Sunday, February 9, 2014
Woes of an F.T. O. Part 2
In several businesses you will find family members working with each other and sometimes for another family member. This is no different in police agencies. When a brother officer has proven himself to be a dedicated member of his team and a sibling applies to join the ranks it is often given top priority to hire him/her over all other applicants based on an already proven sibling. This can sometimes backfire as the new hire has to live up to the expectations of his/her older sibling.
A very young officer candidate, Officer T, is the brother of Investigator P. Officer T is personable, clean cut, self assured, and eager to prove himself. It is obvious that he isn't happy having to go through the training phases with other officers because he is the brother of Investigator P and he already knows what to do. Or so he thinks! Officer T makes it through the previous 4 phases. The officers that trained him in these phases have reservations about several things but nothing specific to warrant remedial training and they pass him along to other officers in hopes that they may see what they see and feel strong enough to recommend remedial training or more drastic action such as termination.
I am assigned Officer T in the 5th and final phase of training. In this phase I am dressed in plain clothes and I ride in the passenger seat. I do not interfere in Officer T's duties UNLESS he breaks the law or jeopardizes
the safety of the public or ourselves. I opt out of reading the comments of the previous training officers in order to be completely objective in my observations of this phase.
In the first call it is a domestic disturbance where the wife is the aggressor against her husband. Officer T approaches the husband while another officer arrives and talks to the wife, in a separate room. Officer T displayed no concern for the welfare of the husband. He failed to allow him to tell what had happened to prompt the argument. Officer T simply became rather obnoxious to the male and told him to 'get a grip' and stand up for himself. He further stated to the male that he should be the boss in his own home. If his wife wouldn't listen to him he needed to get an 'equalizer' to get her attention. I was aghast at his advice to become violent. The poor husband was in shock too. Thankfully, the other uniformed officer gave better advice to the wife and there was a peaceful resolution. As we were departing the scene Officer T became indignant toward the husband and began to laugh at the weakness he felt he displayed. Then he began to laugh out loud uncontrollably. I was shocked at this demeanor. I noted his immaturity and lack of sympathy.
The main purpose in Officer T being an officer was to run radar and write traffic citations. He was a fast study in the operation of the radar unit. Currently, he held the record for the most traffic citations written by a candidate officer in training and he was so proud of this.
On one afternoon we were assigned to the northeast corner of the City. The roadway we were on was a busy street with 2 lanes in each direction and a turn lane in the middle of the two. There are several businesses and apartment complexes along this road.
Officer T pulled into the parking lot of a car wash and began monitoring traffic with radar in a stationary mode. He was monitoring eastbound traffic. In a few moments he was alerted to a violator speeding towards him. The speeder was traveling 60 mph in a 45 mile an hour zone. The violator was 3 lanes from where we were parked. Of course there was also traffic in the westbound lanes. Officer T simply turned on his siren and did not even turn on his overhead lights (which is mandatory for emergency vehicles) and pulled into the traffic without giving them time to hear him and respond. There were several near misses for accidents with his zeal to catch the speeder. I was petrified that we were going to have an accident. When he finally cleared this portion of the roadway he then turned on his overhead lights and called in the pursuit. After traveling about 2 miles he was able to stop the vehicle just outside the city limits. He got out of his car and nearly ran to the suspect vehicle, he was so enraged that someone would run from him! I also exited the car and walked to the passenger side so I could hear his conversation with the driver. Officer T demanded the license of the driver and he failed to ID himself as was procedure. The driver was an elderly lady who was very hard of hearing and she kept asking him to repeat himself, which infuriated him. Officer T soon removed the female driver from the car and walked with her to the passenger side of the car which was off the roadway and away from traffic. She saw me and she relaxed some but Officer T demanded her attention to him. She told him that she was 88 years old and never had a ticket. She was going to a hospital out of town as her grandson was in a car wreck and admitted to a hospital, she needed to go! She also did not have her driver's license with her. This did not sit well with Officer T. He then told her she was under arrest for RECKLESS DRIVING. She asked if she could call her son, he was the school district administrator for the City, to take her home and Officer T told her she could call him from the jail. He placed handcuffs on this poor lady and placed her in the patrol car and had her car towed. He was so proud of himself!
Officer T took the prisoner to the jail where I also spoke with the Sergeant on duty. The Sergeant called the lady's son and asked him to come to the jail and get his mother. She was released to the custody of her son the very minute he got there. Officer T was not happy. The Sergeant spoke with him and what was said I do not know as I excused myself. Thankfully, our shift was about over and it was time to begin documenting the days events. I was ready to be done! But tomorrow was another day.
The next day, prior to our shift, Officer T inquired as to how I would have handled the traffic arrest from the day before. I told him I would have taken in to consideration the driver's age. She was concerned over a family member. This may not have justified her speed but it was understandable. I would have written a traffic citation for the offense and called her son to pick her up. Service to the citizens of the city is part of our job. Understanding and compassion are traits we as officers have to use at times.
Officer T promptly responded to me and said, 'If I wanted to be a preacher, I wouldn't be wearing this badge! I represent the law and people WILL do as I say!'
As he prepared the patrol unit for our tour of duty I began to really take a hard look at him as an officer.
He really had an attitude as to the meaning of his job. The badge reflected that he was the 'law' and because of that he demanded respect. Respect was earned not demanded. He had to prove to others that he was as good if not better than his brother. He could not afford to fail.
Yet I know that to learn you must fail and you must accept the failure so you can learn from it. I really don't feel that Officer T is capable of that acceptance.
Once we are in our area Officer T goes to the area of the car wash where he was the day before. Rather than parking in the parking lot today he stops in the left turn lane facing west and monitors traffic also westbound. There is no place in this area to make a left turn and I ask him what he's doing, he tells me he is running radar at which time the radar locks in and squeals telling him a violator is traveling towards us from behind. As the violator passes us on my side he begins to pull out with no lights on or siren when I hear a siren and I yell for him to stop. He slams on the brakes and a police unit from a neighboring city flies by in pursuit of a stolen vehicle. We then follow him as his backup in emergency mode. This is proper protocol. After the suspect is stopped and in custody, we return to our police department. After our arrival I check the unit's radio and find that Officer T had turned off all other channels except ours. This is a violation of our protocol for instances such as what we were involved in on that day. Because of it we came very close to being involved in a major accident. Carelessness in the police world can be deadly.
An emergency meeting with Officer T, the Sergeant, the Lieutenant, and I was called. Prior to Officer T entering this meeting I informed the Managers of the past experiences involving Officer T the past 4 days. I specifically told them he was a danger to himself and the citizens of the city and I refused to continue training him. They concurred. I also requested that I be the one to tell him in their presence. We knew that he would be terminated as he was probationary and his reaction to this was uncertain.
As Officer T walked in to the office he was all grins and boasting about how great he was in his duties today! As I began talking to him I emphatically told him that he was not so great today or all week for that matter. He was stunned. As I relived the events of the previous few days and pointed out the flaws in his reasoning Officer T was becoming angry at me because I was weak as most women are according to his beliefs. He was told that if being compassionate, caring, and sympathetic is weak then how did his brother get to be such a good investigator? These are the qualities of a good police officer. In a few years when he matures and develops these traits I sincerely hoped he would reapply for an officer position. Painfully, I had to remove his badge from his uniform and direct him to human resources. This was the most unpleasant part of my job.
After he left the building, I read the summations of all the previous training officers. By all rights Officer T should never have made it to the 5th phase. Honesty should win out over loyalty every time. In this instance it was the only answer that provided a solution to keeping safe those I was sworn to protect. This provided salvation to the citizens and peace of mind to me!
Affirmative Action
In the early months of the year 1987 the Supreme Court of the United States ruled on Affirmative Action in police agency hiring practices. This ruling stated that for every white person hired or promoted there is to be one black person hired or promoted as well. This ruling was to combat law enforcement departments overt and defiant acts of racism in hiring.
The police department I was working for thought they had the answer to the Affirmative Action law to have black employees in the patrol division of the Department by encompassing the employees who worked the jail. Many of these were Black or of Latin descent. With the new ruling this would no longer suffice.
I grew up in the Seattle, Washington area of the northwest and discrimination was not practiced so I did not understand the reasoning for the omission of blacks or other minorities from being hired. You can imagine my surprise to learn that I was considered a minority just for being white and female!
Treating people like people was and still is my mantra. The color of their skin has no bearing on it!
