic we are here in Afghanistan serving after the 9/11 attacks, with the largest loss of firefighters, emergency medical service and police," said Capt. Brian E. Jezewski, who serves as an engineer with the Beaufort Fire Department. "If I were home, I would be going to their memorials, I am just glad that we could honor them. All of us are public servants; it doesn't matter if we are serving our country, state or our community."

(From a Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix news release.)

Basrah Hospital to Specialize in Children's Cancer Care

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

July 2, 2007 – A new children's hospital being built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Basrah, Iraq, is the result of a partnership between the Iraqi Ministry of Health and U.S. governmental and non-governmental agencies, senior U.S. officials said in Baghdad. Construction of the 94-bed hospital, which will specialize in children's cancer research and treatment, is scheduled for completion next year, Army Col. Paul Babin, director of the Corp's Gulf Region Division, said at a June 30 news conference. The hospital is slated to open in early 2009.

Ground was broken for the facility in 2005. It is being built in Basrah principally because children under age 5 in southern Iraq suffer a high mortality rate from cancer, Babin said.

Project HOPE President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. John Howe visited Iraq in 2003 to assess healthcare needs there at the request of first lady Laura Bush. Plans to build the new hospital were announced in 2004. The U.S. Agency for International Development and the Iraqi Ministry of Health signed memorandums of agreement supporting the project.

The modern hospital will feature state-of-the-art cancer research equipment and "will help the entire country of Iraq," Babin said.

The United States is contributing about $95 million toward the $157 million overall cost needed to build the Basrah facility and to make it fully operational, according to Corps of Engineers officials.

The new Basrah hospital is among more than 140 Corps of Engineers medical construction projects, Babin said. About $200 million in Corps' medical construction projects in Iraq are being worked, he said, noting $800 million in projects already are complete.

The Iraqi Ministry of Health has overseen construction of more than 39 new hospitals and clinics, Army Maj. Anthony Marici, the U.S. Embassy's medical attache, said. Another 150 hospitals and clinics have been refurbished, he said.

The Health Ministry's 100-page health care plan for Iraq includes transportation, security, staffing and equipment needs and "is remarkably well-written and has been executed without flaw," Marici said.

Iraq's health care plans also see to staffing the country's medical and nursing schools, Marici noted. In addition, Iraqi medical authorities have implemented a nationwide program to inoculate young people against measles, mumps and rubella.

"They were able to inoculate 3 and a half million Iraqi children in a 14-day period," Marici said, calling this an "unprecedented" accomplishment.

Fifteen Soldiers Selected to Participate in 'Black Jack Idol'

By Sgt. Robert Yde, USA
Special to American Forces Press Service

July 2, 2007 – Like many people, Maj. Michael Duck has an addiction. His vice is shared by millions of people throughout the world, a fact that is easily confirmed by the high ratings that their obsessions provide to television stations. "I'm a fan of reality TV," Duck said, admitting to his guilty pleasure.

Duck, chief of operations for 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, said one show in particular, "American Idol," is a favorite of his, and he recently came up with the idea of replicating the premise of the show in Baghdad.

Throughout June, soldiers have been encouraged to try out the brigade's version of the hit show, dubbed "Black Jack Idol."

"We devised this competition after 'American Idol,' and we thought we'd do something for the soldiers and their morale," the Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native explained. "We worked on this to try to come up with something for them, and that's basically how we got it started."

Just like the real "American Idol," a weekly competition during which contestants vying for a recording contract sing and either move to the next round or are eliminated based on their performance, Black Jack Idol started off with several weeks of auditions.

The auditions were held twice a week and alternated between Forward Operating Base Prosperity and Forward Operating Base Union III. As on American Idol, soldiers performed in front of a three-judge panel.

Acting as the judges were Duck, 2nd Lt. Ruben Acosta, the brigade's assistant personnel officer, and Maj. Stephanie Sanderson, the brigade's judge advocate.

"I'm looking for confidence, a nice full voice, someone who is outgoing and can perform in front of people and show their talents," Acosta said of the criteria he expects potential contestants to meet.

Acosta, who is originally from San Antonio, said he was invited to be a judge after Duck learned that he had spent five years as a high school band director in Texas.

"It's a chance for soldiers who have some abilities or talents to show it," he said of the competition. "And so far, it's been really interesting."

During the auditions, contestants were able to sing whatever they wanted, with the only stipulation being that the performance had to be a cappella, a fact that Acosta said he took into consideration.

