DRT

As a dispatcher, one thing you never ever want to hear is that your officer.....whether it's your conservation, your troopers, your ems, your city pd, your deputy, or your sheriff....."has been hit," or "officer down."   These are your "guys."  These are members of your family.  Like it or not, that's how it is.

As a dispatcher, our main goal is to get our guys home after each shift.  Nobody...and I mean nobody...wants to make that call to the spouse and nobody wants to be on the receiving end of that call either.

One week ago from tonight, I was working the 4-midnight shift and nothing in particular was going on in my area.  The radios were hammering out their usual mindless chatter when all of a sudden, I heard a familiar voice.  A friend, and fellow dispatcher from Taylor County.  The crack in her voice not only caught my attention, but it caught the attention of my jailer, Beth.  We both stopped what we were doing and started listening. 

Something was wrong.  Something was really wrong.  There was just something about her voice.  I learned shortly that there was a high speed chase going on and she was very very emotional.  I had no clue, at this point, why; because it always gets my blood pumping and I get very excited about the details and events. 

This was no ordinary high speed chase.  It seems this guy, Rodney Long, escaped in the wee morning hours on Friday, from a minimum security lodge in Clarinda.  He waited until headcount was taken and away he went.  Over a fence and gone when he could have just walked...or ran...out a door or two and had the same result.  Anyway, from what I have read, he committed a burglary and stole a gun in that area after his escape.  Then he was nowhere to be found.

I don't know about you but if I were in that situation, I would have gotten myself out of that area and FAST!  But that's just me.  I pray that I am never in that situation to begin with.  This guy, Long...well he had different plans, I guess.  Because it took him, basically, from 4am Friday until 11:45ish pm to go roughly 16 miles.  He was on foot, I realize that.  I can even walk faster than that and I'm fat.  Not 144 lbs. soaking wet!  Oh well, whatever.

Someone spotted a man walking alongside Highway 2 and called him in so that he could be checked out.  I will just go out on a limb and say that the call was made BECAUSE there was an escape from Clarinda.  So the dispatcher tells her deputies and they head that way. 

Now...at this point, I know nothing.  Until Mary talks in that voice that relayed to everybody in radio-land, something was very very wrong.  As she gives the other responding officers, information about where this guy is at, I am wondering....."How does she know this?  How does she know every road he is turning on?"  I know they have GPS in their patrol vehicles so I chalk it up to having someone behind him.  Whiiiiiiiiich turns out wasn't the case at all. 

I was set upon staying at work until this chase came to an end.  I heard my nephew out there and well...I don't get to hear him very much on the radio, so it gave me reason to smile.  If only for a short while.  And I wanted to make sure he was ok.  So, I got on the 911 map and followed them on every road they went on.  It was quite a chase.  I think the dude got totally lost because he turned around in the same area a couple of times.  About 10 after midnight, I hear that the vehicle went in the ditch so I stop holding my breath and head home.

As I am brushing my teeth and getting ready for bed, I get on Facebook only to see status after status, from my hometown friends, talking about this chase that is going on.  Of course, I assumed it was over since he wrecked but it seems it wasn't.  And it wasn't long after that, that I was told a deputy had been shot.  Now that hit hard and fast.  That isn't supposed to happen in small towns.  That isn't supposed to happen to the "family."  I laid in bed and read post after post, reading anything I could find about what was going on.

"Lock your doors."
"Don't go out driving around."
"I am getting my guns out."

Now that made it so surreal.  I contemplated getting in the car and going down to help at the office but knew after being up all day and night, I needed to get SOME sleep before going.  And I was worried about being in the way.  So I eventually drifted off to sleep.  When I awoke...about 2 hours later...I immediately scolded myself. 

"How could you go to sleep Shellie???  Daniel has been shot.  Shot!  You don't need to sleep.  Josh is out there.  ALL those guys are out there.  You need to be awake and strong in case anything else happens.  You need to do something to keep busy.  You need to get to Bedford."  This was 4am.  I was so tired but felt so bad for Dan and his family.  I found out that he had been life-flighted but knew nothing else. 

And that's when all those memories come back.  I remember when Daniel was a baby, playing at the flower shop his parents owned.  I remember when he was just starting school.  I remember him growing up with my nephews.  Daniel is as much "Bedford" as any of the rest of us.  But I wasn't counting him out.  No way, no how.  I know he's good at his job and I know he wears a vest.

