The Last Ride of the Old Peacekeepers

Bill Matthews

Description

The Last Ride of the Old Peacekeepers is a compilation of memorable experiences Bill Matthews enjoyed during his thirty years in law enforcement.
The Last Ride of the Old Peacekeepers is a compilation of over 125 stories and pictures of some of the hilarious, dangerous, and emotional interactions that Bill Matthews enjoyed during his thirty years in law eenforcement.
He recalls moments when he was called upon to put his life on the line as well as behind-the-scenes details that never show up in incident reports. He also takes stock of those decisions that happen in a moment inside a moment—decisions that can and do change lives forever. Most of all, he celebrates the brotherhood of officers that he loves.
The stories he shares all occurred from 1977 to 2008, before the reformation of police departments when officers were taught to use their hands without hesitation—to save the lives of suspects, the public, as well as their fellow officers.
The overall account serves as an important reminder that police officers are human beings that work tirelessly to put away the bad guys to keep everyone safe.

Sujets

• police
• Histoire
• History
• Tennessee

Informations

• Publié par: Archway Publishing
• Date de parution: 14 mars 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781665739740
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 4 Mo

Extrait

THE LAST RIDE OF THE OLD PEACEKEEPERS


THE MOMENT WITHIN THE MOMENT




BILL MATTHEWS







Copyright © 2023 Bill Matthews.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.




Archway Publishing
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403
www.archwaypublishing.com
844-669-3957

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

ISBN: 978-1-6657-3973-3 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-6657-3972-6 (hc)
ISBN: 978-1-6657-3974-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023904112




Archway Publishing rev. date: 03/07/2023



The Times They Are a-Changin’
—Bob Dylan 1964



CONTENTS
Preface

Chapter 1 The 1970s
Chapter 2 Higher Education (1980s)
Chapter 3 The 1990s
Chapter 4 The 2000s
Chapter 5 Peacekeepers’ Daily Encounters
Chapter 6 Soul Savers
Chapter 7 A Necessary Evil: Informants
Chapter 8 Search Warrants: Raids
Chapter 9 Evil


Clover County Jail, 1979
Jack Bryan, Rod and Staff magazine, 1979










1979 equipment—blackjack, knucks; flashlight; loaded gloves



PREFACE
In 1977, I met a legend—the one and only Sheriff Larry Wallace. He hired me as a jailer and then promoted me to deputy. After our initial interview, he called me back in to let me know I had been hired. When he shook my hand, it felt like a vice grip swallowed my fist, and he looked me in the eye and said, “Welcome to law enforcement.”
I knew two things right then. I didn’t want to let this man down. And if I did, he could pull my soul from my body and make me confess to anything. To this day, I have never called him by his first name.
Sheriff Wallace was special. When he walked into a room, his presence demanded respect, even by those who knew nothing about him. The three and a half years I served under him, he had me along on raids and standing guard on serious interviews. I observed the way he took control and command of every situation during questioning, raids, and search warrants. This respect is where legends are born.
In illegal liquor raids of beer joints, executing search warrant of drugs houses, in marijuana fields, during fugitive apprehensions, and at murder scenes, his attendance was an indescribable energy.
In 1980, he left this position as sheriff to become Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) agent in charge of Middle Tennessee and was then promoted to colonel of Tennessee Highway Patrol and, finally, became the director of TBI. Through both Democratic and Republican governors, he remained and had a state-of-the-art TBI headquarters constructed in Nashville. His handprint is on each of the law enforcement officers in this book. No one has had such an impactful career in Tennessee law enforcement. When he retired from the TBI, he continued his passion for law enforcement, both by being instrumental in beginning the Criminal Justice Department at Tennessee Wesleyan University and by becoming the foreman of the grand jury for Clover County. His was a life well lived.
I had a heartfelt conversation with him a week before he died. “Director, I want to apologize for what I did fifteen years ago and the choices I made at the end of my career that ruined my career and reputation; I was embarrassed, and it left me on the outside of the only job I loved. I destroyed my life.”
In his weakened state, he took command of the conversation. He said, “Bill, you shouldn’t have done what you did. That was fifteen years ago. For thirty years, you made a difference. You and your guys made an impact and took evil off the streets and made our city safe. One choice does not negate your thirty years of service, but it will be all that anyone talks about. You still have a life to live, and I hope this book gives you the platform to give back.”
Then he told me he loved me.
I received a call that he had passed, and time stopped. I always appreciated his patience with me, correcting me when needed and having faith in me when I was eighteen years old. But it was what he told me in the end that helped me close the book and put my life at peace.
The Last Ride of the Old Peacekeepers is a compilation of over 125 stories and pictures of some of the hilarious, dangerous, and emotional interactions of my thirty-year career in law enforcement. In its pages, you’ll find the moments we were called upon to put our lives on the line and behind-the-scenes actions that didn’t show up on the incident reports. You’ll find the decisions that happen in a moment inside a moment—decisions that can change lives forever. And you’ll find the brotherhood of officers I love.
The book will invite you inside the life of an officer and the moments that demand an instant decision. These stories happened between 1977 and 2008, before the reformation of police departments, when we were taught to use our hands without hesitation to save the lives of both the suspects and our fellow officers. It was the greatest job I could have ever asked for.
I began as a jailer and ended as chief of detectives. I loved the action and satisfaction of keeping the streets safe, but along with the high moments came heart-wrenching sadness and daily fighting for the truth.
To hear a mother tell a child, “Be good, or that policeman will put you in jail,” angered me to the core. She had no idea what I would go through to protect that little one. Or to watch a defense attorney sway a jury into believing a child rapist was innocent and have to remain silent in court. It disgusts me knowing the mother would plant this in her child’s mind.
Looking back now, I don’t think any new officer is ready for the launch of the emotional roller coaster. The ride includes great highs as murderers are found guilty after hours of investigation and horrible lows to find dead babies at the feet of abusive adults. The years added up, and the memories of horrible sights had been etched in my mind. In the last stage of my career, a yearning for peaceful clarity was found in alcohol and pain pills, leading to a dreadful end to a life I loved.
I hope you enjoy the adventures ahead as you laugh and cry and learn that most officers work daily to put the bad guys away to keep you safe and know that there is life after addiction and failure.
Remember, even the good guys need a bad guy.
Get ready for The Last Ride of the Old Peacekeepers .

