A few thoughts about my enforcement career

I never thought about this, but my policing area in Wyoming covered about 4,000 square miles - almost four times the size of Rhode Island, and that was spread over the entire eastern third of Wyoming. My immediate area was about 780 contiguous square miles, a bit small compared to many western counties in the US, but certainly larger than any city except metro areas like Denver.

Policing an area like this is entirely different than in a city. For one, there aren't many people involved and the problems very different except for things like family disturbances. Yes, the challenges are very different. While most of my enforcement career was away from city life, I did work in that environment for several years, so have a little understanding of the challenges and dangers.

For one, if I were to say that I encountered a bear, in the city that would mean a large, hairy man. Where I primarily worked, that meant the four-legged kind capable of running 35 mph uphill and the only escape was up a tree or to outrun your companion. As a young man I broke the state record for the 100 yard dash so climbing a tree was not a necessary alternative. Besides, some bears can climb trees, too. Bears are relatively predictable. Moose are not. Badgers are. So are Eagles unless coming too close to the nest. The only escape is into a thick stand of trees.


Over the years I came to understand that my totem or personal spiritual animal helper has been the bear which explains why my encounters with them was always cordial and non-confrontational - and there have been many. In one instance while on assignment in California, a bear visited the camping area of Native Americans fighting a forest fire. (We had about six crews of 30 each in this one area) I went down and recognized him immediately as one who hung out in the area, but had not been aggressive. Still . . . "Woofer" as I called him, was a tan-colored bear of size (350-400 lbs.) with a tuft of white hair on the withers (where the shoulders meet). I had the camp area cleared and talked to him a moment, telling him there wasn't anything of interest (food) here and to move on, he was scaring people. Woofer moved on through the camp with me about fifty feet to the side and slightly behind. That was the last I saw of him and we were in the area for several weeks. That incident certainly ratcheted up my prestige with the Indians. One does not mess with a bear's "brother".

Another difference (and this has changed), I rarely carried a weapon other than my mind and my mouth. Having a Black Belt in Judo was a handy weapon, but only used it once and that was long after retiring. Luck played a role on a couple occasions so that I am able to write this today. What hasn't changed is that a partner is somewhere else and hopefully in an area where the radio is working.

Still another difference is my area of jurisdiction - where my authority to enforce laws extended. Simply stated, the entire United States. That was something a few people did not understand. For some reason they thought to commit a crime in Wyoming and be safe returning home. Unlike civil authorities, the Federal government doesn't mess with extradition between states.


Some young men attending a technical school at Laramie thought it would be fun to climb a hill and shoot a pistol into a lake below. The problem were the people fishing there put in danger. The boys were arrested, found guilty, and given work release rather than jail time - a mutual agreement between me and the judge. (With my legal degree, I also represented the government in court) Two of the four didn't complete their sentence and left. One returned to school and found himself in a serious pile of wet cow pies with the judge. The second guy thought to stay in Chicago, and never return to Wyoming, and be safe. Safe, that is, until the United States Marshals knocked on his door. He had a choice. Return to Wyoming within 24 hours or leave with them in handcuffs. He drove back the 900 miles and just made it.

Another man was cited for leaving a campfire burning and did not pay the fine. The Marshals removed him from his place of work - the Internal Revenue Office in Washington, D.C. - in handcuffs. (The Marshals REALLY enjoyed that one). For convenience he was brought before the local US Magistrate. His humiliation and fine were not pretty, but I doubt anyone in that office would leave a campfire burning or fail to pay any fines - ever.

The most potentially dangerous moment was in June of 1984. I received a phone call from a forest visitor wondering why men in military uniforms were hiding behind trees with guns. (Actually camouflage) I called the police and sheriff offices in both Laramie and Cheyenne and the MP at the Air Force Base in Cheyenne to see if their people were doing any training in the area. Normally they let me know. They weren't, so the Laramie Sheriff and I planned to drive up to investigate until he had to investigate a serious car accident some distance north and something else came up requiring my attention. On June 18th, Denver attorney and liberal talkshow host, Alan Berg, was gunned down in his driveway by a white nationalist group called The Order.

Subsequent investigations revealed that members of The Order had been staying in a safe house (across and down the street from where I lived, no less) and had used the forest area to practice prior to the attack. No telling what might have happened if the Sheriff and I had stumbled onto them. Well, no doubt I would not be writing this. What upset me most was that the Laramie PD and FBI knew about these guys and never said a word. The Sheriff and I did. Although done quietly, they felt the heat.

Just a bit of reminiscing and now you know why my blog is protected by a bear.