As a Field Training Officer, I was given the responsibility to train the first black patrol officer. I knew from past experience that there were those that had hoped he would not pass the training. BUT they failed to recognize that I also was aware of these same feelings from them when I went through the training process. In my heart I felt that come hell or high water he would make it! It seemed ironic that a minority officer would be training a minority officer candidate.
Officer S began his formal training for the first 3 phases of the training program with male officers. He became my responsibility in the 4 phase which was also the longest phase. I started his training by getting to know him and his aspirations. He was very determined. After a few days it was apparent to me that he had no fear in the face of the citizens he was sworn to protect. He had fear alright but it was of me as I held the power to make him or break him in this job.
I knew I had to convince him that I had no such power, he was responsible for his own destiny. I could teach him the fundamentals of the job but he had to make the job his own. I further told him that he had to know that pinning the badge on his shirt did not make him anything or anyone special. He would still be himself. He had to make the badge mean something to others. Being true to the meaning of the badge and the job by your words and actions will be what makes you or breaks you.
Halfway through the training phase I let Officer S be in charge of our unit. He did all the driving and he would be the initial officer of contact. When we'd arrive at a call I would hang back a little (as I was well known by the citizens) to see how he was received and how he handled it. At first he was met with angst and disdain by white citizens. I noticed it but he never acknowledged their ignorance and he provided them with answers and assistance as if they were his family. Of course, there were times where no matter what he said he had to prove that he meant what he said. In these times we more often than not ended up in a physical confrontation. We often ended up on the bottom of a 'pig pile' and had to be rescued by other officers but we always did it as a TEAM. He had my back and I had his.
At the end of the training phase Officer S would next enter his final phase of training. I closed my 4 weeks of training with him by telling him that from the very beginning there was never a thought in my mind that he would fail. I want him as a fellow officer and only he, himself, has the ability to make it or not. Fulfillment as a police officer or a human being comes with sacrifice and service. The decision is up to each of us.
Officer S went on to become one of the most revered officers in the police department. He retired about 2 years ago and during a trip to Texas in 2013 I was able to see him again. Officer S told me that it was my confidence in him and my encouragement and unconditional belief in doing what's right that solidified his successes. Even in my absence he'd recall my passion for helping others and making the badge mean something. He wanted me to know how much I had touched him in 4 short weeks that lasted for 25+ years.
I feel that without the Affirmative Action law I would not have met Officer S. The Lord works in mysterious ways and I believe He had a hand in this as well. This door was opened for a reason and the salvation of our fellow man, no matter the color of our skin, was the purpose.
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Woes of an F.T.O. part 1
In 1980 the police department brought a new training program in along with a new training center. This training center used to be a building used by the welfare department and before then it was a satellite fire station. The training center was on the outskirts of the City Cemetery.
The new Field Training Officer Program was to have trainers that were senior officers that were exceptional in their investigative abilities, knowledge of the traffic codes, penal code (criminal laws of Texas) and had exceptional knowledge of department policies and procedures. With this criteria officers applied for the position and were quizzed by a board to fill positions available.
I was one of the applicants and was appointed a Field Training Officer. To distinguish an F.T.O. from the other officers we worn blue and yellow epaulets on our shoulders.
We began our new responsibility by completing background checks of new applicants. We'd actually go out and interview references on all those that wanted to be police officers. It was an amazing experience and I found it quite rewarding. Some would make it to the interview board. There were high hopes for those that made it to the Field Training Officer Program.
There were 5 training phases. By the end of the third phase if a probationary officer was having a particular problem with any task their training officer could request they be sent for a week of 'remedial training'. One of the alternate trainers would have the responsibility to re-train the probationary officer for 1 week. Upon the return to his/her assigned F.T.O. they would determine if he/she was proficient enough to continue in the training program. If the probationary officer was unable to perform the re-trained tasks the F.T.O. would document all observations and present them to a board of all the trainers for further training or termination.
During the final phase of training the F.T.O. would wear plainclothes.This way the public would address the uniformed officer who should be able to handle the issues presented. The F.T.O. would only get involved if it was a life or death situation. This phase lasted for 2 weeks and the officer would be released to be on his/her own. This training program was much more extensive than what I had experienced 3 years earlier.
The police department was mandated to hire minorities. I was the only female so having me as a training officer for others was a benefit for the program.
As luck would have it my first trainee was a female. I will call her Officer MW. I was assigned Officer MW during her Phase 3 training. This would be a 6 week period for us as a team. During our patrol time we learned about each other. She was a local girl that had grown up in town. Her parents owned a home in the southwest section. During this phase of training I drove during the first week to acclimate my trainee to what was expected of them when they were given the responsibility to drive. As the driver that officer would be in charge of the team. This first week went well. We weren't real busy and so we were able to cover a lot of area in town and meet some citizens in our area. It was important that she be exposed to who belonged in the area so she'd recognize someone who was out of ordinary.
The following week was Officer M.W.'s turn to drive. She was given the keys and she was to prepare the patrol unit for our shift while I prepared forms I would need to complete while observing her during our shift.
She would pick me up at the backdoor when she was ready to go. This preparation usually took no more than 15 minutes, but after 30 minutes she still had not driven to the back door so I walked up to the east lot, where the patrol cars are parked, and found her standing outside our assigned vehicle. She had locked the ignition keys in the trunk of the vehicle when she put her briefcase inside and she didn't know what to do. She never thought to get a hold of her Sergeant or me for help so she just stood in the parking lot. I attributed this to nerves and encouraged her to shake it off. All our units operated with universal keys so we always had access to a spare. We finally made our way to our area of town that I was assigned to work. This area was specific to her residence area so I felt this may be too easy for her to navigate. We were at the city limits on the very southwest corner of town. Officer MW received a call from the dispatcher to respond to a major accident on a major road known as Jasper Drive. She acknowledged the call. She then was to proceed to this traffic accident Code 3 which was as an emergency vehicle. Instead she simply took her time.I was very surprised at her response or lack of it. After a minute I asked her where we were going? She told me the right location but she did not seem to understand that it was an emergency response. I directed her to turn on the siren and the overhead lights so people would get out of our way. She did this BUT she still drove the speed limit. We eventually got to the scene. Our backup unit had been there for 5 minutes before we arrived so he was in charge of the scene. He had to tell her where to go and what specifically to do. She was able to complete these tasks. They were menial tasks as I assisted the injured and the damaged vehicle towing from the scene.
After the scene was cleared we moved our unit to a nearby parking lot to complete our portion of the report.
Officer MW would complete the report. She did not ask any questions and actually completed the report as was expected.
At the halfway point in this training phase Officer MW was found to have great report writing ability. She failed to make any traffic stops for citation or warning purposes. So I thought perhaps it was due to the area we were patrolling. Maybe it was too close to home, so I requested we be assigned to another area on the northeast side of town. Hopefully, she'd respond differently.
Upon our reassignment I explained that she needed to be more assertive in her daily tasks. She verbalized that she understood.
When prompted for questions she never had any. This was very unusual. In the middle of the week I drove and had Officer MW put on a blindfold. I drove the unit out to a back road and I parked the car with the headlights off. I then had Officer MW remove her blindfold. I told her to figure out where she was then relate to me that information as if I were the dispatcher. She looked around, got out of the car and walked around. She then got back in to the car and sat down in the driver's seat. "What did you see outside?", I asked. She was unable to answer because she was crying so hard. This reaction startled me. So I told her she needed to start the car and drive until she realized where she was. Then I wanted her to stop and tell me where she'd been. After driving out of the area to the main roadway she finally stopped at a local mall. By then she was physically ill and unable to complete our shift of duty. I drove us back to the police department and talked with the Sergeant. I requested he allow her to go home. He agreed and she was relieved to go home for the night.
This was a turning point in Officer MW's training. I went over all the incidents with her I had observed and documented. It was then very clear to me that she was just plain scared to do her job. After an in-depth conversation with the Sergeant and Lieutenant on my shift it was determined that Officer MW would ride with them for the next 2 days for further evaluation. I was given those 2 days off so they could see if it was different with me not there. I agreed.
At the beginning of the fourth week's training I was brought in for a conference about Officer MW's performance the previous week with the Supervisors. According to them she has no sense of direction and she cannot read a city map. She could not tell east from west or north from south. She knows the area of her residence ONLY. She is afraid of the dark. The one thing they found out truly frightened me!
Officer MW carried the bullets to her duty weapon in her shirt pocket. Her gun was never loaded. She hasn't loaded it since she started her training period. Oh, my goodness!
