Category: Uncategorized
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End of Watch: The Death of Santa Rosa Sheriff Bart Broxson
The Family Legacy It was never going to work. He was an outsider, and being an outsider in Santa Rosa County, Florida in the 1950s meant that there was no “getting in.” Not that he was really an outsider – he was from Santa Rosa County. As a matter of fact, his family had lived…
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Making too much noise!
John Wesley Hardin, who was arrested in Pensacola in 1878, is known as one of the most notorious gunslingers in the history of the old west. It is said that he killed a man once just for snoring too loudly. But he has nothing on Alphonse Thomas. On this date in 1956, Freddie Mitchell and…
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Good Police Work
Good police work – it happens. There are some very wise officers who often know just what to do. As a result, many bad guys go to jail. But, sometimes the good police work is helped along by a little luck…and dumb criminals. Credit must be given where credit is due. Such was the case…
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End of Watch: Sergeant Ray Dykes III
Sergeant Ray Dykes III Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, Florida End of Watch Thursday, December 9, 2020 Ray Dykes had many aspects of his life. He was one of those guys that you wanted to be around. His contagious personality was…contagious! He was fun to be around. He had a smile and a gregarious laugh that…
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Elizabeth Báthory “The Blood Countess”
1560-1614 Hungary Early Life 1560 Hungary saw constant wars, the Habsburg-Ottoman wars, which lasted from 1526 to 1568. Hungary was being split into three different territories, all of which saw dozens of battles with over 200,000 troops. The morale of Hungarian citizens was in the gutter, because of a lack of food, safety for their…
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A Hero of a Man
End of Watch: Donald Cook, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Florida End of Watch Saturday, December 3, 1988 They don’t come along often – heroes. Usually, they exist, right alongside, shoulder-to-shoulder with others. But they stand out when it comes time. That described Don Cook. Don was a deputy with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. He was…
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A Tradition of Excellence
From the book, “Pensacola’s Finest in Pictures,” available on Facebook “Raise your right hand and repeat after me.” Those are the last words the chief of police says to a new officer before he or she takes the oath of office to become a Pensacola Police Officer. A flood of questions and emotions run through…
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“It’s More Than Just Doing Their Jobs”
The Heroic Story of the Rescue of Marion and Mary Lou Williamson From the book, “Stories of Pensacola’s Finest,” available on Amazon Marion and Mary Lou Williamson were pillars of the community. They had raised five children, all successful. Marion was born in Largo, Florida. He joined the U. S. Navy in the midst…
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Dueling in Pensacola
Dueling in Pensacola From the book: Pensacola’s Finest, available on Amazon By Mike Simmons The story of men having differences with other men and settling them is as old as history itself. On the schoolground, the little kid gets picked on repeatedly by the bully. Finally, the little kid stands up and punches the bully…
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End of Watch: The Death of Officer Ray Lynn Barnes
Officer Ray Lynn Barnes Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, Florida End of Watch Saturday, November 21, 1987 The rural country of west Florida doesn’t look like much to most people. It is stuffed with longleaf pines, water oak, southern magnolia and persimmon. Closer to the ground is the undergrowth: gallberry, sweetbay, titi, and redbay.…