A Letter of Appreciation from the Chief of Police & Mayor of Columbus for helping the police chase down two murderers.
The event took place on April 7, 1978. The award didn't come until June 21, 1982.
However, I was a citizen at the time and decided then that I wanted to try my hand at Police work.
And I did, reaching the position of Police Chief in the community of Fulton.
I remember that evening like it was yesterday. I will post the story on this site at a later date.
The certificate above is where I graduated from the Police Academy in Morrow County, two years after the chase and two years before the above award from the Columbus Mayor & Police Chief was given.
This was the short course and was needed in order to attend the longer course where a cadet is required to use firearms.
The next three certificates show my graduation from the six week course.
The following certificates are from intensive training with the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
More certificates follow, training from University of Akron, and others.
Northwestern University
Training at BCI; Bureau of Criminology, located in London, Ohio.
Driver's Training for Police officers involved in high-speed chases. This training went beyond the extensive training in the academy.
Needless to say, it was all fun while it lasted. I saw my share of excitement, action and danger. I applied for the Miami Dade Police Department, (CSI Miami) took the exam, passed, and was accepted. However, my family wanted me to stay in Ohio so I turned it down. Everything happens for a reason.
During my years as a police officer, I worked three jobs most of the time. I was a machinist at Timken Roller Bearing in Columbus as well as a disc jockey at WUCO in Marysville, Ohio, on Sunday nights. I always had the desire to write but found little time to do so. But I did manage to write a school play for my eldest son when he was in elementary school in Cardington, Ohio. I also managed to write several scripts for my six sons. They and other relatives did act them out on video.
The pen has always been, and shall always be, my weapon of choice!