Now, I am concerned. Instead of continuing her training I immediately petitioned for a review and I requested for her to be terminated from the program. This was very difficult for me as I felt it was a reflection on my training ability. The review board agreed with my findings and subsequently Officer MW was terminated as a probationary officer.
I would later find that it was my training tactics as a female officer that was truly appropriate. I knew what was needed to be a patrol unit alone. She felt protected by her male trainers and they were able to pass her through the first two phases. It wasn't until she realized that I represented where she would eventually be, which was basically alone.
Her falling apart in the dark police unit was a form of salvation for not only her but myself and all the other officers in the police department. She may have made it through the training program and eventually hurt herself or one of us. Now, I see that the Lord does work in mysterious ways.
Thank You, Jesus.
The new Field Training Officer Program was to have trainers that were senior officers that were exceptional in their investigative abilities, knowledge of the traffic codes, penal code (criminal laws of Texas) and had exceptional knowledge of department policies and procedures. With this criteria officers applied for the position and were quizzed by a board to fill positions available.
I was one of the applicants and was appointed a Field Training Officer. To distinguish an F.T.O. from the other officers we worn blue and yellow epaulets on our shoulders.
We began our new responsibility by completing background checks of new applicants. We'd actually go out and interview references on all those that wanted to be police officers. It was an amazing experience and I found it quite rewarding. Some would make it to the interview board. There were high hopes for those that made it to the Field Training Officer Program.
There were 5 training phases. By the end of the third phase if a probationary officer was having a particular problem with any task their training officer could request they be sent for a week of 'remedial training'. One of the alternate trainers would have the responsibility to re-train the probationary officer for 1 week. Upon the return to his/her assigned F.T.O. they would determine if he/she was proficient enough to continue in the training program. If the probationary officer was unable to perform the re-trained tasks the F.T.O. would document all observations and present them to a board of all the trainers for further training or termination.
During the final phase of training the F.T.O. would wear plainclothes.This way the public would address the uniformed officer who should be able to handle the issues presented. The F.T.O. would only get involved if it was a life or death situation. This phase lasted for 2 weeks and the officer would be released to be on his/her own. This training program was much more extensive than what I had experienced 3 years earlier.
The police department was mandated to hire minorities. I was the only female so having me as a training officer for others was a benefit for the program.
As luck would have it my first trainee was a female. I will call her Officer MW. I was assigned Officer MW during her Phase 3 training. This would be a 6 week period for us as a team. During our patrol time we learned about each other. She was a local girl that had grown up in town. Her parents owned a home in the southwest section. During this phase of training I drove during the first week to acclimate my trainee to what was expected of them when they were given the responsibility to drive. As the driver that officer would be in charge of the team. This first week went well. We weren't real busy and so we were able to cover a lot of area in town and meet some citizens in our area. It was important that she be exposed to who belonged in the area so she'd recognize someone who was out of ordinary.
The following week was Officer M.W.'s turn to drive. She was given the keys and she was to prepare the patrol unit for our shift while I prepared forms I would need to complete while observing her during our shift.
She would pick me up at the backdoor when she was ready to go. This preparation usually took no more than 15 minutes, but after 30 minutes she still had not driven to the back door so I walked up to the east lot, where the patrol cars are parked, and found her standing outside our assigned vehicle. She had locked the ignition keys in the trunk of the vehicle when she put her briefcase inside and she didn't know what to do. She never thought to get a hold of her Sergeant or me for help so she just stood in the parking lot. I attributed this to nerves and encouraged her to shake it off. All our units operated with universal keys so we always had access to a spare. We finally made our way to our area of town that I was assigned to work. This area was specific to her residence area so I felt this may be too easy for her to navigate. We were at the city limits on the very southwest corner of town. Officer MW received a call from the dispatcher to respond to a major accident on a major road known as Jasper Drive. She acknowledged the call. She then was to proceed to this traffic accident Code 3 which was as an emergency vehicle. Instead she simply took her time.I was very surprised at her response or lack of it. After a minute I asked her where we were going? She told me the right location but she did not seem to understand that it was an emergency response. I directed her to turn on the siren and the overhead lights so people would get out of our way. She did this BUT she still drove the speed limit. We eventually got to the scene. Our backup unit had been there for 5 minutes before we arrived so he was in charge of the scene. He had to tell her where to go and what specifically to do. She was able to complete these tasks. They were menial tasks as I assisted the injured and the damaged vehicle towing from the scene.
After the scene was cleared we moved our unit to a nearby parking lot to complete our portion of the report.
Officer MW would complete the report. She did not ask any questions and actually completed the report as was expected.
At the halfway point in this training phase Officer MW was found to have great report writing ability. She failed to make any traffic stops for citation or warning purposes. So I thought perhaps it was due to the area we were patrolling. Maybe it was too close to home, so I requested we be assigned to another area on the northeast side of town. Hopefully, she'd respond differently.
Upon our reassignment I explained that she needed to be more assertive in her daily tasks. She verbalized that she understood.
When prompted for questions she never had any. This was very unusual. In the middle of the week I drove and had Officer MW put on a blindfold. I drove the unit out to a back road and I parked the car with the headlights off. I then had Officer MW remove her blindfold. I told her to figure out where she was then relate to me that information as if I were the dispatcher. She looked around, got out of the car and walked around. She then got back in to the car and sat down in the driver's seat. "What did you see outside?", I asked. She was unable to answer because she was crying so hard. This reaction startled me. So I told her she needed to start the car and drive until she realized where she was. Then I wanted her to stop and tell me where she'd been. After driving out of the area to the main roadway she finally stopped at a local mall. By then she was physically ill and unable to complete our shift of duty. I drove us back to the police department and talked with the Sergeant. I requested he allow her to go home. He agreed and she was relieved to go home for the night.
This was a turning point in Officer MW's training. I went over all the incidents with her I had observed and documented. It was then very clear to me that she was just plain scared to do her job. After an in-depth conversation with the Sergeant and Lieutenant on my shift it was determined that Officer MW would ride with them for the next 2 days for further evaluation. I was given those 2 days off so they could see if it was different with me not there. I agreed.
At the beginning of the fourth week's training I was brought in for a conference about Officer MW's performance the previous week with the Supervisors. According to them she has no sense of direction and she cannot read a city map. She could not tell east from west or north from south. She knows the area of her residence ONLY. She is afraid of the dark. The one thing they found out truly frightened me!
Officer MW carried the bullets to her duty weapon in her shirt pocket. Her gun was never loaded. She hasn't loaded it since she started her training period. Oh, my goodness!
Now, I am concerned. Instead of continuing her training I immediately petitioned for a review and I requested for her to be terminated from the program. This was very difficult for me as I felt it was a reflection on my training ability. The review board agreed with my findings and subsequently Officer MW was terminated as a probationary officer.
I would later find that it was my training tactics as a female officer that was truly appropriate. I knew what was needed to be a patrol unit alone. She felt protected by her male trainers and they were able to pass her through the first two phases. It wasn't until she realized that I represented where she would eventually be, which was basically alone.
Her falling apart in the dark police unit was a form of salvation for not only her but myself and all the other officers in the police department. She may have made it through the training program and eventually hurt herself or one of us. Now, I see that the Lord does work in mysterious ways.
Thank You, Jesus.
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Good Guys vs Bad Guys...
While I never thought much about notoriety as an officer of the law there were always reporters and or camera crews following any major event that happened in Killeen. Being seen on the evening news was not new but the events of October 16, 1991 brought worldwide attention to this small military town.
Wednesday, October 16, 1991, was 'BOSSES DAY'.
It was a sunny crisp and cool morning. It was a day for my regular bowling league at 9:00 a.m. at the Hallmark Lanes on the southeast side of town. After we finished bowling we all usually go to the Luby's Cafeteria for lunch. We'd be done by 10:30 or 11:00 a.m. and the business would just be opening about then.
The league finished that day quite early so those of us that usually went to lunch decided that this day we wouldn't go as it was going to be crowded with professionals from the Killeen School District for the bosses day celebration. And it was not going to open for at least another hour. So we talked over coffee about our scores and upcoming tournaments. I drove by Luby's on my way home and noticed the parking lot was beginning to fill up with customers. I no sooner got home and changed my clothes when I began to hear sirens. There were lots of them! Something was wrong as this was highly unusual for this time of day. My home phone began to ring and it was the police department calling in for all available personnel to report immediately. Something major was happening.
