Danny R. Smith's Blog, page 4

Perfect: An Encounter with Travolta

Travolta answered the door and my partner said, “Hey John, how’s it going?” The Stars We were standing outside his mobile trailer dressing room, TRAVOLTA and a star on the door. It was one of two trailers with stars that had been parked outside Men’s Central Jail for at least a week. The other had…

Brazen Murder in Carson

L.A. Sheriff’s Homicide, April 2000. Joe Martinez and I were paired up in the rotation when a remarkably brazen murder occurred in the City of Carson. City of Carson It happened during broad daylight at arguably the busiest intersection in the city. Dozens of people arrived on a city bus just as the shooting occurred,…

San Fernando Body Dump

The call had come in as a body dump. The media gathered in the parking lot among the spectators, many of them pressed against the yellow tape that had been strung from a corner of the building to a light pole fifty yards away, and then fifty yards across the parking lot to another pole…

Friendly Skies

I’ve traveled plenty, for both personal and professional reasons. When flying, I always hope for a smooth ride through friendly skies. That doesn’t always happen. Before I went to Homicide, I was assigned to Special Investigations/Metro, and one of our responsibilities there was fugitive apprehension and extraditions. Every day someone from our unit was boarding…

The Winos

Wayside Honor Rancho, later named the Peter J. Pitchess Detention Facility, is one of several jail facilities spread throughout Los Angeles County. It is also where I joined the ranks of “The Winos.” Wayside Located in the Santa Clarita Valley, it is unique in that it contains on its sprawling acreage several academy training firing…

Good Riddance 2020

This year has been a difficult one for most, terrible for some, and catastrophic for others. Who could argue that? So good riddance 2020, adios muchacha, bye Felicia, and don’t let the door hitcha where the good Lord splitcha. It Could’ve Been Worse And although it was bad, it could have been worse. Or maybe…

My Bout with Coronavirus

It happened. Yours truly contracted the dreaded coronavirus. I have to be honest. I haven’t lived in fear of catching it, though I have taken the threat of it seriously (as I wrote about in a previous post). I’ve believed its threat to be overstated by the media and used by many of our elected…

Michael Black Interview

This week’s blog is an interview with Michael Black, the author of nearly forty novels in several genres. He is also a military and law enforcement veteran, a fascinating man, and a good friend. Welcome, Mike. Interview Q: Mike, I met you a couple of years ago at the Public Safety Writers conference in Las…

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Crime Watch Daily

This week I had the privilege of being a guest on Crime Watch Daily with Ana Garcia. I first met Ana three years ago when she covered a tragic homicide case that my partner and I handled. A few weeks ago, she got ahold of me and asked if I would like to be a…

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A Stat’s a Stat

A stat’s a stat. Every cop has heard this phrase. In my old stomping grounds, these words were generally spoken sheepishly, usually after a deputy had made an unworthy bust. For instance, a misdemeanor warrant arrest, or something the chippies could have handled, like a drunk driver. “Hey man, a stat’s a stat.” One night…

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