"It's kind of nerve wracking because there's no music behind them," he explained. "A lot of people are used to singing in a vehicle or in the privacy of their room. Now they have to come out here and sing with no background music or anything, and that's really tough; so you always give them the benefit of the doubt."

Once the actual competition starts, however, the contestants will be backed by music provided from a karaoke machine, and each week a different genre of music will be featured, forcing them to demonstrate their vocal diversity -- or lack thereof.

"We're going to pick the tone and genre of music during the competition, so each week is going to be a different person or different type of music they're going to have to sing," Duck said. "We're going to see what they can do with a vast variety of types of music."

While the soldiers who auditioned said they obviously love music, their experiences performing varied.

"I've sang in church, and I've played in bands," said Pfc. Daniel Jens, a Milwaukee native with Company B, 3rd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment. "I've played in front of a few people and up to 5,000 people."

Jens performed Edwin McCain's "A Prayer to St. Peter," because, he said, it allowed him to show off his vocal range and he appreciates the song's message. "It's about soldiers and St. Peter letting the soldiers into heaven regardless of what they did on earth," he explained.

Jens said he didn't do much to prepare for the audition because he sings all the time anyway. "I love performing, and I've got a lot of friends and family and people who I've met playing that like hearing me," he added.

Like Jens, Pvt. Stacey Hanson, a medic with the brigade's headquarters, said that friends have told her she has a good singing voice and was encouraged to try out for the competition although she has no experience performing in public.

"I try to play my guitar and sing along with that and had a couple people tell me I have a nice voice if I would just sing a little louder, so I just wanted to give it a try," the San Antonio native said.

Although she said her audition, for which she sang Don Henley's "End of Innocence," was not perfect, she was pleased with her performance. "I'm glad I got some constructive criticism, especially since I've never sang in front of people or professionally," she said. "I think I've got a little bit of work to do, but I feel really good about it today."

Going into the auditions, the judges said they didn't have a certain number of contestants in mind for the competition and have settled on 15 soldiers to participate in the eight-week competition, which they are planning to begin around July 21.

As contestants are eliminated, and they get closer to the finals, Duck said they hope to have the 1st Cavalry Division Band provide music for the singers, which he said will give the competition more of a live-concert feel.

He also said a grand prize has not been decided on, but right now he is expecting the winner to receive a sound system and a four-day pass to Qatar.

Regardless of the prize, though, Sanderson said the competition is all about letting soldiers showcase their talents in front of peers and have fun doing it.

"I enjoy anything that makes the soldiers happy," she said. "All soldiers are individuals, and it's good to give them something to display their talents. I'm having a great time so far."

(Sgt. Robert Yde is assigned to 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division.)

Putin Offers to Cooperate with U.S. on Missile Defense

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

July 2, 2007 – Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged to increase cooperation with the United States as it moves toward establishing a missile defense program in Europe, he told reporters during a news conference today with President Bush. The two leaders met at Bush's family home in Kennebunkport, Maine, to discuss bilateral relations. Speaking about missile defense, Putin seemed more agreeable than during the most recent U.S.-Russian dialogue on the topic.

"President Putin proposed a regional approach to missile defense, that we ought to work together bilaterally as well as work through the Russia-NATO Council, and I'm in strong agreement with that concept," Bush said.

During a June 7 discussion, Putin suggested that the missile program be built in the former Soviet republic of Azerbaijan and opposed U.S. plans to install the rocket system in the Czech Republic and Poland. Proposing another alternative today, Putin offered to contribute and house several missile defense components in southern Russia.

"We would be prepared to engage in this system also a newly built radar, early warning system, in the south of Russia," Putin said. "That cooperation, I believe, would result in raising to an entirely new level the quality of cooperation between Russia and the United States.

"For all practical purposes, this would lead to a gradual development of strategic partnership in the area of security," he added.

Bush called the proposed plan "innovate," but reiterated the strategic roles the Czech Republic and Poland play.

"(Putin) just laid out a vision. I think it's very sincere, I think it's innovative, I think it's strategic," Bush said. "But as I told Vladimir, I think that Czech Republic and Poland need to be an integral part of the system."

The president said Putin has made "a very constructive and bold strategic move," and the two presidents agreed to hold future consultative meetings on missile defense strategy, adding that additional national leaders could be party to these discussions.

Each European nation will have to decide whether it will join the partnership, said Putin, who noted that non-alliance could have long-term political and economic effects.

"It would be clear to even a layman, if a country doesn't decide in a strategic partnership, this choice would determine the position of any country both in economic terms and from the political arena, in the final analysis, in the long term," he said. "Therefore, I'm confident that there will be interstate partners or parties in Europe."