Writers Harbor

Category: Auto-biographical (law enforcement)

  • Cops and Robbers (11) “The Unexpected “

    Cops and Robbers Part 11: The Unexpected In the fluid, endlessly fascinating world of helicopter flying, the Unexpected can come calling at the oddest times. Months, even years of relative routine may slip harmlessly by. But you never know when to expect that soft, unassuming knock on your door. It may be soft. But the…

  • Bad Decisions

    Photo: Francis Meyrick Bad Decisions People make bad decisions. Even good people have bad days. Or just one bad moment. Unfortunately, sometimes these split second decisions have life changing, long term consequences. Mix the human spirit, in all its volatility and occasional dark confusion, with helicopters, and you get the possibility of unutterably tragic consequences.…

  • Cops and Robbers (9) “High Noon at the Butler Corral “

    Cops and Robbers (Part 9) High Noon at the Butler Corral Often, I read about members of the public complaining bitterly about Police brutality. It’s an emotional, inflammatory subject. Sure, it happens. Cops are human too. They are not perfect. Hello? Is anybody? But I wish the complaining public could see sometimes the other side…

  • Cops & Robbers (8B) “Spotlights and Bullets (Part 2) “

    Spotlights and Bullets Part TWO On the ground, there was now what sounded like complete chaos. Everybody was talking at once, but with half sentences, unintelligible instructions, warnings, and frantic counter orders. With bullets flying, tall mountains around, steel aerials, and a large bull’s eye painted on the bottom of my helicopter, I wondered once…

  • Cops & Robbers (8A) “Spotlights and Bullets “

    Spotlights and bullets I’m probably a little bit of an adrenaline junkie. No, make that a big bit. It’s all genetics. Maybe. The bottom line is that I would have made a lousy librarian. I just know I would have messed up any book shelf. I just like to feel I’m alive. I respect risk,…

  • Cops & Robbers (7B) “A Deadly Search (Part 2) “

    A Deadly Search (Part 2) A Hidden Killer Preoccupied as I was with what had happened, my mind was full of questions and self doubts. Could I have done better? Should I, could I, might I…? I was dumbfounded in a way, my usual bouncy confidence in the ability of the helicopter to work miracles…

  • Cops & Robbers (7A) “A Deadly Search “

    A Deadly Search If you ever spend any time in Search and Rescue, or any type of First Responder involvement, you will experience tragedy. The unnecessary tragic. Needless death. The pointless waste of human life, talent, ability and potential. I had already seen good men stuffed into disinterested, uncaring body bags, and neatly zipped up.…

  • Cops & Robbers (6) “About to fall off a Mountain “

    About to fall off a mountain It was the end of a hot sticky, day, and I was on the short drive home. I’d put the Sheriff’s helicopter back in the hangar, locked up, and departed for the day. Or so I thought. I was idly listening to Dispatch, when a strange call to the…

  • PCP Madness

    Law Enforcement Stories PCP Madness Few things get your attention as quickly. The sound of an officer in serious trouble over the radio. The gasping, breathless, half strangled attempt to call for backup. Clipped, short, half sentences, never finished. With the sound of a desperate struggle going on, cursing, yelling. You can almost sense the…

  • A Lonely Cockpit

    A LONELY COCKPIT I guess I can recognize danger pretty well. I bloody hope so anyway. Especially in Aviation. And even more especially with helicopters. The fact that I am still alive, having logged more than 10,000 flying hours in helicopters, aerobatic “stunt ” aircraft, open cockpit biplanes, and other somewhat oddball contraptions,.. in a…