Deputy is my memoir. Chronicling my time on patrol as a real deputy from the rural roads of upstate NY to the streets of Hollywood and south central LA. I’m not to be confused with a deputy from the tv show DEPUTY. Although the tv show stories are told from the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, I worked for the LA Sheriff’s department as a real deputy for thirty years. The book is available in ebook and paperback. Get it now by clicking HERE.
Blog
I was a field Sergeant
I was the field Sergeant. But I wanted to be in on the action with the deputies. Twenty seven years of patrol assignments was not enough. I was an adrenaline junky. 
I don’t remember pulling my gun before shooting
We ran the plate; as soon as the dispatcher asked our status re the 10-29Victor FD (stolen car used in an armed robbery), the chase was on. I was driving while trainee Tim Anderson called the pursuit. I was right on the bumper of the hot rod lincoln as we made the turn on to 130th street from Willowbrook ave. Two guns flew out of the passenger window as we crossed Aranbe at about 100 mph. I told Tim, “They’re not going to make the turn at Wilmington Avenue. They didn’t, hitting the median. The driver rolled out and pointed a handgun in my direction as he ran around the door to flee across Wilmington Avenue. I don’t remember getting out and drawing my Beretta before firing four shots at the driver. The Watch Commander rolled, I don’t know if he questioned whether I really saw a gun, or he was just upset that it was a non-hit shooting he had to handle. Two hours later, the K9 unit located the driver in the containment who luckily for me still had the loaded handgun and stolen watch from the robbery still in his pocket. Pictured are the Sheriff’s car and suspect vehicle as they were at the end of the pursuit. 
The scraping sound was a Mac10
I arrived in the pitch black dark of night, Imperial Courts housing, Watts. The suspect was dead, this Mac10 lying next to his body. The assistance request by my former trainee and her partner was a foot pursuit, and a 998 (Deputy involved shooting). The suspect rounded the corner of a building and the deputies heard a thud and the scrape of metal. The suspect had fallen and the Mac10 scraped against the sidewalk. When the deputies rounded the corner the suspect was sitting up and raising the Mac10, his last action as a live person. The deputy who had survived three such armed encounters, bought the book and this is how he wanted it signed: “As friends and partners we persevered. Through blood, sweat and tears we would toe the line, and had each others back. In the end, we survived and that is what mattered.” A great gift hearing from this deputy and knowing he was alive and well enjoying retirement.
Crooks lit stolen cars on fire
When crooks were done with a stolen car, they would light it on fire to help us find it. Me to owner “We have recovered your car, I’m not an expert, but in my opinion, it’s totaled” While working patrol in south central Los Angeles in the 80’s this was a common sight. Check out these crazy cop stories in my book “Deputy”, not the tv show, but the book.
You could die in Lynwood, but not of boredom
Circa 1988 I pulled out of the station parking lot, starting my pm shift in the city of Lynwood. The radio barked, Deputy T was on the patch, he was following a 10-29V (stolen car) north on Atlantic avenue crossing Imperial Hwy. Before I could get my lights and siren on the radio barked again. 998 (deputy-involved shooting) Deputy T yelled into the radio. The stolen car had slowed to a crawl along the south sidewalk. The right passenger jumped from the car and ran back toward the Sheriff’s car shooting. He fired numerous rounds into the front windshield of the police car, attempting to execute Deputy T. Deputy T quickly leaned over, taking cover behind the dashboard, avoiding being struck by the incoming rounds. You can see in the photo that a round skipped across the hood. You could die working Lynwood, but not of boredom.