An Announcement About a Name Change

An Announcement About a Name Change

For several years, many of you have known my work under the name Old Police Stories.

That name reflected exactly what I was doing at the time: preserving the history, culture, and stories of law enforcement, especially here in West Florida, through research, writing, and firsthand experience.

As the work has grown, so has its scope.

Over time, the stories expanded beyond police history alone. They began to include the crimes themselves, the people involved, the communities affected, the lingering questions, and the shadows those events cast long after the case files were closed. Some of these stories I worked myself. Others I researched deeply. Many came from conversations with detectives, officers, and witnesses who lived with them for years.

Because of that evolution, Old Police Stories no longer fully described what the site had become.

Why the Change?

The new name, Old Gulf Coast Crime Stories, better reflects the heart of the work:

– True crime stories rooted in the Gulf Coast and West Florida

– Cases drawn from official records, firsthand experience, and historical research

– Stories told with care, accuracy, and respect for victims and communities

– An emphasis on place, memory, and the human cost of crime—not just the headlines

This is not a move away from police history.

It’s a widening of the lens.

Law enforcement history remains a core foundation of the site, but it now lives alongside the crimes, investigations, and untold stories that shaped the region we know today.

What Has Not Changed

* The commitment to accuracy and integrity

* The respect shown to victims and families

* The focus on history, context, and truth over sensationalism

* My role as a retired Pensacola Police Officer, police historian, and storyteller

If you followed Old Police Stories, you’re in the right place.

Nothing has been erased…only clarified.

A New Voice Within the Archive

You’ll also see a featured storytelling series called Shadows on the Bayou. This is a narrative imprint within Old Gulf Coast Crime Stories, designed to tell certain cases with a more atmospheric, noir-style voice—without drifting from the facts.

Think of Old Gulf Coast Crime Stories as the archive.

**Shadows on the Bayou** is how some of those stories are told.

Moving Forward

The old site name served its purpose well, and I’m proud of what it represented.

This new name reflects where the work is now—and where it’s going.

Thank you for reading, following, and trusting these stories.

Some fade into records.

Others linger.

Those are the ones you’ll find here.

Michael Earl Simmons