You Be the Judge

By Omar Cunningham

Brian Rodgers dreamed of becoming a police officer from the time he was a child. Struggling to earn a college degree, financial pressures forced him from school and into a job as a dispatcher. Contending with supervisors that are prejudiced against him because of his race, Brian suffers a series of career setbacks that frustrate and disillusion him. A long period of unemployment and near despair conclude as Brian finds employment as a uniformed officer in a town where racial discrimination is not a factor and his path to success is secured.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trafford Publishing
• Release date: May 21, 2002
• ISBN: 9781466953406

Omar Cunningham

The author is a police officer himself and is no stranger to adversity in law enforcement. He has been a police officer since 1995 and indeed has a story to tell. He will explain about some things that happen in a department when administrators get too lax and too comfortable in their positions. Some of these things may shock you. If it does, then he has done his job. That is what this story is intended to do. Feel him, understand him, relate to him, and see if you agree with him. In this book you will hear just some of the things that happen behind closed doors of law enforcement. Go with him as he sheds light on what this department want to keep in the dark.

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© 2002 by Omar Cunningham. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written prior permission of the author.

You Be The Judge

Based On A True Story: An Officer’s First And

Worst Experience in Law Experience

By Omar Cunningham

Edited by: Dr. Bertis English

Author Photo by: Carl Byers

Cover Photos by: Laura Bentley

Cover Design by: David Finlayson

National Library of Canada Cataloguing in Publication

Cunningham, Omar

You be the judge / Omar Cunningham. ISBN: 978-1-5536-9550-9 (soft cover)

ISBN: 978-1-4669-5340-6 (ebook)

I. Title.

PS3603.U68Y6 2002 813’.6 C2002-902147-2

Image334.JPG

This book was published on-demand in cooperation with Trafford Publishing.

On-demand publishing is a unique process and service of making a book available for retail sale to the public taking advantage of on-demand manufacturing and Internet marketing.On-demand publishing includes promotions, retail sales, manufacturing, order fulfilment, accounting and collecting royalties on behalf of the author.

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Trafford Catalogue #02-0363 www.trafford.com/robots/02-0363.html

10 98765432

Contents

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1 My Life in Dispatch

CHAPTER 2 The Many Adventures of Sylvia Daniels

CHAPTER 3 Changing Me

CHAPTER 4 Finally, My Chance Has Come

CHAPTER 5 The Academy Experience

Chapter 6 Who’s Bullet Is This?

CHAPTER 7 Dirty Laundry

CHAPTER 8 It’s A Family Affair

CHAPTER 9 Friends or Foes

CHAPTER 10 The Trip That Changed My Life

CHAPTER 11 Leaving

CHAPTER 12 The Fight Isn’t Over

CHAPTER 13 No Where To Go

CHAPTER 14 Getting Back Up

CHAPTER 15 Back In The Game

CHAPTER 16 The Harper Ordeal

CHAPTER 17 Looking Back

For

Angenetta Rodgers

Affectionately known as Mudda

LaMecha James and her family

Zel, Alia, and Maurice

Especially for

My loving wife Felicia Cunningham

And our son

Kyle Nigel Cunningham

In Memory of

LaVada Owens Terrell

Momma

Acknowledgments

I have much respect for authors and it amazes me sometimes that I have become one. My friend Patrick has to convince me daily that I have really written a book. It was a long process that I thought would never be over. Once I started writing I had so much to tell. There were so many things that just jumped out onto the paper. I have never written a book before but I knew these things had to be told.

Fortunately, I have been blessed to be surrounded by people who were willing to go through this with me step by step. Nicole, I couldn’t have done this without you. Patrick, I could always count on you. To my friend Dr. Bertis English. Dr. Bertis English. You have been a friend since our days at Jacksonville State University. God bless you.

If I forgot to mention you, charge it to my head and not to my heart. I truly would like to thank everyone for helping me with this book. There were some things I just had to say. You all helped me to say them.

