Illuminating Book on Texas DPS – My Book Review

Illuminating Book on Texas DPS – My Book Review

I cannot count on one hand the times a Texas Highway Patrol (THP) or Department of Public Safety officers (DPS) stopped by my car while I was on the roadside taking photographs and checking to make sure I was okay. I can also say in one trip from Fort Worth I was stopped four times in one evening all because of my dog, Kymba. That, however, is a story for another time. That’s not to mention having a DPS officer follow me to the gates of Welder Wildlife Refuge along Texas Highway 77 more than once just to make sure I got behind the locked gates safely.

Black and White Tales of the Texas Highway Patrol is an illuminating book and yet at the same time is gut-wrenching. By the end of this collection of stories they made me deeply appreciative of the DPS officers who I have encountered and for the ones I have not met. These stories are of men who lost their lives. These are stories about how in the face of danger to themselves DPS officers saved lives. Black and White Tales of the Texas Highway Patrol is the above and much more.

Brilliantly written in a conversational style, author Ben English recounts stories he personally experienced during his time of service as a Texas Highway Patrolman. Some are heartwarming but the majority of them are heartrending. The story about the murder of the nine-year-old girl – let’s just say there was some nasty crying. No child should lose their life to a murderer. Men, like Ben, should not have to be witnesses to that kind of brutality.

I love the history behind Richard Metcalf and the monuments he helped erect to DPS officers primarily killed in the line of duty.  The first trooper honored was Carlos Warren, who had pulled Richard over for speeding, then let him go without writing a ticket in an act of compassion. A few days later Warren was gunned down while trying to stop a kidnapper.

The only thing in this book disagree with Ben on is turkey buzzards or turkey or black vultures. They are not the vilest, filthiest, odious creatures. LOL. They are indeed nature’s perfection of being the best cleanup crew.

If I ever get into trouble along any Texas roads I hope the DPS officer that comes to my aid I would be super thankful if the DPS officer had half of the character of Ben English. DPS officers put their lives on the line every day when they go out on the highways protecting all of us. For that, we all should be more acknowledging, understanding, and grateful to them. Thanks to Ben’s latest book I have a deeper appreciation for those officers.  For the readers of Texas history and nonfiction genre, you must read this book.