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Paul G. Nelson
After a 28-year career with the Los Angeles Police Department, Paul retired at the rank of Detective Supervisor. After a brief time in uniform (2 years), the remainder of his career was spent working a series of “Specialized Details.” He spent several years working in an undercover capacity, chasing down illegal sales of weapons and explosives, and building cases against these illegal weapons dealers. In that capacity, Paul spent a great deal of time with some very bad people, acting as one of them to gain their trust. He worked three, 18-month “tours” of Vice. The Vice unit is responsible for the investigation and suppression of the three “C’s” of vice activity: “Complained Of,” “Commercial” and “Conspicuous.” The work included approaching prostitutes and receiving a violation from them, at which time, they would be arrested, the investigation of Alcohol Beverage Control Act (ABC) violations regarding the sale of alcoholic beverages to the public whether it is from a bar or a convenience store, and the investigation of any other vice related complaints. Paul worked Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums (C.R.A.S.H.), the gang unit for thirteen years, working street gangs which included gathering intelligence on them and also investigating any gang-related crimes, including homicide. Because of his experience and expertise, he was selected to join the FBI Gang Task Force. The Task Force included members of the FBI, along with members of other local law enforcement agencies, and targeted specific gangs who were involved with the transportation of illegal weapons and drugs into or out of Los Angeles. The work included both vehicular and pedestrian surveillance on known gang members, often “tailing” them across state lines and in a few instances, across the country. As cases were built against these individuals, the Task Force would form arrest teams and arrest the individuals. Task Force members would then testify in both State and Federal Court as witnesses for the prosecution. Paul also worked the Gun Unit, investigating illegal sales of guns in the City of Los Angeles, checking all retail gun stores for compliance with City, State and Federal laws regarding the sale of firearms and ammunition, and making undercover “straw purchases” from illegal firearms sellers and dealers. His last assignment was as a member of the Law Enforcement Related Injury (L.E.R.I.) Unit, which was responsible for investigating “Officer-Involved Shootings” and preparing Staff reports for the Chief of Police and any subsequent legal or civil proceedings. Besides a strong investigative background, the position required outstanding written and oral communication skills. Paul began writing in grade school. Beginning with short stories and poetry, he became interested in the written word. As a young Los Angeles Police Officer, report writing always fascinated him. His first Training Officers complained that his reports were too lengthy and it took a few years for him to break that habit. In police work, brevity is key or as Jack Webb used to say, “Just the facts!” But as a writer, Paul has always enjoyed going that extra mile to place the reader “inside” the scene until they can smell it, see it and “feel” it. My first work of fiction was To Die for Chocolate, and tells the story of two LAPD Homicide Investigators who are investigating a series of vicious rape/murders. The lead character is INVESTIGATOR STEVE MOORE. The killer, dubbed “The Candy Man” due to his penchant for leaving a single Godiva chocolate in the hand of each of his victims, begins to leave clues for the two investigators, taunting them. But when Moore’s wife CHRISSY becomes one of the killer’s victims, the investigation suddenly becomes very personal! As Moore and his partner, INVESTIGATOR KEITH RIMBALDI race against the clock to identify and locate the killer before another person dies, Moore realizes that memories from his troubled childhood that he has hidden for years begin to surface and Moore does not like what he sees! He’s becoming as cold-hearted and cunning as his current quarry. Can he identify and arrest the killer without loosing his soul? My list of short stories include Love at a Glance, which introduces the reader to a young man who sees the woman of his dreams one day, boarding a ferry in 1890’s New York. Despite the young man’s extreme shyness, he vows to speak to the woman, but she becomes lost in the crowd before he can act. Thus begins his quest to find the woman and make her his own. This is a charming tale of endearing love that has gotten a lot of positive feedback from women who have read it. Another short story I have written is entitled Shared Solitude, about a chanced encounter between a man and a woman who experience an incredible moment with each other with the rugged coastline of Monterey as their backdrop. This story written for my wife, was featured in Horizon Magazine. I have also written a very short, but delightful piece that I call Falling Free. This piece has also been published in Horizon Magazine. My final short story, also published in Horizon Magazine, is entitled The Longest Night, and sends the reader into a world of darkness and fear. The “hook” is that, after building the suspense of the experience to its heart-pounding crescendo, we learn the real truth about the night “The Beast” came calling. Paul Copyright 2007 - all rights reserved -
Paul G. Nelson |