The Last Ride of the Old Peacekeepers
The Moment within the Moment
by
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We knew the raid would be dangerous. We had to be alert and ready to hit the house, so I turned on the Rolling Stones “Hang Fire” and told them all, “These M..F… are not meaner than we are, let’s go to work!” After witnessing a terrible child abuse case, Mongo was ready to throw the law away and go find the man. “Go Calm his ass down, now”, I told Captain Barton. Scooter called me. “Bill, we got some pervert waving his dick around town. What are we gonna do about it?” At 3am the judge walked in the jail in his night shirt with the Atlanta Detectives. Is this normally how extradition works? Then he handed me the keys back. “What I mean is, you will always have a split second, a moment within a moment to make a choice. Life or death will depend on that choice.” Explained Sgt. Sid Mathews, Jr. No little buddy, you didn’t do anything wrong. The devil that arrived in Athens, that I fought so fiercely, finally took down my dearest. Now, all of the losses had mounted up, my career, my health, my family, and my children, but that isn’t the end of my story.
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About the Book
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.
About the Author
Bill Matthews earned a degree in criminal justice and is a graduate of the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy. He was the chief detective in a small town in East Tennessee. He now spends his days writing about the many escapades of his career in law enforcement. He lives in East Tennessee with his wife and a plethora of animals, from peacocks to pigs.