Personal Narrative: A Cop In Tony Montana

Surveillance, car chases, foot chases, shots fired, and a kilogram cocaine seizure; these are just a few of the things a cop might get to experience in their careers. But for me, I had the privilege of experiencing them all in just a few short hours.
It was March 14, 2013, but I remember it like it was yesterday. Two weeks earlier, I hung up my navy-blue patrol uniform for a chance to go work narcotics with the big boys at the DEA. In just thirteen days I had seen enough cocaine to make Tony Montana envious, and was involved in an undercover operation which resulted in the arrest of a dirty cop. It was like being in a movie, and March 14, 2013, was no different.

My group was recently made aware that a cocaine courier was inbound to Nashville
It’s all about carefully rotating the lead vehicle. But hiding a train of undercover cop cars down a narrow residential street, now that is challenging. We carefully followed Dashawn’s Nissan from Interstate 40 to Briley Parkway, toward North Nashville. “Air one”, a Nashville Police Helicopter, flew high overhead, assisting us with surveillance. Two Tennessee Highway Patrol marked vehicles followed at a distance, so as not to alarm Dashawn. I could feel my heart begin to race as I carefully donned my tactical raid vest and gun belt; which is no easy task when you’re 6’4 and in a tiny, moving vehicle. There were about ten undercover vehicles following Dashawn’s X-terra, even I had a hard time discerning the police from everyday traffic on Briley Parkway. As the X-terra neared Dashawn’s residence, Dashawn became aware of the abnormal amount of vehicles following closely behind him. In the Mustang, Matt and I were right behind the X-terra. I drew my service pistol from my thigh holster and cracked the passenger side door, waiting for Dashawn’s Nissan to come to a stop. The Nissan turned left into the driveway and came to a stop, I jumped out of the mustang, my Glock trained on the driver’s side of the vehicle, and yelled “POLICE” as loud as I could. The Nissan quickly accelerated out of the driveway, with nowhere to go but through the yards, in the direction of police
After parking the SUV, Dashawn opened the back door and removed a car seat containing his infant child. He then ran into drug court, where witnesses say he threw the car seat and child before fleeing on foot. He was apprehended a short time later.

I have had a lot of fun in my law enforcement career, but most of it pales in comparison to the day we arrested Dashawn and