Is it overdone?

7luckyclovers · Mar 7, 2014

A big city homicide detective from the north becomes a police chief of a small southern town.

Is the premises is too overdone in mysteries?

Also, most small towns have contracts with county or state to handle large/complicated cases. Would it realistic if the chief decided to refuse help because, as the new chief, he has plenty of experience?

In my novel, it's his experience that prompted the town board to hire him above the other candidates. They were sick of the way the state shuts out the local PD and thinks they're idiots.

Thanks and I hope I put this in the right spot.

Kolta · Mar 7, 2014

7luckyclovers said:
A big city homicide detective from the north becomes a police chief of a small southern town.

Is the premises is too overdone in mysteries?

Depends on what's done with it. If that's the most intriguing point, then it's a problem. The story built around the big city homicide detective in a small southern town is what matters. Overdone anything fades into the background when there are more important things going on.

Also, most small towns have contracts with county or state to handle large/complicated cases. Would it realistic if the chief decided to refuse help because, as the new chief, he has plenty of experience?

He can be unhappy about it, but refusing that kind of help is most likely not up to him once the decision's been made to bring in someone else on a very large and difficult case.

7luckyclovers · Mar 7, 2014

Kolta said:
He can be unhappy about it, but refusing that kind of help is most likely not up to him once the decision's been made to bring in someone else on a very large and difficult case.

That was before he was hired on. They wanted to bring in experience so they wouldn't need help. Or as much help.

Kolta · Mar 7, 2014

I saw two characters for some reason instead of one. As in there's already a police chief who's now going to have a problem working with someone new.

frimble3 · Mar 8, 2014

Does he want to start out by stepping on toes he may later need?
It's not just his big city 'experience' - which may not be all that's needed in a new environment. Does this small Southern town have the resources and specialists that the county or state could bring to this 'large/complicated' case?
Does he have the area knowledge that they could provide? I could see just relying on his local officers for a simple, obviously local murder, but surely it would make sense to keep the lines of communications open, especially in a complex case.
Also, he'd probably be better off not letting people think he's too 'big city' and full of himself to need help.

heyjude · Mar 8, 2014

As to whether it's overdone, it depends on the writing.

Great writing trumps all.

knightrunnermat · Mar 8, 2014

What HJ said.

7luckyclovers · Mar 8, 2014

Thanks for your input all!

asroc · Mar 8, 2014

7luckyclovers said:
A big city homicide detective from the north becomes a police chief of a small southern town.

Is the premises is too overdone in mysteries?

Also, most small towns have contracts with county or state to handle large/complicated cases. Would it realistic if the chief decided to refuse help because, as the new chief, he has plenty of experience?

Depends on the jurisdiction, I'd say. In my state who investigates what is up to the DA. If the DA says the Staties get the case, the police chief can complain all he wants.

Also, I don't like to question your premise, but experience with what? Police chiefs don't investigate. It's a command position and typically goes to high-ranking people with extensive leadership experience. Detective is a pretty low-ranking position, sometimes on par with beat cop, hierarchy-wise. It doesn't really prepare you for supervising an entire police department.

7luckyclovers · Mar 8, 2014

asroc said:
Depends on the jurisdiction, I'd say. In my state who investigates what is up to the DA. If the DA says the Staties get the case, the police chief can complain all he wants.

Also, I don't like to question your premise, but experience with what? Police chiefs don't investigate. It's a command position and typically goes to high-ranking people with extensive leadership experience. Detective is a pretty low-ranking position, sometimes on par with beat cop, hierarchy-wise. It doesn't really prepare you for supervising an entire police department.

Why couldn't a chief investigate if the town was small enough? I would think he/she could run it anyway he chooses that produces results. In my state, some agencies are given statutory original jurisdiction to investigate without a DA’s request.

I can't imagine that a seasoned detective, say a Lieutenant, would be on the same par as a beat cop. Plus, he would have leadership experience, as well as administrative.

asroc · Mar 8, 2014

7luckyclovers said:
Why couldn't a chief investigate if the town was small enough? I would think he/she could run it anyway he chooses that produces results. In my state, some agencies are given statutory original jurisdiction to investigate without a DA’s request.

Yes, I meant in cases of conflict. For example, most PDs in my state don't have homicide departments, so if someone gets killed in those towns, the DA decides whether the State Police homicide unit investigates or the municipal police or of it's a joint investigation. The municipal PD can't refuse the State PD's involvement (and it would be pretty unprofessional to do so. A decent police chief should realize that the State Police has resources he doesn't have. Especially if the PD is small enough that the chief has to be involved in case work.)

7luckyclovers said:
I can't imagine that a seasoned detective, say a Lieutenant, would be on the same par as a beat cop. Plus, he would have leadership experience, as well as administrative.

Of course a Lieutenant isn't on par with a beat cop. But your original post just says Detective. Detective as a rank is the lowest one on the investigative totem pole. Detective Lieutenant is a different, much higher, rank. A Detective Lieutenant could become a police chief.

7luckyclovers · Mar 8, 2014

asroc said:
Yes, I meant in cases of conflict. For example, most PDs in my state don't have homicide departments, so if someone gets killed in those towns, the DA decides whether the State Police homicide unit investigates or the municipal police or of it's a joint investigation. The municipal PD can't refuse the State PD's involvement (and it would be pretty unprofessional to do so. A decent police chief should realize that the State Police has resources he doesn't have. Especially if the PD is small enough that the chief has to be involved in case work.)

Of course a Lieutenant isn't on par with a beat cop. But your original post just says Detective. Detective as a rank is the lowest one on the investigative totem pole. Detective Lieutenant is a different, much higher, rank. A Detective Lieutenant could become a police chief.

I see what you're saying. Thanks for the reply. I didn't mean to sound like I was contradicting you, I'm just trying to work out the details.

Flounder32 · Mar 8, 2014

How about the same thing in reverse? A small town southern investigator/detective comes up north to NYC or another big city and isn't taken seriously because he talks real slow and has impeccable manners to the ladies. Kind of a Matthew McConaughey/Columbo. That wouldn't be too cliche, would it? And it could be interesting.

Helix · Mar 8, 2014

Flounder32 said:
How about the same thing in reverse? A small town southern investigator/detective comes up north to NYC or another big city and isn't taken seriously because he talks real slow and has impeccable manners to the ladies. Kind of a Matthew McConaughey/Columbo. That wouldn't be too cliche, would it? And it could be interesting.

I think that might be used just as frequently. On television, McCloud and Due South spring to mind.

7luckyclovers · Mar 9, 2014

Thanks guys for your ideas. Much to ponder.

Jamesaritchie · Mar 9, 2014

I can't see any logical reason why he would refuse help. But you could always have whoever is handling the investigation be unable to solve it, or arrest the wrong person, etc. Or you could make him country sheriff, such as Longmire, which in many areas would give him jurisdiction over many cases.

Is it overdone?

7luckyclovers

Lost somewhere in my mind

Kolta

7luckyclovers

Lost somewhere in my mind

Kolta

frimble3

Heckuva good sport

heyjude

Making my own sunshine

knightrunnermat

7luckyclovers

Lost somewhere in my mind

asroc

Alex

7luckyclovers

Lost somewhere in my mind

asroc

Alex

7luckyclovers

Lost somewhere in my mind

Flounder32

Pilot,Writer,Renaissance Man,Idiot

Helix

socially distancing

7luckyclovers

Lost somewhere in my mind

Jamesaritchie