Overview

The Gwinnett County, Georgia, Police Department was formed by tough, honorable men who were brought in to clean up the county after the sheriff made moonshining his personal business. With a low budget--officers had to buy their own uniforms, guns, even bullets--the police had to take anyone with a pulse who could stand upright. Even with the odds against them, the police department grew into a force feared by the criminals and respected by county citizens. Late one night in spring of 1964, the police in Gwinnett County--and everywhere--learned just how far that respect would go in saving their lives in a tight spot. Officers Jesse Gravitt, Ralph Davis, and Jerry Everett responded to a report of suspicious activity on a desolate country road named Arc. What they found was a kind of criminal they were completely unprepared for, a psychopath who would do anything to avoid the consequences of his actions, including the cold-blooded killing of three county police officers. This began one of the most intense murder investigations that Georgia had ever seen. Arc Road is the story of those officers, that investigation, and the fallout from those horrific murders that changed the way law enforcement officers are trained.

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9781734915105

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Reviews

Arc Road is both a snapshot in time and a cautionary tale. The events chronicled in the book were almost unthinkable in the time and place where they originally occurred. Today, however, we have too many examples of law enforcement officers being ambushed and murdered. This book conveys a palpable loss of innocence...the first steps on the frightening road from Mayberry to mayhem. Author Tony Tiffin deftly presents the sudden, yet subtle, shift as captured by the investigative and legal processes that followed this shocking crime. He defines how the rules for officers changed abruptly on that lonely Georgia Road and he conveys, poignantly, the worst fears of every law enforcement family ever. This is a must-read for anyone who cares about law and order, is fascinated by the investigative process, or is generally intrigued by history or personal defense topics. --Tara Dixon Engel, VP of Training & Strategic Development, American Police Hall of Fame, author of Naked in DaNang and The Handgun Guide for Women Arc Road is an emotional roller coaster that spotlights law enforcement's moments of casual boredom that suddenly explode into split-second decision-making, underscoring why officer survival should never be taken for granted, even for a second. The emotions and responses covered by the author are as much a part of police work today as they were in 1964. Arc Road offers a gut-wrenching in-depth look at real-world police work and, more subtly, the pain and suffering that wracks the brotherhood (and it was still very much a brotherhood in 1964) when they lose some of their own. From the painful act of informing a family member that their hero won't be coming home, to the investigative autopsies, funerals and efforts to bring the criminals to justice, Tony Tiffin transcends the passage of years and paints a realistic picture that should be mandatory reading for anyone who wears a badge. --Paul Pawela, Director of Law Enforcement Training, National Association of Chiefs of Police

Author Information

Tony Tiffin is a Georgia native. Now retired, his interest in the story of Arc Road began as a fifty-five-year-old captive memory. Researching this book became a ten-year journey that enriched his life with a renewed appreciation for Deep South traditions, a collection of new friends, the experience of shared emotions, and a greater respect for the fine people of Gwinnett County, Georgia.

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