Gun, Badge & Cuffs

By Dr. Richard S. Rhodes

The experience of a young Black police recruit while in the academy was assigned to undercover vice assignments on weekends. He is taken back by its challenges, exciting and adventurous to say the least. Graduating from the academy he is permanently assigned to the Vice Squad.

He describes in vivid detail his experiences in various assignments during his thirty year career from vice to uniform patrol, detective and patrol supervisor. His incidents include two face-to-face gun fights, car crashes, being drugged, and pulled from a three story building, confrontation with a boa constrictor, the riots and many others. His body guarding and managing experiences with the late Redd Foxx, his experiences in show business, etc.

The book is exciting, real and most of all, TRUE. Described by one critic as a "Real Page Turner!"

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Apr 8, 2011
• ISBN: 9781449097738

Dr. Richard S. Rhodes

ABOUT THE AUTHOR (1960 - 1990) Dr. Rick Rhodes is an army veteran. He served the Cincinnati Police Division for thirty years. His assignments were Undercover Vice Officer, Detective and Patrol Supervisor (retired). He founded The Sentinels Police Association, a Black police organization in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio. He received the city's highest award, that of bravery and valor. Dr. Rhodes was a professor at the University of Cincinnati for more than twenty years, College of Education and Humanities - Criminal Justice (retired). Manager and Body guard to the late Redd Foxx. Eventually he became founder and CEO of his own security company, Amalgamated Security Services, Inc. It was not my intention or desire to become a soldier, police officer or professor, it just happened. In the first two instances I was looking for a job, the third was a surprise and just fell into my lap. I became proud and dedicated myself to each. Outside influences and my personal situation persuaded me not to re-enlist in the army. It later turned out to be the correct decision, thus my career path began. Now because of my wife Gwen's nagging, encouragement and persistence, I have become an author. Hopefully a successful one. Among his adventures were sky diving, professional scuba diving and international travels. His short lived sky diving adventures ended after a chute malfunction in a high wind. It resigned him to being a "land lover."

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Contents

DEDICATION

PREFACE

MEMORIES

INTRODUCTION

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

PART ONE

PART TWO

DEDICATION

I

This book is dedicated to my wife, Gwen. Over the years she has constantly tried to persuade me to write a book about the true stories in my life I have shared with her.

Through her encouragement; influence, inspiration, determination and most of all her love, I decided to pursue her wishes and this venture.

To my parents, the late Raymond and Eloise Rhodes

These writings are true. They are about my life as a Law Enforcement Officer.

Thanks GWEN

Love Always, RICK

PREFACE

II

There is a fine line between hope and prayer. This book may be published, it may not. My intention to the reader is to impart knowledge about the life, problems and situations of a Police Officer.

I have written only factual incidents and situations of an officer who has lived these experiences. This writing is not fictional. It will not impart wisdom but knowledge of our real-world as related to Law Enforcement behind the scenes.

I congratulate and honor all the good and honest police officers, they know who they are.

MEMORIES

III

Still my partner to this day, Lt. George Edmonds Sr. Sgt. Paul Allen, Det. James (Jimmy) Childress, Ofc. Joe (Brady) Bray, Lt. Virgil Hall, Lt. Charles Black, Sgt. Bill Berry, Lt. John Edwards, Lt. William Beahr, Capt. Joe Crawford, Spec. Jim Van Pelt, my Vice friend. Ofc. Paul Warren, who traveled with me to my karate tournaments. Spec. Easterling and O’Rielly, Spec. George Simpson, Ofc. Jimmy Simon. Dearest friends Sgt. Handy Mathews and Spec. Artie Crum. Ofc. Velmon Butler, Spec. Dan Cella, Spec. Tom Streicher, Chief Jacob Shott, Spec. Ken Ryan, Ofc. Harry Fowler. Retired Assist. Chief Howard Rogers, Spec. Roger Hummeldorf.