The following is a brief synopsis of what we were told;
'At 12:39 p.m. GEORGE JO HENNARD, 35 years old, drove his pickup truck through the front window of Luby's Cafeteria. As he exited his truck he started firing two semi-automatic pistols at the occupants. Members of the Killeen Police Department and Texas Department of Public Safety arrived less than five minutes later and a gun battle commenced. At approximately 12:51 p.m., Hennard shot himself after being wounded by police.'
After this chain of events recovery of the wounded during a medical evacuation, we found thirty three people wounded. This was deemed the worst mass-shooting in the United States history as of that date.
Within 3 heartbeats, of the initial crash, everyone knew the unexpected, unbelievable, terrifying truth. The driver had two semi-automatic pistols and the pops were the methodical discharge of their combined thirty-four cartridges. From surviving witnesses the shooter was calm and would occasionally smirk as he fired point blank shots to the heads of his targets. He would shout, 'This is for what Bell County did to me and my family! This is payback! Was it worth it!' His face was a steel mask of insane determination. He was a killing machine without logic, remorse, or tangible motive.
The crime scene would take nearly 12 hours to process and the bodies of those who were already deceased stayed in the building during the entire processing. It became apparent that the shooter zeroed in on young blonde females. The lady that was a local beautician, another lady and her friend, also blondes, were found hugging each other in their death pose. It was heartbreaking and a war zone that a lot of officers and myself had never been fully prepared for. The victims worked for the school district, local car dealership, utility company or WalMart and were known to officers.
Removing the wounded from the scene became even more heartbreaking. As we loaded mortally wounded men and women on medi-vac helicopters, some were begging us to 'not let me die'! To comfort them we would tell them we were not going to let them die. Little did we know that as soon as we let go of their hands they died. The chopper would lift off and head for the trauma center only to discover that saving these lives was futile and that GOD had already taken them home. A moment of reassurance for these victims was all we could give as our Heavenly Father was in charge at this crime scene.
The shooter was known to me as was his sister and his father. His father was an Army doctor on Ft. Hood. The family was very dysfunctional but no one saw this coming.
This is a true tale of good and evil.
Outside the Community Center off of W.S. Young Drive in Killeen now stands a bench with a monument listing the date and the names of the 23 victims of the Luby's Masssacre. The defining events of October 16, 1991, will not slip from time for everyone within the emotional radius of Luby's four minutes of murder. This has created a life's mission for all who participated in the event or suffered because of it. The mission is-HOPE FROM DESPAIR.
A book was written documenting the entire episode of the day. The authors, Jason and Elinor Karpf, entitled it ANATOMY OF A MASSACRE. The book is dedicated to all the victims, the rescuers, law enforcement officers, healers, and everyone caught in the shock wave from this devastating act of evil.
Looking back my memory is as clear now as it was in 1991. Now, I have reassurance that Jesus Christ was with all of us that day. He was there to bring home all of the innocent victims and one day they will be reunited with their loved ones. He brought me to it, he took me through it, and today, I am who I am because of his unwavering love and support he provided during the tough days following it. Jesus Christ is my Salvation.
Wednesday, October 16, 1991, was 'BOSSES DAY'.
It was a sunny crisp and cool morning. It was a day for my regular bowling league at 9:00 a.m. at the Hallmark Lanes on the southeast side of town. After we finished bowling we all usually go to the Luby's Cafeteria for lunch. We'd be done by 10:30 or 11:00 a.m. and the business would just be opening about then.
The league finished that day quite early so those of us that usually went to lunch decided that this day we wouldn't go as it was going to be crowded with professionals from the Killeen School District for the bosses day celebration. And it was not going to open for at least another hour. So we talked over coffee about our scores and upcoming tournaments. I drove by Luby's on my way home and noticed the parking lot was beginning to fill up with customers. I no sooner got home and changed my clothes when I began to hear sirens. There were lots of them! Something was wrong as this was highly unusual for this time of day. My home phone began to ring and it was the police department calling in for all available personnel to report immediately. Something major was happening.
The following is a brief synopsis of what we were told;
'At 12:39 p.m. GEORGE JO HENNARD, 35 years old, drove his pickup truck through the front window of Luby's Cafeteria. As he exited his truck he started firing two semi-automatic pistols at the occupants. Members of the Killeen Police Department and Texas Department of Public Safety arrived less than five minutes later and a gun battle commenced. At approximately 12:51 p.m., Hennard shot himself after being wounded by police.'
After this chain of events recovery of the wounded during a medical evacuation, we found thirty three people wounded. This was deemed the worst mass-shooting in the United States history as of that date.
Within 3 heartbeats, of the initial crash, everyone knew the unexpected, unbelievable, terrifying truth. The driver had two semi-automatic pistols and the pops were the methodical discharge of their combined thirty-four cartridges. From surviving witnesses the shooter was calm and would occasionally smirk as he fired point blank shots to the heads of his targets. He would shout, 'This is for what Bell County did to me and my family! This is payback! Was it worth it!' His face was a steel mask of insane determination. He was a killing machine without logic, remorse, or tangible motive.
The crime scene would take nearly 12 hours to process and the bodies of those who were already deceased stayed in the building during the entire processing. It became apparent that the shooter zeroed in on young blonde females. The lady that was a local beautician, another lady and her friend, also blondes, were found hugging each other in their death pose. It was heartbreaking and a war zone that a lot of officers and myself had never been fully prepared for. The victims worked for the school district, local car dealership, utility company or WalMart and were known to officers.
Removing the wounded from the scene became even more heartbreaking. As we loaded mortally wounded men and women on medi-vac helicopters, some were begging us to 'not let me die'! To comfort them we would tell them we were not going to let them die. Little did we know that as soon as we let go of their hands they died. The chopper would lift off and head for the trauma center only to discover that saving these lives was futile and that GOD had already taken them home. A moment of reassurance for these victims was all we could give as our Heavenly Father was in charge at this crime scene.
The shooter was known to me as was his sister and his father. His father was an Army doctor on Ft. Hood. The family was very dysfunctional but no one saw this coming.
This is a true tale of good and evil.
Outside the Community Center off of W.S. Young Drive in Killeen now stands a bench with a monument listing the date and the names of the 23 victims of the Luby's Masssacre. The defining events of October 16, 1991, will not slip from time for everyone within the emotional radius of Luby's four minutes of murder. This has created a life's mission for all who participated in the event or suffered because of it. The mission is-HOPE FROM DESPAIR.
A book was written documenting the entire episode of the day. The authors, Jason and Elinor Karpf, entitled it ANATOMY OF A MASSACRE. The book is dedicated to all the victims, the rescuers, law enforcement officers, healers, and everyone caught in the shock wave from this devastating act of evil.
Looking back my memory is as clear now as it was in 1991. Now, I have reassurance that Jesus Christ was with all of us that day. He was there to bring home all of the innocent victims and one day they will be reunited with their loved ones. He brought me to it, he took me through it, and today, I am who I am because of his unwavering love and support he provided during the tough days following it. Jesus Christ is my Salvation.
Sunday, August 11, 2013
I have the right to........
The town where I worked is only in existence because of a large military installation at its borders.
So a large part of the population are either military personnel or dependents. Typical military is that this population isn't stagnant by any means. Nearly all of the soldiers move in for 2 years and then they move on to another location. Usually, if I'd come in contact with them I would not see them again unless it was a felony case where they were detained in the County jail.
At one time there seemed to be an influx of military moving to town with wives from Korea or Cambodia. These women were subservient to their husbands as is the custom in their homeland. The husband would attempt to keep them out of the American society as much as possible out of fear that they would become 'Americanized".
Soldiers spent several days and nights in the field at Ft. Hood, Texas and they were not allowed to go home until the maneuvers were completed. This left a lot time for the wives to get lonesome and seek friendship from other wives. There were bars and clubs galore in nearby towns, bingo was very prevalent as were churches. But, churches were not open late at night so other entertainment was pursued. All these things cost money that these families did not have a lot of. When the spouses would come home from the fields and either didn't find their wives at home or they discovered all the money in the bank gone this caused trouble. Domestic disturbances can be deadly for police officers as spouses who argue and fight with each is one thing but when an officer gets involved he or she has to respond according to the laws and not according to emotions.
