By the summer of 1985, I had impressed the higher-ups with my Patrol duties. I was in the running for a Traffic Unit spot. The Sheriff’s Office received a “Grant of Funds” from the FEDS and the State of Georgia for a 4-man Traffic Unit. The State of Georgia looked at the number of accidents in Douglas County and offered a “Traffic Enforcement” grant along with FED support. They said that Douglas County had far too many injury and death accidents for its small population. The grant would pay for four new vehicles, four salaries, car radios, uniforms with equipment, and four newly modified radar units that would stay inside the vehicles as opposed to the old hang out the window models.

Senior men and deputies of jail, patrol and radio, all put in for the three deputy slots to be chosen. When the memo hit the cork board, the three deputies chosen for the unit was me, W.J., and yes, JB!. Sergeant R.C. was the most senior supervisor on patrol. He was chosen to supervise the new traffic enforcement division. It also was the announcement of the “Task Force’s” senior man.

Now we were in 1985, in a small southern town just 20 miles west of Atlanta when I was hired. D.C.S.O. operated with one Radio Operator per shift x 4 shifts as well as one Jailer per shift x 4 including the Chief Jailer during the day. My day patrol shift had three patrol deputies and one supervisor, a Sergeant.

In my four years of day shift patrol, I had become one of the most experienced deputies on patrol. I had more patrol experience under my belt than the other applicants. Senior deputy was a term used to signify the most experienced and competent deputy of each patrol shift. They would act as supervisors when the actual supervisor was off for vacation, training, sick, etc. I had done this work for Sgt. Eddie and Sgt. Ronnie on their respective patrol shifts. And I expected to be designated as the senior deputy in the new traffic enforcement unit. However, it was J.B. Our supervisor Sgt. R. Cain announced that deputy J.B. was to be acting senior man on the Task Force. By this time in my career, it didn’t hit me like a ton of bricks.

After a couple of months, I found Sgt R.C. in a good mood. At that time we were more of a military style of command in the makeup of our rules and regulations than civilian. It took me a couple of months to even feel comfortable asking my superior officer about his decision. I reminded the Sergeant that he mentioned several times, on our ride-a-longs, that I was the most qualified and experienced Deputy to apply for the Task Force. And not to worry about a Task Force position. So I asked, why did you make J.B. the Senior man when you said I was the most experienced and qualified? He replied that Dep. J.B.’s mother/grandmother had died around that time, and he thought that it would give J.B. a boost. Remember the motel and restaurant? (That’s Just Politics, Baby!)

After a year or so on the traffic unit, it was announced that a supervisor position had become available in Patrol. This would be a patrol shift supervisor with the rank of Sergeant with a take-home car. I had been gone from patrol for a year or more and felt it wouldn’t be fair to go back. I decided to let the young boys fight it out. I applied for the position along with others, but I knew others were more qualified than me. J.B. also applied. When the decision was made, it did not include me or J.B. and it was his ton-o-bricks moment.

J.B. got so angry at not being chosen for the supervisor position that he quit the Sheriff’s Office. He would be hired as a fireman by the Douglas County Fire Department a couple of weeks after quitting.

Finally, he was gone. Everything had been given to him on a silver platter ever since he was hired.

BUT, JB’s story is far from over!