Dr. Allene Reed, Professor and administrator at the University of Cincinnati. With my deepest thoughts, thanks for your guidance and help. Thanks Prof. Gerald (Wess) Wesslekamper, Dr. Roger (Rabbit) Wright, Prof. Steve Beck, Dr. William Stewart, my doctorate chairman and advisor, University of Cincinnati, Dr. Jack Richardson, University of Xavier, if not for him I would not have pursued a path to my Doctorate degree. I have left many friends, comrades and others absent; I can’t name all of them.

Titles mean very little to me, just the real persons they are!

THANKS,

Dr. Rick Rhodes, Sergeant

Cincinnati Police, Retired

INTRODUCTION

IV

It is extremely & emotionally difficult to write and think about persons in my life as law enforcement officers, even those who were not law enforcement officers.

Due to the fact that some of these persons are deceased, as long as we remember them they are still alive. All of these people have nurtured and protected me in my life as a police officer.

These are true life incidents I have lived as a police officer; some life threating, some tragic and some amusing.

Praise and glory be to all of them. Not as heroes, but as true persons. I miss and love all of them.

Sincerely,

Rick Rhodes

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

All the brave FIRE FIGHTERS, EMT’s, DOCTORS, HOSPITAL STAFF and CITIZENS that are not given their praise or glory for the task they perform.

I thank you personally. You have came to my and many others aid so often. You are special people. The job is always well done. You save lives. You will never be forgotten.

Respectfully,

Doctor, Professor, Sergeant, Rick Rhodes (retired)

Cincinnati Police Division

SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

VI

GWEN RHODES   Technical Advisor, Collator, Proofing & Editing

MICHAEL HAP O’DANIEL   Mentor, Writer/Journalist, Advisor & Consultant

PATRICA BARRYMORE   Just Write Perfect Pages"

STEVE SCHILDMEYER   Contributing Writer, Festival Productions

FRAN GURLEY LOMAX   Keep on keeping on, Bro

PHOTOS COURTESY OF

Rick’s R-Company

C-Smith Photography Studios

Cincinnati Police Archives, Records, etc, 1960-1990

Nidan Dojo Karate Association

Author

Marjorie B. Parham, Cincinnati Herald

All those police officers, living or deceased of which I live daily memories.

PART ONE

INDUCTION INTO THE ARMY

After two years, serving in the United States Army, I, Rick Rhodes returned home. I had been away without any contact with my family, except letters. I had been stationed in the European Theatre (Germany). Specialist Forth Class, I was a demolition expert and mine field plotter.

Arriving home I was reunited with my family, wife and two sons, Daryl and Larry, the younger of which I had never seen. My parents, Raymond and Eloise had given my family support at their home.

I joined the Army on a lark. As a matter of fact, I didn’t fully realize I was in the Army even after taking an oath and medical exam in Fort. Thomas, KY. I had been escorted to a bus with other inductees, thinking I was returning home to Cincinnati to inform my family I had joined the Army. Shortly after being on the bus; I realized the bus was traveling south from Cincinnati towards Louisville, Kentucky. HEY MAN, I said to a uniformed Sergeant on the bus, we’re going the wrong way! Shut up and sit down was the Sergeant’s reply; You’re on your way to Fort Knox for assignment and basic training.

Earlier that same day, I had left our apartment, no job, going to a bakery down the street from the apartment to get the family breakfast, some donuts. That’s all we could afford.

I had come from a military family and as I walked towards the bakery, I was attracted to a storefront sign several doors before approaching the bakery. The sign read, BE PROUD JOIN THE ARMY, it gave information of a local recruiting station.

Chance would have it, the donuts never got home. As I looked across the street a bus was headed towards town where the recruiting station was located. I crossed the street, boarded the bus with about ten dollars in my pocket. My thought at the time, enlistment was a source of income. I had just been laid off from a General Electric Aircraft Plant after being employed there for only nine months. A job I had thought was secure. Not the case, many workers with more seniority were also laid off. Shortly after graduating from high school my sweetheart became pregnant with our first child. We got married during the pregnancy.

