Forever a Deputy Sheriff

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    When I became a Franklin County Deputy Sheriff more than 30 years ago I couldn't have known where that journey would take me because I was joining the ranks of law enforcement after having established myself as a broadcaster for many years in Columbus, Ohio. For the previous 15 years I had been working in radio, beginning as a yeoman and then becoming a news reporter, DJ and finishing as a talk-show host; I was probably the least likely candidate in our class of new recruits to even have a seat in it! 

    Prior to being appointed to the academy by then Sheriff, Earl O. Smith, some may have seen me as just another long-haired Hippie with a pretty cool job; my hair was a little longer than shoulder length and my mustache fell over my upper lip and draped both sides of my chin when I didn't trim it for a week or more, and on any given day my pants were probably made of either denim, ripstock or leather. 

   Fashion for me was more about making a statement of identity; less conventional for a white-collar environment and more in line with what might be worn by male models for biker gear or someone that only wanted to stand out in a crowd. It wasn't because I tried to appear flamboyant or quirky, it was about being seen in character. In those days radio announcers were celebrities similar to television personalities, but unlike the TV guys our faces and how we dressed could only be imagined by our listeners until they saw us, so when I was out and about I wanted them to see what I thought my on-air personality really was!

   Before I became a talk-show host at WCOL I was best known around the city as something of a reckless Rock & Roll DJ, and before that a radio cowboy when I was a Country Music Disc Jockey at WMNI. So when that stage of my working life was winding down and everyone around me was trying to wrap their heads around this new voyage I was about to embark into, very few probably would have taken the bet that I was serious about it or that I could make it work. But somehow it did and I spent the next ten years as a Franklin County Deputy Sheriff and then another decade as a street cop for the Village of Obetz, Ohio, eventually retiring as Chief of Police and Village Marshal.

   However, I don't think cops ever really do retire completely. That is unless one is dismissed from the ranks for bad behavior or quits because they either don't like it or because they lose the stomach for it. I believe good cops that accept the challenge for the right reasons and then dedicate themselves to serving well and with honor never really walk away completely because they can't. The badges and equipment stop being your identity but what they represented stays with you for the rest of your life.

   Whenever I hear sirens off in the distance it still makes my mind race with wondering things like who is misbehaving now, or who is in trouble; I say silent prayers that the officer driving that car will be safe and his mission will have a positive outcome for everyone. 

   

   It's kind of funny, but when cops hear a siren we can tell the difference between a squad car or an emergency squad even when we can't see it, and even if it is blocks away. When we hear a car racing down the street faster than one should we know when it is a police car even if it too is somewhere out of view. Cop cars have a sound all their own and everyone that has ever driven one in a hurry knows exactly what I am talking about.

    It has been more than 30 years since I ventured into the fold, and after years away from it there are still those moments when I truly miss being out there, doing something that really matters and feeling those adrenaline rushes that are constant emotions in a police officer's workday. There are just as many moments when I feel a little guilty that I walked away when I did because even in my 60s my heart is still out there and it would take a lot of convincing to make me believe I couldn't still do the job; maybe with a little less energy and strength but with no less passion or desire.

   One of those recruits in the academy class with me did stay in and he is now the Franklin County Sheriff. Zach Scott is currently running for re-election to lead the greatest sheriff's office in the country and it shouldn't surprise anyone that I support him in every way I know how. He was my classmate when all of us could only hope we could make it through the rigorous training (let alone the uncertanty of what the future might hold) but when we did we both went on to have very successful careers in law enforcement.

    It is a comforting reality check for me when I think about a guy that sat next to me in that classroom way back then, and who stood just a few feet down the firing line when we were learning how to shoot and know that he is the county's top cop now. Comforting because I know him and what he is made of and what he has accomplished for the good of Franklin County and the brotherhood of law enforcement. 

    Having played all the rolls from Deputy Sheriff to Police Chief I hope my endorsement of him will matter in a positive way to anyone reading this, because like I said, I don't think I will ever fully retire from law enforcement, and I believe my experience and knowledge can still count for positive things when it comes to public safety. 

   My retirement badge may read "Police Chief" but I will always be a Deputy Sheriff because that is where it all began for me. I want the best man possible to occupy the office of Sheriff and I believe we already have him in place.

   Good luck, Sheriff. Never quit, and stay safe.