One night my partner and I responded to a domestic disturbance called in by neighbors. Upon our arrival we heard the fight in the parking lot. The lady was screaming loudly and we were able to hear her being slapped by someone. A male voice was yelling at her, "I am going to send you back to your parents! You spent all our money and now you will be deported!" As we walked into the residence through an open door we found them in a bedroom. We separated the husband from his wife. She was a very small Korean girl probably no more than 20 years old. Her face was bruised and red and she was visibly upset and crying. When I calmed her down she related to me that her husband had left her some money when he went to the field and she had to use it to get a ride to go to the doctor in his absence. She had to use it all and he was angry about it. She begged me not to let him send her back to her parents as she'd be disgraced.
I contacted my partner to find out what the husband's story was. He had related nearly the same story. He was upset that she'd spent the cash he'd given her. I asked if he was aware of what she'd spent it on and I was told it didn't matter why. It was his money and she was to have saved it for him.
As we calmed down both parties in this dispute we eventually brought them together in the same room. The husband told us that it was 'his right' to strike his wife if she disobeyed him. He brought her to the United States and he could have her deported whenever he wanted. I was taken aback at his cockiness and total disregard for his wife as another person. So I politely told him that he was dead WRONG! As long as she has an alien visa she would not be deported on his word alone. As for the money it was as much hers as it is his. She is his spouse and Texas is a community property state which means that 50% of what he owns she owns. I recognize that law and so does the military.
I further explained to him that I as an officer of the law have rights to protect both he and his wife from harm. The harm may be from either of them or another. By the look of the bruises on his wife's face it is doubtful in my mind that she received them from herself so in order for me to fully protect her you are leaving the residence at least for the night or maybe more. Of course this made him more angry and I told him if he continued to be abusive he'd be going to jail but because of his financial issues I would be dropping him off at the east gate of Ft Hood where the military police will deal with him. This is my right! After a few phone calls the arrangements were made and my partner took the husband to Ft. Hood.
After they'd left I made sure the wife was going to be alright and I even called a friend to come stay with her. As we were waiting for the arrival of her friend we visited. I reassured her that she would NOT BE DEPORTED. She was relieved. Out of curiosity I asked her how much money did he leave you while he was in the field for 2 weeks? She told me it was only twenty dollars! She further related that she was sick everyday and had to get a taxi to take her to the doctor where she found out that she is pregnant. This child is having a child and her husband needs to grow up!
I truly hope they make it.
As was usual the wife did not want to file any assault charges against her husband. We had the ability to either arrest or turn the issue over to the military at that time. I hoped that I made the right choice as I brought the young family some salvation from harm.
For a short time I was an investigator with the detective division and I was able to work all different types of criminal cases. This is truly a learning experience that has stayed with me even to this day.
The following case was very difficult to investigate but the outcome is true justice.
A young girl, 16 years old, had told a school counselor that she had been sexually assaulted. She refused to tell the counselor who had committed the assault. The school called the police department and reported what the young girl had related to them. This is a heinous crime and we respond quickly to them. Myself and another investigator went to the school. We asked the principal to contact the girls mother and to have her come to the school right away. We also requested that she not be told the issue over the phone and to reassure her that her daughter was alright.
While awaiting the arrival of the girl's mother I gathered as much information about the child's full name and address and parents name as I could. I found that her father was a military officer and her mother a business professional.
When the mother arrived at the school she panicked when she realized that we were the police even though we were not in uniform but plainclothes. As we sat in an office with the girl and her mother the girl told us all that she had been raped. She was visibly shaking and crying. She even seemed to be in a catatonic state as she stared straight ahead as she spoke. Her mother immediately asked," Who did this to you?" Her daughter did not respond, except to cry.
My partner explained to the mother that we would be transporting her daughter to a local hospital for medical attention and to obtain evidence via a 'rape kit'. She would be taken in an unmarked police
vehicle and she was welcome to ride along, if she desired. The mother stated that she would go but she needed to call her husband first. The young girl then started begging her mother not to tell her father what had happened. Over and over again she'd beg, "please don't tell him!" The surprised mother relinquished and told the girl that she wouldn't tell him.
Upon our arrival at the hospital the young girl was taken to a solitary exam room by my partner as I stayed with the mother. After the proper paperwork was completed for the hospital record I began to interview the mother. I asked questions about her daughter's social life and home life. The mother spoke with a lot of pride when she related that her daughter was an honor roll student, had lots of friends, and went to church faithfully each week. She is a 'good' girl and mom can't understand how this could happen. I learned that there is a brother in the family but he is older and away at college.
When I asked about the outburst over the father being told of the situation the mother said it was probably because her daughter is a 'daddy's ' girl.
Upon the completion of the evidence processing we brought the mother and the girl to the offices of the detective unit where written statements were completed. The young girl asked her mother if she could go stay with her grandmother for the night and weekend? She had no school on Friday (the next day) she didn't want to be alone. Her mother granted her request and gave me the address and phone number where her daughter would be staying. Due to the time of night that it was I dropped the mother off at the school to get her car and I then took her daughter to her grandmother's home.
Finally, this day was over! I went home but the events of the day played over and over in my mind.
Our day starts early as we clock in at 8 a.m. We discuss the reports from the night before of the 16 year old victim. Crisis intervention and counseling for her is very much needed. We decide that we need to contact her father and ask him to come to the station so we can talk to him.
I call the civil liaison office at Ft. Hood and ask that they escort this officer to us. The Sergeant on duty tells me that he is not an officer that he is only a Warrant Officer which is actually a civilian contractor that works with the Army because he specializes in a field that the military needs. He is working through a contract (of sorts) for the Army. I guess this might mean something to the military but it really means nothing to me other than he has a job and I have to ask for his presence in my office through a liaison.
After about 2 hours of making arrangements for his daughter to receive counseling her father arrives at our offices. He is questioning us as why is he here? We are somewhat confused and ask him if he had spoken to his wife last night? He looks at us and tell us that he was already asleep when she came in so they didn't speak. So my partner takes it upon herself to tell him exactly what had happened to his daughter. He sits quietly and listens to everything she says. His expressions never change and he doesn't say a word or ask any questions. This is highly unusual. When she is finished we tell him that we are leaving the room but will return shortly. He nods his head. We leave and go to the next room to watch him react, if he is going to. We watch him through a one way mirror that resembles a window on his side. This man doesn't even move.
Because of his lack of emotion we decide that only one of us is going to return to the room and speak with him. The other is going to simply listen and watch. We toss a coin and I lost so I get to go back and talk to him.
I apologize to him for taking so long and tell him that I will be the only investigator talking with him today. This time he smiles! I begin by asking him when was the last time he saw his daughter? He tells me it was Wednesday evening. They were all at home out in the swimming pool. They'd cooked outside then they swam and lounge until after dark. His wife works at a business where she has to travel a lot so she goes to bed rather early which she did that night. But he and his daughter stayed out at the pool until well after 10 p.m. I them asked him to tell me some things about his daughter. 'Like what?', he asked. Tell me about her social activities. "Well, she has a lot of friends. No boyfriends yet, though as I won't allow it", he says. I say, 'she is a pretty girl and no boyfriend?'
This time when he responds he is cocky and self righteous in his tone and he proceeds to tell me in no uncertain terms, the follow: "I am her father! I brought her in to this world and I have raised and provided for her for 16 years. I have the right to be the first man she ever has. She was a virgin until Wednesday and this I know for a fact because she wasn't raped. I had the right as her father to have intercourse with her and I did!" I know I was totally surprised by his outburst. I had the good sense though to read him his Miranda warnings before I said another word or he did. After I read his rights to him he said he understood them. I next asked him why was it not rape? Did she consent? (She is a juvenile and can't give consent but he didn't know that) He told me it was not rape because he is her father and it was his 'right'. She fought him the entire time until he overpowered her and he told her it was going to happen so she had better stop fighting him. He laughed as he proudly told me of his conquest of his virgin daughter. I was sick to my stomach when he was done. I wanted to wring his neck but I took out a statement form and a pen and asked him to write a statement of everything he just told me.
He looked at the paper then he said, "Listen, sister. I am Warrant Officer*Smith which means I am no dummy. Once I write down what I just told you I am in jail. I won't write one word. What I said in here is simply between you and me. My word against your word. There is nothing you can do about it."
I calmly responded, "Mr. Smith, my name is Investigator T and you will refer to me by that name only. Warrant Officer means nothing to me as I am a civilian and you are too when you are off the military reservation as you are this minute. You are correct you do not have to give me a written statement because verbal confessions are biding in the State of Texas. Mr. Smith please stand up." He stood up. As he did I walked behind him and told him he was under arrest for the rape of his daughter, C Smith." I clamped those handcuffs on him so fast!
Of course he demanded an attorney and began calling me names which always happens when the guilty are caught.
