DIALOGUE WITH THE DEVIL

CONVERSATIONS WITH A SERIAL KILLER

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As a cop, there were some delicious moments when I left the claustrophobic confines of an interview room and punched the air in triumph! Unfortunately, these were rare, since the vast majority of these exchanges – made by fictional television adaptations to feel unnaturally compelling and characteristic of good prevailing over bad ─ followed a rehearsed and predictable routine. However, before I comprehensively extinguish all thoughts of police interviews being some sort of celebration of justice, let me regale you with one instance that still makes me smile. A relatively low-level crime – a burglary at a school – was witnessed by a passer-by who called it into the police. Believing that a suspect had removed something out of school hours and hot-footed it towards a nearby housing estate, they provided a typically vague account of the male offender. Police attended the scene, verified the break-in and loss of a computer, and called upon the support of a police dog. I had the utmost respect for all animals supporting the thin blue line, from the heroic and majestic horses invariably deployed to quell hostile public disorder, to the several breeds of canine who relentlessly pursued their individual talents with a loyalty and endeavor that was simply breathtaking.