Owen Gilmore

When I heard this passage on the True Murder podcdast I knew I was destined to read this book. "The Gwinnett County, Georgia, Police Department was formed by tough, honorable men who were brought in to clean up the county after the sheriff made moonshining his personal business. With a low budget—officers had to buy their own uniforms, guns, even bullets—the police had to take anyone with a pulse who could stand upright. Even with the odds against them, the police department grew into a force feared by the criminals and respected by county citizens. Late one night in spring of 1964, the police in Gwinnett County—and everywhere—learned just how far that respect would go in saving their lives in a tight spot. Officers Jesse Gravitt, Ralph Davis, and Jerry Everett responded to a report of suspicious activity on a desolate country road named Arc. What they found was a kind of criminal they were completely unprepared for, a psychopath who would do anything to avoid the consequences of his actions, including the cold-blooded killing of three county police officers. This began one of the most intense murder investigations that Georgia had ever seen. Arc Road is the story of those officers, that investigation, and the fallout from those horrific murders that changed the way law enforcement officers are trained. I loved the book, the southern style, the way the humble people of Gwinnett County really matter to Tony Tiffin. There is no doubt that this incident changed policing forever. No more "aw, shucks I'm just the local sheriff here to knock politely and see what's goin' on." Police today are much more professional, and that can be both good and bad. Good because there's better procedures and respect for rights. Bad because we've lost the cop who was also a bartender, a carpenter, a moonshine maker, or a son of the soil. Sometimes I think Tony tries a little TOO hard to be folksy, and play to people outside of the South. It's OK though, the book is never condescending, nor does it take anything for granted. At the time this happened, Gwinnett County was "officially" dry, and you had to go into the city of Atlanta to get liquor by the drink. My how things have changed.