Writing a Police Procedurals Novel
From knowing the laws to adding subplots, author Rozlan Mohd Noor discusses writing a police procedurals novel.
Writing a crime novel in itself is challenging. A writer has to put serious thought on the nature of the crime (usually of a serious nature; murder, kidnap, rape, etc.), the plot, characters, setting, the motive, sequence, and many other aspects of the storytelling. These can be achieved if the writer is very imaginative. Writing a police procedural however needs more than just an imaginative mind. A writer must have sound knowledge of the laws of the land and the police investigation procedures of the region.
All police investigation procedures are formulated based on the laws of the country. It is to ensure the actions and conduct of the police investigators are not tainted. The police’s powers of investigation are not self-granted by them (the police force). These powers are bestowed to them by the related laws under which the crimes are classified.
In general, the Criminal Procedure Code (for my country Malaysia and perhaps other Commonwealth countries too) is the primary legislature that bestows the police with the power of investigation. Certain laws do provide specific special powers to the police related to conduct of investigation, seizure of properties/documents, arrest, detention, and so on. Thus, knowing the law is crucial in being able to write a police procedural novel.
Police procedures may differ from country to country, to contain or prevent any real or perceived internal security threats. In most developed countries, the police procedures are made public and subject to scrutiny. In developing countries this may not be the case. For example, in my country the police procedures which is termed as the Inspector General Standing Orders (IGSO) is not a public document. As such, the public is kept in the dark as to what these procedures are and if they were adhered to in a police investigation. In such situations, having a friend serving in or retired from the police may be helpful.
It is also recommended that a writer of police procedurals get to know the police organizational structure, which is unique to each country. Knowing the structure enables a writer to understand the chain of command and who the protagonist has to report to. At the same time, knowing where the pressure is coming from or where the protagonist can turn for support.
Laws and police investigation procedures are not imaginary. They are for real. In a region where they are known to the public, writing an inaccurate police procedural may irritate readers and attract negative reviews. In the case where they are not made known to the public, writing the wrong procedures may mislead readers and cause resentment toward the police force.
However, it is fair to say that a good police procedural does not depend solely on rehashing the words of laws and procedures. It is much more than that. In this subgenre the story is created around a protagonist: a police investigator—usually in the U.S. a detective, and in U.K. a detective inspector. The protagonist’s character must be well thought out and developed. Readers must be able to relate to him/her through his/her private life. Married or divorced with kids, an ex-alcoholic, a chain smoker, a maverick are some more common personal characteristics used by writers.
Creating internal work or personal conflicts between the protagonist and his/her superiors or colleagues relating to the investigation is another avenue a writer could exploit. If the conflict is well-crafted it may resonate with readers. Readers may relate with the protagonist’s frustrations at being hindered from going after the perpetrator.
Knowing and using police lingo is highly recommended. This will make the dialogue more realistic.
Another common technique used by writers to spice up the story is to add subplots to mislead the investigation, or in some cases to be linked back to the case at a later stage. This technique keeps the reader guessing on who the perpetrators are and what the motive is. Action scenes are also encouraged, to make things lively and thrilling. Car/foot chases, shootouts, on the scene hostage taking, and so on. However, these actions must not overshadow the plot or stray from the investigation.
I hope these tips are helpful and wish you the best in your writing.
Rozlan Mohd Noor served for 11 years as a crime investigator in the CID of the Royal Malaysia Police and a court prosecutor before joining the private sector. 21 Immortals, his first Inspector Mislan novel, was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writer’s Best First Book Award and longlisted for the International DUBLIN Literary Award. He has published four more Inspector Mislan novels. He currently resides in Thailand.
