To date, this is the hardest thing I have ever written due to the concern of not painting the picture vividly enough. I just got home from riding along with a Creek County Deputy, wanting the first-hand experience of what their days are like. On the way home I cried; when I saw my family I wept.
But I digress. I jumped at the chance to do a ride along after interviewing Sheriff Bret Bowling last month. I arrived early in the morning, signed a liability form and they ran a background check. I was honored to spend four hours with Deputy Denna Thomas. She is a twenty-year veteran of the Sheriff’s office and is tough and sweet all in one package. Talking in military time she told me about her days and multi-tasked with ease in her office—better known as her patrol car. She is smaller than me, I am 5’4”, so I had to ask about using brute force with men. She shrugged and said, “No, never had to use any. I treat them with respect. There has been no need for force.”
I watched as she served various papers such as protective orders (also known as P.O.’s and eviction notices), pulled a couple of people over for speeding (I have to admit, that one was fun), helped in one arrest, checked an alarm that went off accidentally, and we toured the jail and dispatch center. It was a lot of driving. Since Creek County is such a huge district, she can drive up to 200 miles in a shift. By the way, if you live in rural Creek County please make sure your house number is well marked so you can be found easily!
What we read or hear on the news can sometimes be entertaining or even desensitize us to the experiences that police go through, but after my experience, they will never be just words, pictures or numbers again. I saw drama between family members, cursing at each other due to a protective order one of them asked to be served. Officers see drama all the time—as you can well imagine. I saw people bound by alcohol and drug abuse (among other things) in jail. A woman was sitting in solitary with her head on bent knees, facing the wall. What is she thinking? I wondered.
Three people wearing orange were waiting to be booked, watching us the whole time. I am ashamed to say I didn’t want to get too close, though Deputy Thomas was kind and friendly to all. Many are there time and time again—they are real people, with real consequences, and very real feelings. On their faces, I saw shame, defiance, regret, and embarrassment.
I watched the dispatchers working behind closed doors in a dark room, computer screens filling the wall. They no doubt have a challenging job. The jail has a nurse and I bet she has some interesting stories to tell. I was like a fly on the wall listening as two employees of the jail pulled Deputy Thomas into a discussion of how important it is to treat people with respect, specifically the inmates. Funny, we had just been discussing respect earlier in the day.
We had some papers to serve and a warrant out for a fellow that was known to be a handful—it took all four deputies on duty. I watched as they met and hatched out a plan before driving to the residence.
I heard Deputy Thomas say to me, “If you hear gunshots, duck.”
“So…are you nervous or is it just me,” I asked. It was just me. They arrested him with no incidents but were prepared for anything. They met afterward to debrief and discuss how they can improve for the future. Teamwork at its finest. I was so proud. And relieved.
When I say there are people in the world who see, smell and hear the absolute worst in society and keep going back to work, I mean it wholeheartedly. At the Sheriff’s office, I listened to the camaraderie between the deputies before we set out for the day. Deputy Thomas confirmed what I was thinking: they are not only a team but a family.
Deputy Thomas has three children and loves them fiercely. To her, making arrests, getting chased by dogs, serving protective orders, and having co-workers who carry shotguns are just a part of everyday life. To me, it’s the making of a true hero. Can you honestly imagine risking your life on a daily basis?
“So why the tears?” you may ask. The tears I cried are for the people and raw emotions I saw on the other side of the glass and for their families that represent addiction, heartbreak, bad decisions and much more. Tears fell for the dedicated men and women who serve and protect us without so much as a “thank you” most of the time. For the Sheriff’s department, including detectives, detention officers, transport, patrol and courthouse officers, a sergeant, and many more—not to mention the twelve reserve officers who volunteer their time doing a dangerous job! I cried tears for the families that love their officers so much and for the ones who have lost their lives or been injured in the line of duty.
It is one thing to see a movie or read the news but it’s quite a life-changing experience to witness it firsthand.
No one knows who or what will be on the other side of a door or in a recently pulled over car. I am proud of what I witnessed—teamwork, respect, patience, bravery, and so much more. It helped me value not only our officers more but life, freedom, and family. I would absolutely go back again in a heartbeat.
Brooke DeLong
“If you are not prepared to be a part of the team, turn around. Teamwork is the fuel that allows common people to produce uncommon results.”
—Posted in CCSO (Creek County Sheriff Office)