You Be The Judge

By: Omar Cunningham

INTRODUCTION

This book was not written as an avenue to point fingers at anyone. It was merely written to tell my side of a story that has been twisted for a while. I want to tell you about my ups and downs, my advancements and setbacks, and my rises and falls. My encounters at this law enforcement agency have been more than memorable. I have gone through things I never thought I would have to go through. Heck, I have been through things no one should have to go through. All I ever wanted to do was be in law enforcement. I have learned many things but my first experience in law enforcement has left a bad taste in my mouth. The names and places have been changed but it doesn’t matter. This goes on everywhere. I am still in law enforcement because other places are similar but not necessarily the same. There is still hope. Now I am not asking you to have my views on the things that I have been through. Put yourself in my shoes and clear your mind of everything else. If you do that, after reading this book you will have been through what I have been through. After you have finished, weigh it out. YOU BE THE JUDGE.

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CHAPTER 

1 

My Life in Dispatch

My interest in law enforcement started early in my childhood like most kids. I guess many children have aspirations of being a policeman or fireman. My dreams were real and I wanted to pursue them. Back in the 70’s, when I was growing up, there were plenty of fast action cop shows to watch and I watched them all. It was only when I graduated high school that I had to really think about the path I wanted to take. It was at my mother’s house back in 1988 where my direction would be decided. My then girlfriend and my mother came up with the idea that would put me on the road to obtaining my dream. I was searching for a major for college. They both suggested I major in law enforcement since I was interested in criminal justice. Thus began my journey towards a dream I had long waited for. I started out at a junior college in my hometown. After about a year, I transferred to a 4-year college in a nearby city. College life was great but I didn’t focus, as I should have. I went to school for 2 more years, ran out of money and decided to take a job unrelated to law enforcement. I wandered for the next couple of years from one job to another not really centering on anything. I would take jobs just to pay the bills. Their came a time in the midst of my wandering that I became unemployed. There was no work to be found. I would work odd jobs just to put gas in the car. I was having problems keeping the lights and water on. I went six months without gas, phone, or cable. I was about at the end of my rope when I got some information from a man I knew and respected for many years. I was talking to Chief Heard one day and he told me that the Sheriff’s Department was looking for a dispatcher. I knew nothing about dispatching but I needed the money and a job. Maybe this was my way to the job I always wanted. I put an application in at the Sheriff’s Department and started pursuing a job with that department. I kept trying to get a meeting with the sheriff but I could not get him. I would put on my shirt and tie and be in hot pursuit of a meeting with the sheriff. I would go to his office and ask to speak to Sheriff Johnson. They would always say he just left. I would ask when he was returning. They would always say in about an hour. No matter how long they said he would be, I would always wait for him. When he would come through the front door, the first thing he would see would be me. I would shake his hand and ask him for a job anywhere. He would always tell me he had nothing. He would then say try back in about 2 weeks. I would leave and be back 2 weeks to the minute. If he were not there, I would wait only to get the same response. Well, this went on for several months until one day I got a call from Angela Miller. She was the chief in charge of the dispatchers. She asked could I come in for an interview. I said yes. I thought that at last my prayers have been answered. I went in for my interview and there sat Angela Miller and Chief Perry. I made it through my interview and was given a part time job as a dispatcher. I didn’t know it then but this was my first look at what hell was like. I felt then that they didn’t want me at the department. They gave me the hardest job they had and only on a part-time basis. I was put to work and was not given a uniform for 6 months. I was the only one walking around in civilian clothes. (They didn’t expect me to stay. At that time, no other black has ever stayed more than 2 weeks.) I was put with Lorain McDaniel to learn the ropes. I watched her for 4 days. I didn’t do anything. I just watched her push buttons. Then came their first attempt to get me gone. Chief Miller called me and told me that the 3rd shift person could not come in. She wanted me to work it by myself. She said it wouldn’t be a problem because nothing happens on 3rd shift anyway. Well, I reluctantly said yes. That night came and I thought I would die. The shift started at 9:30. By 11:30, I was calling my mother almost in tears. I told her I couldn’t make it. I knew absolutely nothing. I had not been properly trained and I was lost. I was left with a help sheet and a couple of numbers to call if I ran into trouble. By the