So I tossed and I turned.  Then I turned some more.  I got out of bed at 6am and did my dishes, straighted up the house, got laundry started and then got myself ready to go southbound.  I sent a text to sister Cindy asking her if I should come down or if I would be in the way.  No answer.  I was gone.  Halfway there, she sent me a text saying to come down if I wanted to.  Almost there sis.  Almost there.

So, for those of you that don't know.  Here's what happened.  Daniel got out of his truck to talk to this guy that was walking, only to be shot by this d-bag.  Said d-bag then took Daniel's truck and took off.  Luckily for Daniel, his back-up Eric, was right behind him and got him in his car and took off.  He radioed in and told dispatch that Daniel had been hit.  It was immediately after this transmission that we heard that dreaded dispatcher voice.

The chase resulted in Long wrecking Daniel's truck.  Then he took off on foot.  That was the part I missed.  He ran into a cornfield and from there, the manhunt began.  Homes, garages, sheds, any and all out-buildings being searched top to bottom.  They had, not only, all surrounding county deputies there but some from two to three counties out, present and involved.  They had DCI there.  ISP was there.  Missouri deputies in attendance.   Nebraska doing fly-overs.  It was amazing and awe-striking to see them all working together.  Walking, running, driving, searching, flying. 

And for just a little bit, I got to be part of it.  I got to help field phone calls, to relaying information, to assisting anybody coming in the front door.  It was either complete chaos or it was completely silent and to tell you the truth, I think the chaos was better.  Because it didn't give anybody time to think about what was going on.  It kinda made the pain of wondering how Daniel was, not so hurtful.  I don't even work for this county and I was madder than hell at this man.  I wouldv'e gladly shot him for shooting "one of mine." 

For that day and night, everybody and their brother was going armed and locking themselves in their homes.  I prayed and prayed for Daniel.  For his family.  For all the law enforcement involved.  I prayed for this shooter because I knew that if anybody outside of police came into contact with him, he was a goner.  I just wanted him in custody.  I wanted him to pay for what he had done.  But I wanted to shoot him.  Sorry if that's confusing but that's how I was feeling.  I think I felt like most anybody else that night/day. 

Conflicting emotions all the way around. 

I have known Daniel's parents my entire life and my heart went out to them.  What an awful phone call to get.  I prayed for them.  I prayed for his wife and young family.  I prayed that Mary, the dispatcher on duty when this happened, would be able to get a little sleep while this mess was going on.  I prayed that my sister, who was up all night and all day, would be able to sleep when she finally got a chance to lay down.  I prayed that all of my family and friends in the area, stayed inside and safe.  Even the ones that don't like me.  I don't wish people dead.  Usually.

Except for Rodney Long. 

One part of me wished he would be taken into custody so he could see the people that he hurt.  So he could pay.  Because if he died, that would be too easy.  And another part of me wished someone would just blow him away.  Into a million pieces.  So we wouldn't have to look at the animal that didn't think twice about putting a bullet into one of our own.  So the taxpayers didn't have to pay to feed and house this animal.

Today I still pray for Daniel and hope that he makes a complete recovery and is back to work ASAP.  I also keep his wife in my prayers because it can't be easy being the wife of a cop.  I don't care who you are, it has to be stressful.  I pray for the dispatchers that have to worry about getting their own home each day and night.  I pray for the family of Rodney Long.  Because they thought this guy was "just" a common prisoner.  Just like Otis from Mayberry. 

As I have always been told, "Otis is the one that will get you."

To finish out the story, for those that don't know...Long broke into a farmhouse in the area on Monday night and held a couple hostage in their own home for four hours, while he talked on the phone and God knows what else.  It seems the man of the house is a retired prison guard.  And he ended up shooting Long.  DRT.  Good job Jerry.  You are definitely on My Gift list this year!  If I knew how to make you a medal, I sure would. 

How fitting is it that he died at the hands of an ex-prison guard anyway?  I think it's an AWESOME story!

And I pray for that couragous couple.  Jerry and Carolyn.  That did what they had to do and when given the opportunity, did what was necessary to save their own lives.  You are heros to many of us.  And I pray for you daily as well.

Until next time.....stay safe and stay strong.  Thanks for reading!