I this case I have the right to see to it that he is sent away for a long time.
I made a difference to the little girl he raised as I watched her grow to be a beautiful and successful counselor for victims of violent crimes. She is now their salvation.
Thank You, Jesus, for giving me the strength to be there for her when she needed me.
* (Smith is not the real last name )
So a large part of the population are either military personnel or dependents. Typical military is that this population isn't stagnant by any means. Nearly all of the soldiers move in for 2 years and then they move on to another location. Usually, if I'd come in contact with them I would not see them again unless it was a felony case where they were detained in the County jail.
At one time there seemed to be an influx of military moving to town with wives from Korea or Cambodia. These women were subservient to their husbands as is the custom in their homeland. The husband would attempt to keep them out of the American society as much as possible out of fear that they would become 'Americanized".
Soldiers spent several days and nights in the field at Ft. Hood, Texas and they were not allowed to go home until the maneuvers were completed. This left a lot time for the wives to get lonesome and seek friendship from other wives. There were bars and clubs galore in nearby towns, bingo was very prevalent as were churches. But, churches were not open late at night so other entertainment was pursued. All these things cost money that these families did not have a lot of. When the spouses would come home from the fields and either didn't find their wives at home or they discovered all the money in the bank gone this caused trouble. Domestic disturbances can be deadly for police officers as spouses who argue and fight with each is one thing but when an officer gets involved he or she has to respond according to the laws and not according to emotions.
One night my partner and I responded to a domestic disturbance called in by neighbors. Upon our arrival we heard the fight in the parking lot. The lady was screaming loudly and we were able to hear her being slapped by someone. A male voice was yelling at her, "I am going to send you back to your parents! You spent all our money and now you will be deported!" As we walked into the residence through an open door we found them in a bedroom. We separated the husband from his wife. She was a very small Korean girl probably no more than 20 years old. Her face was bruised and red and she was visibly upset and crying. When I calmed her down she related to me that her husband had left her some money when he went to the field and she had to use it to get a ride to go to the doctor in his absence. She had to use it all and he was angry about it. She begged me not to let him send her back to her parents as she'd be disgraced.
I contacted my partner to find out what the husband's story was. He had related nearly the same story. He was upset that she'd spent the cash he'd given her. I asked if he was aware of what she'd spent it on and I was told it didn't matter why. It was his money and she was to have saved it for him.
As we calmed down both parties in this dispute we eventually brought them together in the same room. The husband told us that it was 'his right' to strike his wife if she disobeyed him. He brought her to the United States and he could have her deported whenever he wanted. I was taken aback at his cockiness and total disregard for his wife as another person. So I politely told him that he was dead WRONG! As long as she has an alien visa she would not be deported on his word alone. As for the money it was as much hers as it is his. She is his spouse and Texas is a community property state which means that 50% of what he owns she owns. I recognize that law and so does the military.
I further explained to him that I as an officer of the law have rights to protect both he and his wife from harm. The harm may be from either of them or another. By the look of the bruises on his wife's face it is doubtful in my mind that she received them from herself so in order for me to fully protect her you are leaving the residence at least for the night or maybe more. Of course this made him more angry and I told him if he continued to be abusive he'd be going to jail but because of his financial issues I would be dropping him off at the east gate of Ft Hood where the military police will deal with him. This is my right! After a few phone calls the arrangements were made and my partner took the husband to Ft. Hood.
After they'd left I made sure the wife was going to be alright and I even called a friend to come stay with her. As we were waiting for the arrival of her friend we visited. I reassured her that she would NOT BE DEPORTED. She was relieved. Out of curiosity I asked her how much money did he leave you while he was in the field for 2 weeks? She told me it was only twenty dollars! She further related that she was sick everyday and had to get a taxi to take her to the doctor where she found out that she is pregnant. This child is having a child and her husband needs to grow up!
I truly hope they make it.
As was usual the wife did not want to file any assault charges against her husband. We had the ability to either arrest or turn the issue over to the military at that time. I hoped that I made the right choice as I brought the young family some salvation from harm.
For a short time I was an investigator with the detective division and I was able to work all different types of criminal cases. This is truly a learning experience that has stayed with me even to this day.
The following case was very difficult to investigate but the outcome is true justice.
A young girl, 16 years old, had told a school counselor that she had been sexually assaulted. She refused to tell the counselor who had committed the assault. The school called the police department and reported what the young girl had related to them. This is a heinous crime and we respond quickly to them. Myself and another investigator went to the school. We asked the principal to contact the girls mother and to have her come to the school right away. We also requested that she not be told the issue over the phone and to reassure her that her daughter was alright.
While awaiting the arrival of the girl's mother I gathered as much information about the child's full name and address and parents name as I could. I found that her father was a military officer and her mother a business professional.
When the mother arrived at the school she panicked when she realized that we were the police even though we were not in uniform but plainclothes. As we sat in an office with the girl and her mother the girl told us all that she had been raped. She was visibly shaking and crying. She even seemed to be in a catatonic state as she stared straight ahead as she spoke. Her mother immediately asked," Who did this to you?" Her daughter did not respond, except to cry.
My partner explained to the mother that we would be transporting her daughter to a local hospital for medical attention and to obtain evidence via a 'rape kit'. She would be taken in an unmarked police
vehicle and she was welcome to ride along, if she desired. The mother stated that she would go but she needed to call her husband first. The young girl then started begging her mother not to tell her father what had happened. Over and over again she'd beg, "please don't tell him!" The surprised mother relinquished and told the girl that she wouldn't tell him.
Upon our arrival at the hospital the young girl was taken to a solitary exam room by my partner as I stayed with the mother. After the proper paperwork was completed for the hospital record I began to interview the mother. I asked questions about her daughter's social life and home life. The mother spoke with a lot of pride when she related that her daughter was an honor roll student, had lots of friends, and went to church faithfully each week. She is a 'good' girl and mom can't understand how this could happen. I learned that there is a brother in the family but he is older and away at college.
When I asked about the outburst over the father being told of the situation the mother said it was probably because her daughter is a 'daddy's ' girl.
Upon the completion of the evidence processing we brought the mother and the girl to the offices of the detective unit where written statements were completed. The young girl asked her mother if she could go stay with her grandmother for the night and weekend? She had no school on Friday (the next day) she didn't want to be alone. Her mother granted her request and gave me the address and phone number where her daughter would be staying. Due to the time of night that it was I dropped the mother off at the school to get her car and I then took her daughter to her grandmother's home.
Finally, this day was over! I went home but the events of the day played over and over in my mind.
Our day starts early as we clock in at 8 a.m. We discuss the reports from the night before of the 16 year old victim. Crisis intervention and counseling for her is very much needed. We decide that we need to contact her father and ask him to come to the station so we can talk to him.
I call the civil liaison office at Ft. Hood and ask that they escort this officer to us. The Sergeant on duty tells me that he is not an officer that he is only a Warrant Officer which is actually a civilian contractor that works with the Army because he specializes in a field that the military needs. He is working through a contract (of sorts) for the Army. I guess this might mean something to the military but it really means nothing to me other than he has a job and I have to ask for his presence in my office through a liaison.
After about 2 hours of making arrangements for his daughter to receive counseling her father arrives at our offices. He is questioning us as why is he here? We are somewhat confused and ask him if he had spoken to his wife last night? He looks at us and tell us that he was already asleep when she came in so they didn't speak. So my partner takes it upon herself to tell him exactly what had happened to his daughter. He sits quietly and listens to everything she says. His expressions never change and he doesn't say a word or ask any questions. This is highly unusual. When she is finished we tell him that we are leaving the room but will return shortly. He nods his head. We leave and go to the next room to watch him react, if he is going to. We watch him through a one way mirror that resembles a window on his side. This man doesn't even move.
Because of his lack of emotion we decide that only one of us is going to return to the room and speak with him. The other is going to simply listen and watch. We toss a coin and I lost so I get to go back and talk to him.
I apologize to him for taking so long and tell him that I will be the only investigator talking with him today. This time he smiles! I begin by asking him when was the last time he saw his daughter? He tells me it was Wednesday evening. They were all at home out in the swimming pool. They'd cooked outside then they swam and lounge until after dark. His wife works at a business where she has to travel a lot so she goes to bed rather early which she did that night. But he and his daughter stayed out at the pool until well after 10 p.m. I them asked him to tell me some things about his daughter. 'Like what?', he asked. Tell me about her social activities. "Well, she has a lot of friends. No boyfriends yet, though as I won't allow it", he says. I say, 'she is a pretty girl and no boyfriend?'
