Riding the Alligator

Dispatches from the Frontlines of Law Enforcement (and Life)
by Tracy Ertl

More than Olympic gold

I held my breath as Canadian forward Sidney Crosby sliced through the ice and fired in the shot that was felt around the world.

Canada 3 - USA 2 in men's hockey. Canada took Olympic gold and the USA claimed silver in Vancouver 2010. Read More

How to Survive an Active Shooter Incident such as Fort Hood

  Get out if you can. Hide safely. Call 911. Time is critical.

  I teach my public safety students how to come out with the most people alive, both citizens and responders, as a national instructor with APCO International. APCO is the largest public safety education organization in the world. Read More

I Know Why Jaycee Dugard Couldn't Tell

I know why Jaycee Dugard couldn't tell.

She couldn't tell because she was just a little girl.

Snatched from in front of her South Lake Tahoe home in 1991 and repeatedly raped in a garden compound in Northern California, she was imprisoned for 18 years. She was unable to tell until last week, even when opportunity had presented itself, because we can't. Read More

"Mom, Pretend Like I'm in Arizona"- Coping When a Child Goes to War

  My oldest son was a college freshman, a history scholar, when I first heard the words, the week before Thanksgiving 2007.

  "Mom, I am a Marine," he said to me. That was a Wednesday. By Saturday, he was sworn in. I never had the chance to speak with him in person about his thoughts or decision. Read More

August is DEADLY

  "Stay with me. Help is coming," I told my 9-1-1 caller as we maneuvered through medical questions to assist her father who was suffering from chest pain. Read More

Tracy Ertl

Tracy Ertl is a 911 dispatcher in Green Bay, an adjunct instructor in active shooter incidents at the APCO Institute, and the publisher of a book imprint, Title Town Publishing.

more...

Subscribe to Riding the Alligator

Current Issue

Confessions of a Sociopath

She's successful and charming as well as ruthless and calculating.