I took an oath and physical at Ft. Thomas, Kentucky and got on a bus believing I was returning home but instead, I was headed to Fort Knox, Kentucky on a Greyhound bus. On the bus, I befriended a guy, Pete Harris from Dayton, Ohio. I guessed we sat together because, as I recall, we were the only ‘so called at the time, Negroes or Coloreds on the bus.

I still don’t know exactly where Fort Knox is only that it is in Kentucky. Fort Knox Army Reservation is where the Government says our Gold is stored. I don’t believe this. Why would our Government let the world know where all our country’s Gold is stored? I believe this is a false-hood whatever that means.

The year is 1957 in America. I was becoming a Soldier to fight for our country. As the Greyhound bus pulled into the Greyhound station in Louisville, Ky., the Sergeant told us, If you’ve got any money, go in and get something to eat. When you get to Fort Knox, we will give you what is called a flying twenty in dollars. (This flying 20" flies away because you had to spend it on soap, toothbrush, and other sundries).

SEGREGATION

Never experiencing Segregation, everyone on the bus went into the Greyhound bus station to eat. Damn Grey-Hound to this day.

Pete and I went to the counter to order along with the other White inductees. But being Colored we were told we couldn’t eat in the main diner. We were directed to a small cubby section where employees worked. There was a small hole cut into the wall from which we had to order our food. Needless to say we had never experienced this type of treatment –Discrimination and especially Segregation.

We ordered from the little hole in the wall. I told Pete, I’m not eating here. He replied, order whatever you want and as much as you want, I’ll pay for it. I don’t remember what I ordered, but I was hungry. Someone in the kitchen pushed our meals out from the small hole in the wall. Pete grabbed both orders and bought them to the small table where we were sitting. I was ready to eat. Pete said Fuck this, we’re leaving! These mother-fuckers don’t treat us this way. We left that big order of food on the table, walked out and never paid for it.

Pete and I got on the bus hungry, sort of not believing how we had been treated. Again I’m sure we were the only Negroes on the bus. The other inductees were very accepting of us, but did not know what had happened at the Greyhound bus station in Louisville, Ky.

Pete and I could pass for brothers, we were both Mulattos, light skinned, Pete had wavy dark hair, handsome, better looking and apparently more intelligent than myself, that’s why he went to a NIKE base and my ass went to Fort. Benning as a grunt.

At some point a different Sergeant took command and escorted us to a, so called, Troop Train. He was a great guy, nothing but inductees went on the Troop Train. We played Poker, shot Craps in the aisle, however, we knew in a few days our asses would be grass in Army terms. Pete and I would be separated due to initial assignments. We wrote each other a few times.

BASIC TRAINING

We arrived at an Army barracks, got off the bus and were told, go in get a bed. This is now your home. You’re now a GI Government Issue. You will obey every command you are given.

I recall it was late after noon, we were walked into the Mess Hall and were fed. The food wasn’t bad. Pete and I were hungry. We returned to our barracks, played cards, shot Craps and told jokes.

We thought boy this Army Life isn’t bad; having fun, staying up late. Next morning we heard revelry played early. The next morning we were allowed to sleep in, unless some of us wanted to go to the Mess Hall. This was our second day, we were getting anxious to get our uniforms so we would look like the other soldiers on the base. Lying around all day was getting boring. That was soon to change. The third day about 5:00 a.m. our barracks door was kicked open with a bang. We heard Get the fuck up! in one of the loudest voices I’d ever heard.

A Sergeant walking down the aisles of the barracks ordered us to make up our bunks, later we would learn to do it the Army Way, bouncing a coin off the tight ass blankets. If it didn’t bounce, that would be your ass. At last we realized this Army Life was going to be a Bitch. He rounded us up outside, made us run to the Barber Shop and then the Supply Room. We got a GI haircut and fitted with all our Army apparel except weapons, taken to an area and lined up.

We had, at one time, taken some test. The results determined what you’re assignment and destination would be and mine would be a Demolition Expert. With Duffle Bags we had to run to the area of assignment –one of the heaviest things, at the time, I ever remembered carrying. There were two Troop Trains waiting for us to board. There were two groups. One was going north, the other south. This is when Pete and I were split up. He went to a Nike Base in New York and I went to Fort Benning, Georgia. I never saw Pete again.

