Welcome to Help From My Friends Friday. My guest today is my friend and chaptermate at Sisters in Crime Colorado. George writes below that he asked if he could talk about his volunteer days at the San Leandro Police Department. With all due respect, I seem to remember the conversation differently. He mentioned he volunteered as an investigator for law enforcement, which left me a little stunned. You see, I’ve been a volunteer for law enforcement in victims advocacy and other admin jobs and I’d never heard of a volunteer investigator! So, I asked him to tell me more. I was awed by what I learned. Please welcome George Cramer. ~ Donnell
I’m a huge fan of Donnell, so when she asked me about my time as an investigator, I said, “Can I talk about my years as a volunteer at my old police department?”
Author George Cramer
Let me step back and give a short investigations bio, hoping you think I have the qualifications. In 1966 I first volunteered at SLPD [San Leandro, California] as a reserve officer, and two years later, I was hired as a regular officer. After three years on the job, I transferred to the detective bureau, where I worked on crimes against persons, auto theft, and forgeries.
I was assigned to a special investigation unit (SIU) not long after that. This assignment required undercover work, surveillance, and writing search warrants.
When I was promoted to sergeant, I worked as a desk and then patrol sergeant for a few years before a four-year stint as the Vice/Narcotics unit manager.
I retired in 1984 due to on-the-job injuries. Within hours, the same day, I was hired as an investigator by a credit card company. I worked as a corporate and private investigator for the next twenty-seven years.
How did you transition from a retired investigator to a volunteer?
No one has ever asked that before. It was an unlikely journey. SLPD has a get-together for retirees each year. At one, the chief mentioned that they had a program for senior citizens to help around the department. It sounded like a fun way to spend a half-day each week.
On the first day, I was assigned to transport police cars to the corporation yard for service. I got lost and had to return to SLPD and get directions. I was red-faced. Then I got to help empty all the recycle trash cans.
After a few months, I was asked if I would be interested in helping with background investigations, because of personnel shortage. I agreed. Wow! I was given my own office. I never had a private office when I was on the department.
Lieutenant Bob McManus was transferred to the detective bureau about six months later. I’ve known Bob since he was three or four years old. He asked me to come help in his division. How could I refuse?
There were fewer detectives than when I was one fifty years ago. The detectives working burglary and other property crimes were down to two officers. In 1970 I had an average of three car thefts a month. These detectives were getting as many as ten a day; other crimes had increased at similar or greater rates.
My first assignment was to go through a queue of around two thousand open cases. I read every report and closed as many as possible if there were no workable leads or were of a nature that the district attorney would not prosecute. I contacted the victims on cases with any electronics or things normally with serial numbers and attempted to get the numbers. I was often able to identify suspects and help the detectives locate them. My ability to locate people led to the next (additional) assignment. I was now working an average of ten to twelve hours a week.
Missing Persons cases are a high priority for the first twenty-four hours, and then they often sit unworked for years. The Department of Justice conducts an annual audit of all open cases in the country. SLPD had a clerical worker send a letter to the person who reported the MP. Many letters were never answered, and some came back addressee unknown.
“George, can you help and maybe locate this MP?” I soon had over twenty old MP cases, some over twenty years old. I only worked on cases that had gone unworked, often for years.
My most significant help came from the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System https://namus.nij.ojp.gov/ Only one officer in the department knew what it was. Every person who has a missing friend or family member should register and help build background and identifiers in the database. Why? Over 600,00 individuals go missing every year. AND at least 4,400 unidentified bodies are recovered each year.
Within weeks, I was working sixteen to twenty hours a week at SLPD and more at home on these cases. A full-time investigator would have trouble keeping up in San Leandro. There is no such officer at SLPD.
The next time Donnell invites me back, I will tell you about some of those cases. None had hilarious results, some with bodies found, some were unsolved murders, and a few, I believe fell to human trafficking.
About the Book:
The Mona Lisa Sisters is a tender journey into the making of a family. The novel is full of careful historical detail and the pleasure of European trains and cities and plenty of mystery to keep the pages turning, but the greatest delight is Lura Grisham herself. ~ Ramona Ausubel, authors of Sons and Daughters of Ease and Plenty
The Mona Lisa Sisters: Lura Grisham Myer lives a perfect life until her world is ripped apart. Reborn, forged of pain and misery, she battles to recapture happiness with the help of two orphans and a mysterious stranger.
About the Author: Mr. Cramer’s short stories and poems have been published in numerous online and printed anthologies. He was the editor-in-chief of Impressions, the Las Positas College 2015 anthology. He is currently working on the second police procedural novel in the Liberty Trilogy. A thriller spanning four decades is in the final stages of development. The Mona Lisa Sisters, a Historical Literary fiction, is George Cramer’s debut novel.
Excellent interview and information. Thanks Donnell and George.
What a great story-and I love that both of you, George and Donnell, work at helping other authors. That’s the best kind of marketing! Mona Lisa Sisters just went on my TBR list –
Wow George! Such amazing experience. I enjoyed reading about your past experience very much and am so impressed. Looking forward to hearing more.
Great interview, Donnell and George. I continue to be amazed at George’s unswerving dedication and public service. He exemplifies the best of us. Stay strong, brother.
YES, Great Interview. Thanks for sharing.
What a great way to learn more about a terrific guy. Thanks for asking him to be a guest and share his story.
You’re an interesting person, George. Those things didn’t just happen. You earned that advancement.
I’ve worked with George post his police work. He is always dedicated to his commitments and work. He is an inspiring person to work with and for him to take on cold cases doesn’t surprise me. He accepts and thrives on challenges.
George, what a great background and dedication to serving people in need.
These thanks go out to all of you and Donnell for your beautiful comments. Getting a chance to work with so many fantastic authors is our reward. Thank you all!
I enjoyed reading some of your backstory, George. Fascinating!
Thank you, Donnell and George! George, this work is so incredibly important. Thank you for the dedication you’ve shown over your many years of service. We need more investigators like you. (And, of course Donnell asks the question no one else has thought to ask. Kudos, Donnell!)
Another great interview, Donnell. Thanks for inviting George to be your guest today.
Hi George! Excellent post and I enjoyed hearing about your history. Thanks, Donnell, for inviting George to share his story. ?
Wow, that was fascinating! Thank you George, I didn’t really want this blog to end. And congratulations on your new book. It sounds fascinating. Thank you too, Donnell for hosting George.
Thanks for this insightful bio of George Cramer. He’s clearly good at whatever he does be it police work or writing. I’m a fan!
Fascinating!!
Great interview! And a fascinating background. I, too, have worked in the law enforcement arena for the past 20+ years. There’s nothing quite like it. 🙂 Thanks, George & Donnell!
George, what a wealth of knowledge and experience you have! I’m proud to know you. Thanks, Donnell, for posting the interview.
Wow, George! What a fascinating interview and career! I really enjoyed this post, thanks Donnell and George!
Thanks, George!