# How would a criminal receive this type of police information?



## ironpony

Basically in my story, the way I want it to go, is I want the villain, after getting away for killing an officer for not enough evidence, to find out that a group of vengeful cops are coming after him and most likely out for blood, from what he would gather.  But how would the villain receive this type of information?  Would the police captain or higher superior, call him and tell him the police have reason to believe that a group of rogue cops are planning on killing him, but they cannot stop them, since no crime has been committed yet, and it's all high speculation?

I don't think the police would call to tell him that, even if he was in possible danger to be warned of.  Or would they?  Or is there another way he could find out plausibly that would work?  The main character, who is one of the vengeful cops, could even warn the villain, as sort of a "we're coming after you", warning, but I he probably has no reason to alert him though... But what do you think?


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## K.S. Crooks

I friend of the criminal could over-hear a conversation between a couple cops while on the street or inside a police station. The criminal could have a good friend on the force or be the informant for another cop who warns him. The cops could try and fail a first time or even get the wrong person by mistake. The cops could start by tailing a known associate, which tips off the criminal.


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## ironpony

Okay thanks.  I think the best option to go with is the last one then.  Thanks.


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## Winston

FYI:  90% of all intel is "open source" (just bits and pieces laying about).  

People are lazy, even the police.  People leave info everywhere.  If your crook is patient and reasonably intelligent, he can put together the picture himself, with no one handing it to him.
Makes for a stronger, more likable character than just having "tips' gifted to him.


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## ironpony

Okay thanks.  But if the info is open source, it would be hard for the cops to get away with killing the villains, since they decided to leave info of their vigilantism laying around, for others to see, which can now be used as evidence.  I need the info to not be laying around, otherwise they will not be able to get away with it, if it's written down, or however it is laying around.


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## Ptolemy

ironpony said:


> Okay thanks.  But if the info is open source, it would be hard for the cops to get away with killing the villains, since they decided to leave info of their vigilantism laying around, for others to see, which can now be used as evidence.  I need the info to not be laying around, otherwise they will not be able to get away with it, if it's written down, or however it is laying around.



He said 90% not 100% there could be a real possibility that the cops who killed the villains could get away with it due to them covering up the evidence. If they even have a hint of how to do anything they would cover up the evidence, and there would be no evidence.


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## ironpony

But if I have a gunfight where shots are fired between about 20 characters who each have guns, aren't those shots going to be heard by anyone within a certain radius, who would call 911?


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## RhythmOvPain

...

A cop tells him to his face?

It's a cop. They don't hide their intentions.


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## Sleepwriter

ironpony said:


> But if I have a gunfight where shots are fired between about 20 characters who each have guns, aren't those shots going to be heard by anyone within a certain radius, who would call 911?



Read about a little city called Detroit.  I think you will find your answer.

In all seriousness, if you don't want something to be there, then make it not be there.  If someone needs to hear something, find a way to put them in the vicinity.


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## Ariel

I currently live in an urban area in a city with a high murder rate. A couple years ago the city was having a hard time solving these murders because, even in broad daylight, nobody saw nothing.  Or at least nobody was talking about what they saw. It was so bad that the city resorted to posting billboards about speaking up.

Nobody wants to be a witness to a crime in a bad neighborhood. Especially if it might be gang or mafia related. Witnesses notoriously lose their homes, their families are targeted, and their businesses are targeted if they do.  In a neighborhood like that gunshots go unreported frequently.


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## ironpony

Okay thanks.  I could write it so that the cops' manipulate the villains into all meeting up together in the same area of town, in a rough neighborhood.  But the cops would have to give them a pretty good reason to go to that neighborhood.  I can't write so that all the villains happen to be from that neighborhood, cause it would just be too much of a coincidence, that they all happen to be from the same parts.  So I would have to find a good reason for the villains to be manipulated into going there.


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## Sleepwriter

ironpony said:


> Okay thanks.  I could write it so that the cops' manipulate the villains into all meeting up together in the same area of town, in a rough neighborhood.  But the cops would have to give them a pretty good reason to go to that neighborhood.  I can't write so that all the villains happen to be from that neighborhood, cause it would just be too much of a coincidence, that they all happen to be from the same parts.  So I would have to find a good reason for the villains to be manipulated into going there.



I've given this some thought now, and I realize what you are doing.  It's not so much that you're doing research, but looking for a co-writer. In this case, you have asked several sites to be co-writers.


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## Ariel

Honestly, watch a police procedural show like "The Shield."  AND STOP MAKING EXCUSES.  Use your imagination and get around all these problems you're creating for yourself. No one is going to write the thing to your satisfaction but you.


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## ironpony

Okay thanks. I have seen The Shield but haven't seen an episode where the police Captain, actually called to warn suspects that corrupt officers were targeting them.  Well if the police captain would not warn the suspect that vengeful cops may be coming for him but they cannot arrest the vengeful cops since no crime has been committed yet, then I will write so that one of the villains' associates gets a villain from the cops, beating information out of him, and then when the cops leave, the associate then contacts the villains to warn them of who is coming for them.

Of course the cops are counting on the associate contacting the villains and warning them, cause this means that all the villains will get together in the same place, at the same time, to defend themselves, and the cops can then get them all in one blow.  If that works.  Thanks.


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