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B.H. La Forest
In this new career as an author, I have relied on my experiences as a police officer, special agent, supervisor, and manager in my chosen profession. My first three novels take place in many of the...view moreIn this new career as an author, I have relied on my experiences as a police officer, special agent, supervisor, and manager in my chosen profession. My first three novels take place in many of the localities where I served as a law enforcement officer and special agent. Detroit was my hometown, and the city where I began my career in the profession in 1962—as a Detroit Police Officer.
Nine years later, I became an Investigator with Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms. Charleston, West Virginia would be the first of thirteen assignments that required a transfer. Firearm and Explosive's crimes were rapidly surpassing moonshine violations in West Virginia, which necessitated redeployment of special agents. After passage of the Explosives Control Act, I transferred to Los Angeles California as a member of ATF's new Bomb Scene Investigation Team.
Two years later, a promotion as the Resident Agent in Charge in Phoenix was my first supervisory assignment. Two years later, I transferred again as the Group Supervisor of the Los Angeles Metro squad. In Southern California—and at every other assignment—I sought to focus each squad . . . and later, those Field Divisions I headed . . . toward investigation of complex investigations. Emphasis is always best-placed on case initiations of criminal activity involving multiple violators and offenses.
Case-quality, intricacies of the criminal enterprise, and significant impact on crime were predominant factors weighed before case initiation. Complicated conspiracies usually breed cooperative defendants. Armed with turned sources—conspirators flipped at various stages in those types of cases—it proved much more productive and worthwhile. Working on organized criminal groups that pose the most serious threat to society was a rewarding endeavor.
Beginning in 1977 with a transfer to Washington, D.C., I eventually served as the Special Agent in Charge in New Orleans, Kansas City, Detroit (twice), Phoenix, and Los Angeles . . . where I retired in 1998. As a member of the Senior Executive Service (SES), broad exposure to other branches of government: Congress, CIA, Customs, IRS, Secret Service, U.S. Marshals, INS, Border Patrol and the Departments of Treasury, State, and Justice. Contact with these organizations proved valuable, and helped me add even closer relationships at the field level. I worked closely with Federal, state, and local representatives on joint task force efforts. These experiences have led me to a new career as a writer of detailed thrillers.
After retirement in 1998, I was asked to assist ATF executives in 2001 as an Advisor/Consultant to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. The issue concerned the development of a strategy for ATF’s enforcement initiative, entitled, National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). The objective of the strategy was to enable optimal application of both special agent and administrative resources. A streamlined method was developed and approved. The new procedures saved money, and permitted redeployment of special agents toward more critical investigative endeavors and priorities.
2001 to 2007, I developed a detailed method for the close examination and evaluation of all crime gun traces in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. I forwarded thousands of referrals to ATF offices, and to other agencies in America and foreign countries. Those investigative leads dealt with falsified gun purchases, domestic and international trafficking in guns and narcotics, terrorism and other violent crimes.
In 2010, I published my first book, Shadow Partners - A Law Enforcement Story. Then in 2011, a second novel In the Red Dragon's Shadow - Come the Jackals, went to print. A Matter of Lex Talionis – Send in de Avilés, will be available in 2012.view less