Writing Related Question - Police Procedure.

[Dean]

I have a writing related question that I am hoping members here might be able to help me with. I am currently working on a novel which centres around an unsolved hit/run accident which eventually turns out to be a murder.

My question focuses around some specific plot points that I am working on.

In the story which, I should add, is set in Victoria, Australia, a retired police detective visits a former colleague at a police station and the two discuss the hit/run case. The retired detective indicates that he may have some fresh evidence that could potentially help in solving the case. He asks his colleague if it would be possible to look at the case file. The colleague initially refuses but the scene will end with him making the case file available to the retired detective.

Now, I am assuming that this would be highly illegal, however for the purposes of a fiction novel, would this scenario be at all possible? Additionally, what penalties would apply in this scenario, should it be discovered.

Here's hoping someone can help out.

[Sally906]

Have sent you a PM :)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

I've just popped this thread into the Author Spotlight folder for you Dean:) Good luck with it!

[Dean]

Got your PM Sally. Thank you!

And thank you Brenda. I never quite know where to post these things.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

No problems Dean:)

[Dean]

Do you have any thoughts on what I've posted Brenda?

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

I have read a couple of novels where this very thing happened Dean. I think in one of them the retired detective was allowed to sit in a room and read plus take notes without removing the file from the station, and the other he was given the file, quietly and behind the scenes (so to speak) with the file being returned in the dead of night...

The detective was caught, hauled over the coals and suspended with pay as a token punishment (as the case was solved!)

[Dean]

Thanks Brenda! I was thinking along similar lines but I wanted to get a feel for how convincing I can make it. These are great suggestions.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

You're welcome Dean:) Good luck with it and let us know when it's coming up to publishing date as it sounds like my sort of book!