American Heroes Radio  

Program Date: January 16, 2008

Program Time: 2100 hours, Pacific

Topic: Behind the Badge in Atchafalaya Swamp

Guest: Police Officer Dee Dee Serpas (ret.)

Listen Live: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement

About the Guest

Following in the footsteps of her great-grandfather, Sheriff Paul Berthelot, Sheriff of St. John the Baptist Parish, and that of her father, who was president of FOP Lodge 2 in the late 1950s, Dee Dee Serpas became a Police Officer. First with the East Jefferson Levee Board Police, she also joined the Kenner Police Department and was the only female to graduate from the academy that year. Later, she joined the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office as a street cop. This makes her the only known female in Louisiana to have held three commissions by the age of 21.  Dee Dee Serpas is the author of Behind the Badge in Atchafalaya Swamp.

According to Dee Dee Serpas, in Behind the Badge, “names, places and incidents have been changed to protect the innocent and the guilty.”  The small Parish of Atchafalaya is nestled in the bayous and swamps of Louisiana.  Here, Behind the Behind, five children are orphaned by Hurricane Dakota in 1962. It’s a story of twins that follow their family's footsteps into law enforcement; Childhood sweethearts that are partners on the force and fall in love; and, being torn apart by a line-of-duty death. 

About the Watering Hole

The Watering Hole is police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life.  Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.  During the first half-hour of the show, the host, a nationally recognized expert on law enforcement, interviews a subject matter expert on the topic.  During the second half-hour the program is joined by two other cops who give a street-level perspective to the conversation. 

About the Host

Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years.  He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant.  He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond is currently a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and the Union Institute and University.  He has experience teaching upper division courses in law enforcement, public policy, technology and leadership.  Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One.  He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in law enforcement.

Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement