The Duerite Boys

As a child and teen I fairly quickly perceived that law enforcement was not viewed as a welcome part of our world. The "law" was someone who sold a product no one wanted (tickets, jail, etc.).

Of course, the fact that many of the male members of our clan lacked a driver license, often neglected things such as valid vehicle inspection certificates or registration (and many had a propensity for drinking and driving) kinda helped to draw negative attention from the constabulary at large. The more creative of our bunch even managed some extensive free room and board at government expense for more serious legal trifles.

The only officers that seem to draw some admiration were the one's Dad called the Duerite boys. For years I thought this was brothers that he was acquainted with who wore neat police uniforms and seemed to look more professional than others. At some point, I figured out he was calling them (Texas Higway Patrolmen) the "Do Right" boys referring to the fact that they only had one way and that was the right way for all concerned. At least in my family, from the occasional drunks to the convicted felons, the Highway Patrol seemed to maintain a measure of begrudging respect.

In 1968, I graduated from high school and start a pre-medical school curriculum at Kilgore Junior College. While attending college (taking 18 hours of pre-med per semester) I held three part time jobs simultaneously to try to meet expenses. It became apparent the financial slope I was on was too slippery to survive.

I resolved to temporarily delay medical school and get a full time job (a decision made even more difficult by the fact that the Viet Nam War was at full tilt and I would lose my education draft deferment).

One of my brother-in-laws was a policeman in Kilgore. I was describing my plans to him, with no clue about how to get any job, and he suggested I apply with the Texas Highway Patrol. I was nineteen years old at the time (The minimum age for a Patrolman was 20). I had never been more than a day's ride off the front porch and wasn't sure I could spell Texas Department of Public Safety so I said they would not be interested in me. My brother-in-law disgustedly asked how I would know if I never tried!

Rather than back down from the challenge, I decided to apply to play for someone other than the home team (with no clue about what my part-time outlaw blood kin would think). At the ripe old age of ten and nine years I applied, went thru a background investigation (that couldn't have taken long) took all the tests. and had the first formal oral interview of my short life (while terrified).

I went to the Highway Patrol Office in Tyler and the Captain (now deceased), Lieutenant (now deceased) and Sergeant (long ago retired) interviewed me about being a Patrolman (the title wasn't changed to Trooper till many years later). They asked me if I had ever been arrested ("No", and I thought to myself that I hoped they didn't ask about any family members). They asked if I had ever gotten a ticket or been stopped by the law ("No"). They asked if any of my family were policemen ("No", I was wondering if they knew the Duerite brothers that Dad seemed to be acquainted with). They asked if I had ever talked to a policeman (again, "No"). Suddenly the Lieutenant leaned forward and in a booming loud voice said, "Then son, what the hell makes you think you want to be a policeman."

My reply was, "Sir, I need a job real bad and this looks like a good one." (while about to wet my pants).

I guess the answer was good enough because the next month on the day of my birthday (January 12, 1970), I received a letter of appointment to attend the Texas Highway Patrol School in Austin. The Academy was as tough mentally and physically as anything I have ever done and mostly due to homesickness (missing my MaMa) I thought a lot about quitting. Several things kept me there:

1. I had never quit anything or let anything beat me in my life.
2. The only alternative was the army in Viet Nam.
3. I couldn't stand the thought of ever going back home and having all know I failed.

Guess it all worked out one way or the other in the long run as my career at DPS lasted 33 years and 18 days until I retired on February 28, 2003.

I started as a Patrolman in San Antonio. Working the South and West side of that town will either make you grow up real quick or kill you in the same time frame. (I still remember drivers telling me they had been driving longer than I had been on earth)

I promoted to Highway Patrol Sergeant the first time I was eligible to apply and was transferred to Houston in 1976. After one year there, I transferred as a Sergeant to Marshall to be able to help mom when she was terminally ill with cancer. In 1981, I was selected to attend a one year police executive management school at Northwestern Unversity in Chicago.

While in Chicago, I was at the top of a promotion eligibility list and was promoted to Highway Patrol Lieutenant (like the one that yelled at me at my employment interview in Tyler)

After finishing at Northwestern, I was transferred to Austin to work in the State Headquarters. I thought being a Lieutenant would be a big deal until I realized that I was the lowest ranking person in the entire Headquarters?

In 1985 I was promoted to Captain and remained at Headquarters.

In 1987 I was promoted to Assistant Division Chief and put in charge of the Training Academy (the same one where I was so homesick), the Human Resources Department, the statewide vehicle fleet, the statewide building program, and many other programs.

In 1992 I was asked to accept an interim appointment as the head of the DPS mainframe computer operations. This was an especially challenging time for me for three reasons:

1. I was asked to lead the development of the current digitized driver licens issuance process
2. I had to manage the development of the computerized Automated Fingerprint Identification System
3. I was and remain as dumb as a post as far as computers are concerned

Guess I didn't screw the temp job up too bad (or maybe as punishment) I was promoted to full Division Chief in 1993 and made responsible for (yep) the computer operation (which now was full blown into the Y2K conversion process), the statewide criminal record system, and disaster and emergency management operations. I held this job for longer than anyone in the history of DPS up to that time (over 7 years) and was sure this would be my last assignment.

In 2000 (when I had 30 years service) the Public Safety Commission chose to appoint me to the position of Assistant Director with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. I was placed in charge of the Texas Highway Patrol (and finally being older than 20 could buy my own bullets), the Criminal Investigation Division, and the Texas Rangers.

When I retired from DPS in 2003, the Public Safety Commission gave me a lifetime law enforcement commision as a Special Texas Ranger allowing me to retain police powers and carry a sidearm is I desired.

My law enforcement career was over and I retired to my beloved Tin Star Ranch in Williamson County near Gabriel Mills to get it ready to build a house on it in the future.

What I could not foresee was that in June of 2006 a retired DPS friend would ask if I was interested in being the "interim" Police Chief for Austin Community College while they searched for a permanent chief. I remember the "interim" gig I had as the so-called computer guru and hesitated a bit, but then decided to do it for a change of pace.

After 6 months, I went to the College President and said I noticed you are not trying to hire a police chief. He replied that he didn't need to because he had one that he wanted to keep.

To make this too long story start mosying (not sure that is a word, but I know what it means) toward an ending, I have been the Police Chief for 17 months and in a couple of months I will have amazingly (to me) amassed a total of 38 years as one of the "Duerite Boys".

I'm not sure that helps even the score for all the mischief made by all the Wallers and Boyds over the years, but maybe it will keep the devil at bay?