Dear Editor  

 

  Many years ago, I was on evening patrol, in the downtown area..Me and my partner spotted a white male, possibly in his 30's ,look at us, and take off running down the street, all the time looking back over his shoulder at us.
   He got to the corner of the street, and turned , still running. Finally he stopped, we pulled up, got out to talk to him, and he took off running again, going back in the direction he had come from.
   We turned around and were now more determined than every to capture this fleeing felon.  Finally, after several other stop and go's, we managed to capture and handcuff him. We asked why he ran, and he said he was scared of us..
   He gave us the name of a detective he knew, who was on duty that night, so we took him to the station.  When we finally located the detective and he told us that this guy is harmless and always runs when he sees a police car.
   The detective had a mano on mano with the guy and told him, "Don't you remember what I told you last time? If you keep running everytime you see a cop, one day one of them is going to shoot you!" The suspect nodded.
   We returned him to the area and let him go with a warning.
   I still sometime remember that guy and I wonder if he's still alive, and running.

Dan Doetterl
 
Dan Doetterl retired from The Houston Police Department in 1989 with almost 30-years of service.  He still resides in Houston with his wife Margery.