This time when he responds he is cocky and self righteous in his tone and he proceeds to tell me in no uncertain terms, the follow: "I am her father! I brought her in to this world and I have raised and provided for her for 16 years. I have the right to be the first man she ever has. She was a virgin until Wednesday and this I know for a fact because she wasn't raped. I had the right as her father to have intercourse with her and I did!" I know I was totally surprised by his outburst. I had the good sense though to read him his Miranda warnings before I said another word or he did. After I read his rights to him he said he understood them. I next asked him why was it not rape? Did she consent? (She is a juvenile and can't give consent but he didn't know that) He told me it was not rape because he is her father and it was his 'right'. She fought him the entire time until he overpowered her and he told her it was going to happen so she had better stop fighting him. He laughed as he proudly told me of his conquest of his virgin daughter. I was sick to my stomach when he was done. I wanted to wring his neck but I took out a statement form and a pen and asked him to write a statement of everything he just told me.
He looked at the paper then he said, "Listen, sister. I am Warrant Officer*Smith which means I am no dummy. Once I write down what I just told you I am in jail. I won't write one word. What I said in here is simply between you and me. My word against your word. There is nothing you can do about it."
I calmly responded, "Mr. Smith, my name is Investigator T and you will refer to me by that name only. Warrant Officer means nothing to me as I am a civilian and you are too when you are off the military reservation as you are this minute. You are correct you do not have to give me a written statement because verbal confessions are biding in the State of Texas. Mr. Smith please stand up." He stood up. As he did I walked behind him and told him he was under arrest for the rape of his daughter, C Smith." I clamped those handcuffs on him so fast!
Of course he demanded an attorney and began calling me names which always happens when the guilty are caught.
I this case I have the right to see to it that he is sent away for a long time.
I made a difference to the little girl he raised as I watched her grow to be a beautiful and successful counselor for victims of violent crimes. She is now their salvation.
Thank You, Jesus, for giving me the strength to be there for her when she needed me.
* (Smith is not the real last name )
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Criminal Activity....too close to home.
Long before I became a police officer I drove a school bus for the local school district. While employed there I met a mother and daughter. The mother also drove a school bus and like me she'd bring her child along when she worked. It was through this mother that I met her husband that was a police officer with the City of Killeen. Once I began working for the City he and I became great friends. As people change and things happen in life he and his wife were divorced. Being away from his daughter was very tough on him. He was always talking about his little girl and he was such a proud father. His little girl grew up, graduated from high school and got married. Her father was so proud of her that she married a God fearing young man and together they were missionaries for their church. Shortly after her marriage she came to town to see her father for Father's Day. She and her husband were at a mall on the northeast side of town when they were carjacked. The young male that wanted their car was armed with a gun and he had jumped in to the backseat of their car and threatened them if they didn't just drive him where he wanted to go. This did not bring attention of any bystanders as one might think it would.
So they drove him where he directed them to go and he stopped and picked up another young male. When there were 2 males they decided that the young couple should not be driving any longer so they ordered them to get in to the trunk of the car. The couple complied and entered the trunk.
The armed suspects drove around town committing offenses and firing gun shots sporadically.
As evening approached the car was getting low on fuel. The suspects drove out to a deserted roadway that paralleled the boundaries of the Ft. Hood military reservation. When they arrived at a spot in the road that was away from civilization they stopped the car and opened the trunk. The young couple was hot and dehydrating fast from the heat. The suspects demanded money for gas. The young woman told them they had no cash. Both she and her husband began to quote scriptures from the Bible as they plead for them to be let go. The young woman told the suspects that God loved them and they would be forgiven for their sins. The suspects became agitated with the pleadings and when they would not stop the recitation of scriptures they shot and killed them both. The young couple was left in the trunk of the car and the suspects ran off leaving them.
Although the car was in an isolated location the sound of the shots resonated in the area and it brought others to investigate the reason for them.
The discovery of these two young people in the trunk of this car was horrendous to those of us that recognized the female as the daughter of a fellow officer. His pain was our pain.
Diligently we worked this case and we did make the arrests of the two killers. It was through the confession of one of them that we discovered why they were killed and how they had begged for their lives. The killer was sentenced to death and the accomplice is serving life in prison.
Knowing the strong faith of these two missionaries, I am confident that they are in the arms of Jesus awaiting the day they welcome the rest of us home.
In the neighborhood on the south side of town where my son and I lived there were mostly homeowners but there was one house that was a rental. This house was directly across the street from our house. Most of our neighbors were retirees so there were not many kids for my son to play with. As renters moved in and out of this house there were none that had youngsters my son's age.
Just before the start of a new school year a young single mother and her son moved in to the house. He was the same age as my son and they would become fast friends. They'd walk to school together and they became almost inseparable. We even knew the parents of the mother so it was like an extended family. After about a year the mother's boyfriend came to live there too.
The young boy had related to my son that this man scared him. He didn't really think this guy liked him very well and he couldn't understand why. Within 30 days of the boyfriend being in the home we began to hear loud arguments between the adults. We could hear crying and screaming from the mother and see her as she'd leave the house and drive away. I started to be concerned about her son. My son wanted desperately to go over and get his friend but it was just not safe at this time. A few short minutes later the police showed up at the house with the mom.
The adult male came outside and they all stood in the yard talking. The mother went in to the house to get her son and within a minute of her entering the house she let out a bloodcurdling scream. One officer ran in to the home and he found her in her son's room. The child was dead and his throat had been cut from ear to ear. He had bled to death. The boyfriend had killed the young boy because he was jealous of him.
Stunned is not quite the word to describe the loss of this young boy. This was a senseless killing and the man that did it showed absolutley no remorse for his actions. Both my son and I mourned for the loss of his young friend but we also know that he is in the arms of Christ. Knowing this is our salavation that one day we shall meet again.
So they drove him where he directed them to go and he stopped and picked up another young male. When there were 2 males they decided that the young couple should not be driving any longer so they ordered them to get in to the trunk of the car. The couple complied and entered the trunk.
The armed suspects drove around town committing offenses and firing gun shots sporadically.
As evening approached the car was getting low on fuel. The suspects drove out to a deserted roadway that paralleled the boundaries of the Ft. Hood military reservation. When they arrived at a spot in the road that was away from civilization they stopped the car and opened the trunk. The young couple was hot and dehydrating fast from the heat. The suspects demanded money for gas. The young woman told them they had no cash. Both she and her husband began to quote scriptures from the Bible as they plead for them to be let go. The young woman told the suspects that God loved them and they would be forgiven for their sins. The suspects became agitated with the pleadings and when they would not stop the recitation of scriptures they shot and killed them both. The young couple was left in the trunk of the car and the suspects ran off leaving them.
Although the car was in an isolated location the sound of the shots resonated in the area and it brought others to investigate the reason for them.
The discovery of these two young people in the trunk of this car was horrendous to those of us that recognized the female as the daughter of a fellow officer. His pain was our pain.
Diligently we worked this case and we did make the arrests of the two killers. It was through the confession of one of them that we discovered why they were killed and how they had begged for their lives. The killer was sentenced to death and the accomplice is serving life in prison.
Knowing the strong faith of these two missionaries, I am confident that they are in the arms of Jesus awaiting the day they welcome the rest of us home.
In the neighborhood on the south side of town where my son and I lived there were mostly homeowners but there was one house that was a rental. This house was directly across the street from our house. Most of our neighbors were retirees so there were not many kids for my son to play with. As renters moved in and out of this house there were none that had youngsters my son's age.
Just before the start of a new school year a young single mother and her son moved in to the house. He was the same age as my son and they would become fast friends. They'd walk to school together and they became almost inseparable. We even knew the parents of the mother so it was like an extended family. After about a year the mother's boyfriend came to live there too.
The young boy had related to my son that this man scared him. He didn't really think this guy liked him very well and he couldn't understand why. Within 30 days of the boyfriend being in the home we began to hear loud arguments between the adults. We could hear crying and screaming from the mother and see her as she'd leave the house and drive away. I started to be concerned about her son. My son wanted desperately to go over and get his friend but it was just not safe at this time. A few short minutes later the police showed up at the house with the mom.
The adult male came outside and they all stood in the yard talking. The mother went in to the house to get her son and within a minute of her entering the house she let out a bloodcurdling scream. One officer ran in to the home and he found her in her son's room. The child was dead and his throat had been cut from ear to ear. He had bled to death. The boyfriend had killed the young boy because he was jealous of him.
