AboutJack Toomey Expertise Police officer with 26 years experience. Can answer questions about crime, police procedure, investigaitons, criminal law, search and seizure, traffic offenses. Prefer not to answer questions on the death penalty. Please do not ask homework questions. I cannot answer questions about potential jail sentences. There is no way for me to know the answer to questions like that.
Experience Police officer with 26 years experience. Twelve years in patrol and fourteen years in the detective bureau investigating every type of crime including murder, rape, robbery, theft, fraud, missing persons, etc, etc. Also taught at the police academy in areas such as constitutional law, search and seizure, and lineups.
Education/Credentials B.S. in Criminology from the University of Maryland.
Expert: Jack Toomey Date: 6/29/2008 Subject: novel involving a kidnapping
Question QUESTION: I am writing a novel and two of my characters have been kidnapped. How soon must the FBI be informed about this kidnapping? How soon would they have to be involved? My local LAPD officers find the victims within two days. Could they have done this without informing the FBI?
I much appreciate your time and expertise.
Ann
ANSWER: Contrary to popular belief the FBI does not get involved in state or local crimes unless a federal law has been broken. If there is no suspicion that the victim has been taken over a state line or is being held for ransom then the FBI would not be involved. In fact a local law enforcement agency will do anything and everything to keep the FBI out of the case because of their inexperience in handling criminal matters.
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Still writing my novel. If my criminals are using a 144 foot yacht as a base in LA. Would this size of yacht be able to berth in Marina del Rey or would they have to go to San Pedro port or elsewhere? I would prefer it to be berthed in a port and not anchored out in the bay as I want to have the police boarding it. Will the police need a warrant?
Thank you for your time and expertise.
Ann
Answer Ann,
At first I thought that you had contacted the wrong person but that first answer does sound like what I might have answered in the past.
I don't know a thing about yachts, harbors, San Pedrom or Los Angeles. I've never been to California in my life.
But as a rule of thumb the police do not need a warrant when they are in hot pursuit or when the "hue and cry" rule is in effect which basically means that someone has heard someone crying for help. I would have to know much more about the circumstances to give you a definitive answer.