I can’t remember how long it took but we had fun again. Shooting Craps, playing Poker and telling more jokes on the train. Arriving at Ft. Benning, we completed rigorous Basic Training and were given our first leave after eight weeks. Everyone was either from New York or Pennsylvania, except me, I returned to Cincinnati.

Our orders were to be back at Ft. Benning on a certain day to begin eight weeks of advanced Infantry Training. I got a call that the guys from Pennsylvania and New York would have a fourteen hour layover here in Cincinnati. I invited twelve of them to my house. My parents borrowed several cars, as I recall, cooked dinner and served drinks. Same old thing, shot Craps, played POKER, told jokes and ate an awful lot of Soul Food.

I was the only Black guy in the group. On the way back to Ft. Benning the train stopped in Atlanta. The conductor came into our car and told me I had to go to the last car. We were all in uniform. These guys that had enjoyed my family’s hospitality told the conductor under no uncertain terms was I going to be moved. Now as a uniformed military person I experienced JIM CROW whoever that mother may be! From Louisville Kentucky to Atlanta Georgia to a United States Military reservation at Fort Benning Georgia where on Main Post, I experienced what I term the ROSA PARKS syndrome. There was a line for Colored’s and a line for Whites; the Colored’s were the last to enter the bus. Wake up Rick Rhodes, is this America, am I not an American soldier! It was cultural shock I would to this day like to find Jim Crow and kick his ass. Arriving at Ft. Benning we were informed after Advanced Training, there would be one more leave granted. We were told we were going to Germany for two years. After the two years, I returned home to my family.

BACK HOME

Joining the Police Division

1960 - 1990

Just as joining the Army was a strange coincidence –a lark, joining the Police Division was also a strange happening. I recall I was home about a week, telling Army stories, a little relaxation and getting accustomed to civilian life. I realized I need a job to take care of my family and find a place to live. As my mother’s faithful concern for my future goals, as both of us were early risers, one particular morning she had read the Classifieds in the newspaper. Under my bedroom door she had slipped two classified job ads. One for the Post Office and one for the Police Division and the next day was the last day to respond.

I took both tests, passed both with flying colors. I wanted to get the postal job instead I got the police job first. One night my mother was reading the evening paper. Excitedly, in a loud voice, she stated you’re in the paper! I said, yeah Mom, for what? She replied, You’re number one on the Police Exam! I grabbed the paper from her and read it for myself. It was true. The next day a uniformed officer showed up at our door to inform me of the process to report to the academy. Needless to say, I was elated. I reported to the academy, as instructed, on the date specified. Thus my Law Enforcement Career began. It was to be thirty years.

THEN A STRANGE THING HAPPENED

While in the academy I was called into the office of the Commander. I was told since no one knew, or only a few people knew I was on the Police Department, since I had just gotten out of the Army. I was asked if I would accept, on my weekends an assignment as an Undercover Officer on the Vice Squad. I answered in the affirmative, knowing the Vice Squad was a preferred assignment. I was assigned to two veteran Vice Officers, Paul Allen and Jim Childress to be my Training Officers. They were involved in the selection process as to the decision of a very small list about who would come to the unit of the Vice Squad.

My first night with them was getting acquainted, comfortable with each other and getting my education about our assignments. Needless to say, I was very impressed with them. Plus the fact we had a lot of fun and laughs. We would be involved in drugs, prostitution, liquor, and illegal numbers and gambling. That was very exciting to me. Ninety percent of our assignments were going to be late evenings until late mornings.

My thoughts, on my way home, later that first night, raised some important questions. I was still in the Academy during the day. The physical strain and academic stress was overwhelming. With all of this academic work that was demanding, home work, compiling an extremely thick notebook. I usually worked to catch up on the week ends. Now I realized I would be working Friday, Saturday and Sunday –then at the Academy for many weeks. I wanted to have good grades, but wondered if I could do it? Maybe I had made the wrong decision about accepting the assignment but was determined I was not going to back out –just my nature.