Stunned is not quite the word to describe the loss of this young boy. This was a senseless killing and the man that did it showed absolutley no remorse for his actions. Both my son and I mourned for the loss of his young friend but we also know that he is in the arms of Christ. Knowing this is our salavation that one day we shall meet again.
Friday, July 12, 2013
Part 2 Serving Warrants
For a short time I worked for a bail bond company recovering bond jumpers. This is a job usually reserved for bounty hunters. Television shows like Dog the Bounty Hunter make this job appear glamorous and easy. Let me tell you it is neither. The bounty hunter usually ends up spending more than the reward. Finding and arresting the jumper insures job security and the adrenalin rush becomes habit forming.
My partner and I started chasing a fugitive who failed to go to court and he failed to stay in touch with the company that posted his bail. This is grounds for the company to surrender the bond if the person could be located and arrested. When the individual fails to appear in court the judge will order a warrant for his/her arrest. The court notifies the bail bond company that they owe the full amount of the bond and they are given 30-45 days to pay the money or return the suspect to jail.
It is at this time that the hunt is on!
The individual that we were hunting knew we'd be looking for him as his bond was very large. He had previous experience with bonds and failing to appear in court. If found guilty this time he was going to lose his freedom for a very long time. So we'd have to be creative to find him and get him in custody.
After nearly a week of checking his regular hang-outs we finally located him in an apartment under an alias name. Because there were children in this large complex we didn't want to endanger them or anyone else so we waited hoping he'd leave the apartment. But he stayed in his apartment all day. We witnessed him standing in the doorway of his apartment talking to friends but he just wouldn't come outside. As the evening fell upon us
and it began to get dark, I had an idea. I told my partner to stay and watch his door until I returned. After approximately 30 minutes I returned with a bouquet of helium balloons.I had all sizes of them and they pretty much hid me behind them. I had one huge one that said, 'Happy Birthday' on it. My partner was looking at me with the most questioning face. I told him that I had remembered that this date was his birthday and he is going to have to step outside his apartment to take ownership of them. I told my partner to stand around the corner and be ready to grab him. He shook his head and told me this was a dumb idea.
We will see I told him. As I walked up to his door and knocked I stepped out from under his porch light and on to the grass which was outside a small overhanging roof. From inside the apartment he yelled out, 'Who is it?'
I responded that it is a delivery for Mr. Jackson (his alias). He actually opened the door and when he saw the balloons he was giddy with excitement. From behind the balloons I asked him if he was Mr. Patrick Jackson and he answered that he was. I then told him he'd have to step out to take the balloons from me. Without hesitation he took 2 steps out to the grassy area and as he reached for the strings on the balloons my partner grabbed him and placed him under arrest putting handcuffs on his wrists. I also let go of the balloons and they floated away.
Mr. Jackson was totally oblivious that we were bounty hunters as he was upset that he wasn't getting the balloon bouquet! He was deflated.
As we took him to the closest jail for booking he told the jailer that no one had ever given him anything for his birthday and he loved balloons. We got our man, but I felt bad about the way we did it until we got paid for the bounty. Deducting the $12.00 for the balloons left me with a sizable paycheck and a very happy client.
Shortly, after this incident I was working the area south of town and the dispatcher called me to serve a warrant for Felony Theft. The residence was a small neighborhood with only about 10 houses on a dead end street.
So I went to the neighborhood and parked my patrol car in front of the house. At first I wasn't sure there was anybody at home but I knocked on the door anyway. A lady answered the door and I identified myself telling her I wanted to talk to Robert Farris. This was her husband and he was in the kitchen so she called for him. As Mr. Farris came around the corner he was a white male about 6' 3" showing both arms completely tattooed with motorcycle insignias and gang symbols. I explained to Mr. Farris that I had a warrant for his arrest and I showed it to him. As we were discussing my arresting him I heard a very loud noise of several large motorcycles
outside surrounding the house. The next thing I heard and saw was at least 20 BANDIDOS inside the house. Mr. Farris told me they were his attorneys and he didn't think I could arrest him right then. I knew these guys were part of the roughest motorcycle group in Texas so I backed out of the house and back to my car where I drove off.
I summoned the SWAT team to assist me in this warrant arrest and shortly after dark we all went back to this house and we didn't knock at the door this time we just took it off the hinges. Out of the 25 bandidos that were in the residence we ended up arresting 15 of them for felony warrants for drug charges to murder charges. Oh, and I did arrest Mr. Farris after all.
This one warrant pretty much took the fun out of serving warrants for me. It actually scared the hell out of me. I didn't know it then but divine intervention was on my side.
My partner and I started chasing a fugitive who failed to go to court and he failed to stay in touch with the company that posted his bail. This is grounds for the company to surrender the bond if the person could be located and arrested. When the individual fails to appear in court the judge will order a warrant for his/her arrest. The court notifies the bail bond company that they owe the full amount of the bond and they are given 30-45 days to pay the money or return the suspect to jail.
It is at this time that the hunt is on!
The individual that we were hunting knew we'd be looking for him as his bond was very large. He had previous experience with bonds and failing to appear in court. If found guilty this time he was going to lose his freedom for a very long time. So we'd have to be creative to find him and get him in custody.
After nearly a week of checking his regular hang-outs we finally located him in an apartment under an alias name. Because there were children in this large complex we didn't want to endanger them or anyone else so we waited hoping he'd leave the apartment. But he stayed in his apartment all day. We witnessed him standing in the doorway of his apartment talking to friends but he just wouldn't come outside. As the evening fell upon us
and it began to get dark, I had an idea. I told my partner to stay and watch his door until I returned. After approximately 30 minutes I returned with a bouquet of helium balloons.I had all sizes of them and they pretty much hid me behind them. I had one huge one that said, 'Happy Birthday' on it. My partner was looking at me with the most questioning face. I told him that I had remembered that this date was his birthday and he is going to have to step outside his apartment to take ownership of them. I told my partner to stand around the corner and be ready to grab him. He shook his head and told me this was a dumb idea.
We will see I told him. As I walked up to his door and knocked I stepped out from under his porch light and on to the grass which was outside a small overhanging roof. From inside the apartment he yelled out, 'Who is it?'
I responded that it is a delivery for Mr. Jackson (his alias). He actually opened the door and when he saw the balloons he was giddy with excitement. From behind the balloons I asked him if he was Mr. Patrick Jackson and he answered that he was. I then told him he'd have to step out to take the balloons from me. Without hesitation he took 2 steps out to the grassy area and as he reached for the strings on the balloons my partner grabbed him and placed him under arrest putting handcuffs on his wrists. I also let go of the balloons and they floated away.
Mr. Jackson was totally oblivious that we were bounty hunters as he was upset that he wasn't getting the balloon bouquet! He was deflated.
As we took him to the closest jail for booking he told the jailer that no one had ever given him anything for his birthday and he loved balloons. We got our man, but I felt bad about the way we did it until we got paid for the bounty. Deducting the $12.00 for the balloons left me with a sizable paycheck and a very happy client.
Shortly, after this incident I was working the area south of town and the dispatcher called me to serve a warrant for Felony Theft. The residence was a small neighborhood with only about 10 houses on a dead end street.
So I went to the neighborhood and parked my patrol car in front of the house. At first I wasn't sure there was anybody at home but I knocked on the door anyway. A lady answered the door and I identified myself telling her I wanted to talk to Robert Farris. This was her husband and he was in the kitchen so she called for him. As Mr. Farris came around the corner he was a white male about 6' 3" showing both arms completely tattooed with motorcycle insignias and gang symbols. I explained to Mr. Farris that I had a warrant for his arrest and I showed it to him. As we were discussing my arresting him I heard a very loud noise of several large motorcycles
outside surrounding the house. The next thing I heard and saw was at least 20 BANDIDOS inside the house. Mr. Farris told me they were his attorneys and he didn't think I could arrest him right then. I knew these guys were part of the roughest motorcycle group in Texas so I backed out of the house and back to my car where I drove off.
I summoned the SWAT team to assist me in this warrant arrest and shortly after dark we all went back to this house and we didn't knock at the door this time we just took it off the hinges. Out of the 25 bandidos that were in the residence we ended up arresting 15 of them for felony warrants for drug charges to murder charges. Oh, and I did arrest Mr. Farris after all.
This one warrant pretty much took the fun out of serving warrants for me. It actually scared the hell out of me. I didn't know it then but divine intervention was on my side.
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