October 29, 1944–August 6, 2022



Main Characters
Larry Wallace , TBI director, Clover County sheriff, colonel of Tennessee Highway Patrol. A man of vision, who knew where the future of law enforcement needed to go and served a career second to none.
Amy Arnwine , clerk. The hub that kept the wheels of the police department turning.
Richard Brogan , TBI supervisor. Crime scene investigator, interviewer, case management expert.
Chuck Zeigler , chief. The chief who was able to implement changes to elevate the police department into the future.
Steve Bebb , judge. The modern-day Judge Parker of Western lore.
Sidney Mathews, Jr. , sergeant. With his leadership, we learned what the moment inside the moment meant.
Robert Reeves , US attorney, TBI assistant director, prosecutor for the Tenth Judicial Circuit, attorney, Clover County sheriff’s deputy.
Robin Nation, Theresa Grant, Jack Bryant , who worked with Department of Human Services (DHS); Angels on Earth; Woman of the Well; the Hope Center, an advocacy and social services organization; and Miracle Lake’s jail ministry.
Steve “Mongo” Moore . Search and destroy.
Scott “Scooter” Ervin . A man who would do whatever he was told, so be careful.
Patrick Upton . The best partner a man could ask for.
Hal Williams . A competitor who worked every day to be the best.
Don Long, Scott Webb, JJ Walker, Curtis Biggs, Terry Bowers . Five men who offered investigation talents, brains, and ability.
Joe Graves , sergeant. My mentor, whose teachings helped me throughout my career in investigations.
Heith Willis , CID US Army. The last hire I brought in as a detective. He could be a danger to us or them. I’m glad he’s on our side.
Freddy Shultz and Joe Guy , chief of police and Clover County sheriff. Part of the old school of law enforcement who are now in the lead, responsible for handing off the baton from the old peacekeepers to the new generation.
Rex Barton , captain. A stabilizing force who could diffuse a rough situation.
Tom Grubb , road deputy. A robbery, homicide, and drugs enforcement agent and LA Sheriff’s Department defense instructor. He’s currently smoking a peace pipe on an Arizona Indian Reservation.



1
THE 1970S
Just like Any Normal Night
A s I stepped through to begin my night shift, the screen door leading into the jail office squeaked and slapped just like any normal night.
I had begun my work as a jailer at eighteen