There are some really good and authentic crime shows on TV. Forensic Files is very good and very factual. The shows on Discovery ID are good stories because of their realism, however, they do add a little "Hollywood" into them from time to time, but the essence of the cases are factual and real.
I like the series with Joe Kenda from the Colorado Springs Police Department called Homicide Hunter. He has an outstanding reputation for being honest and his integrity as a police officer cannot be challenged. He is what we call a real "Sherlock Holmes" because he uses every bit of his brain to solve cases. Even to this day, although he is in his 70's, he is as sharp as a knife.
DNA has been a game changer in law enforcement. It's the best thing to come down the pike since the fingerprint examiner. DNA has solved a lot of cases and also has been used to release prisoners that were at one time found guilty of a crime and now with their DNA not found on any evidence from the crimes have been released. It's probably too bad that some departments have thrown away evidence from old cases that may have freed other not guilty prisoners.
We investigated a double homicide in Pennsylvania in the mid to late 90's. We had three suspects and DNA was found on the murder weapon, which was a .38 caliber handgun. The DNA came back showing which one of the three that the DNA matched and along with another Trooper, I was ordered to go and arrest this man. The other Trooper took the back door and I took the front door. (I always seemed to be the one going through the front door.) The suspect gave up peacefully and we took him into custody without any resistance. We put him in my car and the whole way back to the police department he continued to tell me that he was innocent. It wasn't my job to interview or even interact with him, but he really got on my nerves and I finally told him that he was had. I told him that they had his DNA on the weapon, which he wasn't sure exactly what that was because it was still a new tool being used in investigations. After I explained it to him, he says, "Oh, Hell, you guys got the wrong man." I told him no way. DNA does not lie. He tells me, "Yeah, OK, but I think you guys want to talk to my twin brother." Twins share exact DNA. Long story short, he was telling the truth, but it took awhile to sort it all out. The guy's twin brother was trying to throw him under the bus by blaming his twin. He said we had it right the first time. We brought the boy's mom and dad in and they spoke with the boys and the correct twin stepped up and confessed. After that, I always asked a suspect that I was going to arrest using DNA if they had a twin.
