Expert: Jack Toomey - 8/4/2010

Question
Hey Jack,

I am a student studying film and television at NYU, and I am currently writing a short film about the kidnapping of the daughter of the Mayor of a small suburban town in Connecticut during his reelection campaign.

In the story, the kidnapper watches as the Mayor keeps an eye on his daughter as she rides up and down the street.  He then calls the house, drawing the mayor inside, so he can grab the daughter.  No other witnesses see actual abduction occur.

I have skimmed your and other experts' answers about the general procedures that might typically following the very first report of the incident, including patrol officers showing up first to the house, checking through the house and surrounding neighborhood first to see if she is hiding, and interviewing the parent and neighbors about what/if they saw anything.

I'm curious as to what the "next steps" of the case, so to speak, might be, for the police investigating the case.  The neighbors are interviews, but most were inside their homes or elsewhere during the kidnapping and did not catch sight of the car or attacker.  The Mayor gives his account of the story in interviews to the police and is consistent in his answers.  As of yet in the story, the kidnapper has not tried to contact the Mayor or police with any type of demand or ransom note.

What might be the police's next step in investigating a kidnapping if little evidence arises in the first 24 hours or so after the kidnapping?

Would they question the mayor further about his campaign, or interview his staff working on the election, or even look into them as possibly suspects?

Would they look into his political enemies or his opponent in the race and would he be questioned?

Would officers who investigate sex crimes/prostitution become involved? If so, would they question Certified Informants or prostitute contacts about if they had noticed anything (because it is a girl who has been kidnapped.)

I am trying to make as realistic a police investigation drama as possible instead of an action movie.  Thank you very much for your help!

--Andrew

Answer
Andrew,

You had better have the kidnapper call the house from throw-away cell phone because if it was a land line call the telephone company would have a record of where the call came from.

I'd say that a tracing device would be put on the mayors phone right away by the telephone company, also tape recording devices would be installed right away at some place close to his house so any incoming calls could be recorded.  In the old days the police would have to be in the basement or someplace but now they can be at the nearest substation.  The house would be placed under surveillance at a distance of several blocks.  That means that there would layers of surveillance going out to a few blocks away.

Yes they would certainly look into his campaign enemies, staff, and anyone else who would have a motive.

I don't know about this prostitution unit.  How old is this girl?  I don't think that anyone kidnaps the mayors daughter to turn her into a prostitute.  But the sex crimes unit would certainly be involved.

Let me know if anything is not clear or if you have any other questions.