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For many officers, the stories they collect on the job remain within squad room walls. San Francisco Police Sergeant Adam Plantinga has turned his into the foundation of a second career, using two decades in patrol, investigations and specialized units to fuel both nonfiction accounts and gritty crime novels.
In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley talks with Plantinga about his journey from Milwaukee patrol officer to SFPD sergeant, his acclaimed nonfiction titles “400 Things Cops Know” and “Police Craft,” and his crime series featuring a former Detroit officer. Plantinga explains how real-world policing — from bizarre street encounters to high-stakes cases — shapes his stories, why he moved from nonfiction to fiction, and the strategies he uses to carve out writing time alongside a demanding law enforcement career.
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Tune in to discover:
- How a bizarre unicycle-and-wolf-mask encounter proves real life can be stranger than fiction
- Why Adam Plantinga shifted from nonfiction police accounts to gritty crime novels — and what fuels his creativity
- The writing habits and time hacks that help him produce books while working full-time in law enforcement
- How he weaves authentic police tactics, culture and humor into his stories without compromising privacy
- The advice he gives officers who want to turn their own experiences into published works
Key takeaways from this episode:
- Real life can outpace fiction: Unusual street encounters and unpredictable calls often defy belief, making them rich material for storytelling.
- Humor and candor connect with readers: Sharing police work with wit and honesty can bridge the gap between officers and the public.
- Start writing, then refine: Don’t wait for perfection; first drafts can be fixed, blank pages cannot.
- Draw on trusted resources: Colleagues and subject-matter experts can provide the technical details that bring authenticity to fiction.
- Balance comes from priorities: Skipping time-consuming hobbies (like golf, in Plantinga’s case) frees hours for writing alongside a demanding police career.
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