Hypothetical question...

[CrackDown]

I'm doing some research for a story I'm currently writing and could do with some help. I'm not sure if this is the place to ask, but i'll try.
Say a police detective is off-duty enjoying a holiday on a boat cruise, and he discovers a dead body, who has been murdered. What course of action would he take? Anyone aboard could be the killer, and there are hundreds of guests. If he called in backup, and a load of police officers arrived, wouldn't that spook the guests aboard, could it cause a mass panic if they knew a murderer was on board, but no one knew who it was?

Any help would be great. Thanks

[Wombat311]

Do nothing. The moment he reports it, his holiday is over.

In fact, I would either hide the body better, so it is found after my holiday or tip it overboard.

[Citicop]

Welcome to the forum!

A couple of things about your question:

1.) He wouldn't exactly be calling in "backup" because he's off duty and out of his jurisdiction. He'd be reporting a crime (murder) mostly in the same way that anyone else would.

2.) The murder HAS to be investigated, regardless of how the other passengers feel about it.

3.) The one thing I'm not sure of is the authority responsible for investigating a murder at sea. National vs. Intrernational waters etc... Perhaps one of our resident Coasties could do something useful around here for a change and field this one...

;)

Hope that helps-

Citicop.

[valycop]

I'm doing some research for a story I'm currently writing and could do with some help. I'm not sure if this is the place to ask, but i'll try.
Say a police detective is off-duty enjoying a holiday on a boat cruise, and he discovers a dead body, who has been murdered. What course of action would he take? Anyone aboard could be the killer, and there are hundreds of guests. If he called in backup, and a load of police officers arrived, wouldn't that spook the guests aboard, could it cause a mass panic if they knew a murderer was on board, but no one knew who it was?

Any help would be great. Thanks

Crackdown, your questions are vague, but here goes. I must assume the ship is in international waters so therefore the ships "master at arms" is the chief law enforcement officer for the ship and the responsibility would be his/hers. There is nothing to prevent the detective from helping with the investigation, but as has already been pointed out he has no jurisdiction out on the open seas. If any "backup" were to respond I believe it would come from one or two sources. The government of the country where the ship is registered could send in military personnel or the country of the first port of call could also do the same. For that matter the ship could head for the nearest port that could accomodate the size of the ship.

This does not prevent the captain of the ship from calling upon the US Navy or Coast Guard for assistance, but depending on where in the Atlantic or Pacific would determine how far the Coast Guard would be able to respond leaving the response up to the US Navy if the distance is too great.

I am no authority on this subject and have never had anything even remotely like this ever happen. I'm not sure, but international admiralty law may play a part in this story as well. The Internet is a great place for research so you might want to research admiralty law for possible answers.

[Star]

Secure the crime scene and do what Valycop said. Good God, he is a wealth of information!!!

[Valor55]

As much as what Wombat said is what we're all thinking you'd have to report it. Seal the scene for forensics and guard it.

In reality if you wanted to murder someone on a boat why bother with traditional methods and deal with a body? At night you'd hit them on the head and toss them overboard before anyone saw. The body would be long gone and eaten before ever being discovered. Evidence would be gone. There would be nothing to link the murderer right?

[Wombat311]

Riiiight. And if you do it after a big night on the turps, people will just htink he was drunk and fell overboard. NOD. No Offence Detected. That's even better than me cleaning up after a sloppy murder. :D

[valycop]

Secure the crime scene and do what Valycop said. Good God, he is a wealth of information!!!

Thanks Star, I like to read a lot.

[Citicop]

Of course, that might put a crimp into the investigation, which is the point of the story he's writing.

Plot is the most powerful force in the universe.

;)

Citicop.

[JR_23]

Ignore it, why let a vacation go to waste because somebody had the NERVE to die? :D

[P01IC3M4N]

Say a police detective is off-duty enjoying a holiday on a boat cruise, and he discovers a dead body, who has been murdered. What course of action would he take? Anyone aboard could be the killer, and there are hundreds of guests. If he called in backup, and a load of police officers arrived, wouldn't that spook the guests aboard, could it cause a mass panic if they knew a murderer was on board, but no one knew who it was?

i think this detective would probably be throwing the body of the person he just killed overboard. no way a detective can afford a holiday boat cruise unless he got some extra cash from somewhere. :D

[JR_23]

I've changed my mind...my hypothetical answer is:

It depends, can I justify overtime?

[Deputy757]

i think this detective would probably be throwing the body of the person he just killed overboard. no way a detective can afford a holiday boat cruise unless he got some extra cash from somewhere. :D

Hmmm....I just booked a cruise to the western caribbean! I better move some of my cash around to different offshore accounts. :D
You know, there was a Columbo on Bravo the other day that had this exact plot!

[CrackDown]

Thanks for the replies people it helped.

You know, there was a Columbo on Bravo the other day that had this exact plot!

You know which one, so I can copy it? ;)

[Deputy757]

You know which one, so I can copy it? ;)

LOL...not for sure but I can tell you that the guy who did it was played by Robert Culp!