The Arizona Highway Patrol as I Disremember It

Book excerpt: Author Paul Palmer first began idolizing highway patrolmen when he was a boy living in Gila Bend, Arizona. As the patrolmen stopped by to visit his father, Paul soon realized that these brave men were true heroes. He had no idea then that one day he would work with the same men he held in such high esteem. As he shares a chronological glimpse into the life and career of an Arizona patrolman, Paul begins with his first job in 1966 as a dispatcher in Holbrook, Arizona, where he jokes his best view of the town was in his rearview mirror. While providing amusing portrayals of the men and women he worked with, Paul relies on slightly exaggerated real-life experiences to depict the wonderful, wild, and wacky people who made up the Arizona Highway Patrol. Paul shares his experiences of the next 40 years, serving in both civilian and sworn capacities and how he developed lasting friendships with the heroes who put their lives on the line every day to ensure the safety of others. The Arizona Highway Patrol as I Disremember It provides an unforgettable look at the humorous side of law enforcement through the eyes of one of its own.