Sheriff Mack Testimonial
It was 1983, a beautiful fall day, early in the evening evening. I was sitting in my patrol cruiser facing North just a short 50 feet or so from a four-way stop intersection at 600 W 300 S. I was making a few notes on my daily activity report when a lady ran the stop sign going Eastbound. She was very occupied with four or five kids who seemed to be giving her fits. She seemingly did not realize she had gone through the sign and did not do so intentionally. She looked over at me and threw her arms up in the air as if to say, “what else could go wrong today?”
She immediately pulled over. I didn’t even have to turn on my red and blues. I walked up to her car, a beat up old Datsun compact station wagon, and she already had her license and registration handed out the driver’s window. It was way obvious this lady was having a bad day and I was certainly not making it any better. Her kids were still fighting and crying and being quite unruly. It didn’t matter anymore. She was shutting them out completely and was simply staring through the windshield wondering why she had ever been born, or so it seemed. I started right in with my work. This ticket was going to be easy; heck she wasn’t even putting up a fight. She never uttered a word.
I was just about about to sign my name to the citation when I paused momentarily. I looked down at this cruddy old car, it couldn’t have been worth $400, I looked down at those snotty nosed kids still screaming, I looked at this discouraged and depressed woman… and then I looked at me!
It was the most penetrating gaze I had ever experienced in my life! I asked myself a few questions, “Mack, is there anything that you are doing here that’s helping this lady and her family? Is there anything that you’re doing that’s making this a better town to live in? And is there anything that you are that’s bringing honor to the badge that’s pinned to your chest?”
I knew the answers all too well, and now I was discouraged. In fact, I was completely overcome by shame and guilt. So much so that I handed the lady her license and registration and just walked away. I mean I said absolutely nothing to her. I couldn’t have taken it if she had thanked me for anything! So I got back in my patrol car and drove lethargically back to the police station where I tore that ticket into a thousand pieces and threw them in the briefing room trash can, something that was clearly against policy.
The next day I came back to work early and headed right to the city clerk’s office. I honestly had no idea what was directing me to her office or what I was looking for. Yet, I asked the clerk for a copy of my oath of office. I really don’t know why, I had never given my oath a second thought. She made me a copy and I saw that I had signed it and it was dated the day I started my job as a Police Officer. “I, Richard Mack, do solemnly swear or affirm, that I will faithfully protect, defend, and obey the United States Constitution and the Constitution of the State of Utah…”
These words began to ring in my mind and now I was more depressed than I was the day before when I had my epiphany with the lady and her kids. Man, what a no good hypocrite I was! I had never even read the Constitution. I took an oath I never had any concern whatsoever about keeping!
I signed that oath to get a job and a paycheck. It meant nothing more to me than that. I reached my hand up to my chest and touched the silver starred badge which hung on my shirt. I knew that I had to turn it in and quit my job. There was no way I could keep my job and career as a peace officer. Then I stopped and realized that I did not need to quit my job, just quit being a liar and a hypocrite. I felt so relieved! I did not have to quit my job!
Right after briefing I drove home and grabbed the World Book Encyclopedia and took it with me on patrol. I read the Constitution every second I was not busy with anything else. I loved it, especially the Bill Of Rights. It was amazing and easy to understand. I promised myself that I would never violate the principles in this document of American Liberty, that I would always keep my sacred oath to uphold, defend, and preserve the United States Constitution, and that no matter what it cost me, that I WOULD NEVER BE ON THE WRONG SIDE AGAIN!
Please donate and support Oath Keepers mission, every little bit helps!
October 23rd, 2009 at 12:14 pm
Dear Sir,
I am real thankfull you still obey youre conscience. You did the right thing, not just reading the constitution, but admitting you were a hypocrite, that is the first step. Often people forget what their God given conscience is saying and it has led to our destruction here in America.
Thank you for being a real policeman!
October 23rd, 2009 at 12:20 pm
Sheriff Mack – Thank you so much for your testimonial. I think we ALL – as citizens of the great country should read and ponder the words in the constitution, bill of rights, oath, etc. etc.
October 23rd, 2009 at 2:09 pm
Sheriff, you make me proud to be a Peace Officer.
I want to thank you for all you’ve done to let folks know how important it is for us to win over other Peace Officers to the side of the common sense of true Constitutional government.
Again, thanks.
October 23rd, 2009 at 2:44 pm
dear Sheriff Mack A week ago, I learned agbout you from another website..I was soimpressed and overjoyed that in the time & place we find ourselves, i had thaought beside God’s providential will for us, I saw little hope for our nation ( thinking the Dems had it sewed up AND the RINOS & their pathetic behavior ). So NOW
I’ve been telling everyone about you and that there is hope for all of us in the U.S., as long as there are freedom loving people here.
This am I printed an ADF article: “The true meaning of the first amendment”, and shared that with 6 of us @ our morning Prayer circle & Bible study @ our Salvation Army store. Praise be to God. Gary F
October 23rd, 2009 at 6:14 pm
IF EVERY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER CAME TO THE SAME CONCLUSION THAT YOU CAME TO SHERIFF MACK THIS REALLY WOULD BE THE COUNTRY THE FOUNDING FATHERS FORESAW I JUST HOPE MORE OFFICERS,SHERIFFS,CHIEFS,AND MILITARY PERSONNELL FOLLOW SUIT AND UNDERSTAND THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE OATH THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU HAVE AND CONTINUE TO DO SHERIFF RICHARD MACK…..
October 23rd, 2009 at 7:16 pm
I recently watched a video shot in Pittsburgh during the G-20 summit. This wasn’t one of those wild, crazy, rock-tossing, dumpster-pushing melees. It was a peaceful protest on a side street. And as I watched, these police officers, maybe 20-40 of them, all in black riot gear – shields, helmets, batons – marched down the street, beating on their shields like some ancient Roman legion, and into this group, pushing them down the street. And then a truck with a LRAD pulled up and audibly assaulted the protesters, who had done nothing but carry signs and chant.
And I thought to myself, my God, is this what our police departments have become? And then it happened again, at night in a public park there. The police totally surrounded the protesters (again they were not causing any problems), tear-gassed them and prevented them from leaving the park to get away from the tear gas. Some of the protesters were beaten. And I thought to myself that our own police departments have turned against us. (These videos are available on YouTube)
And then I read your testimonial. And I pray that there are far more of people like you out there then the pathetic and frightening police actions I saw in Pittsburgh. You gave me hope. And we will need all the honesty and morality we can get as this thing gets worse. Thank God for you, sir, and for this group.
October 23rd, 2009 at 8:47 pm
You’re a good man, Mack.
Growing up doesn’t happen when you get a job, it happens when you personally “get it”. Some never do, but you did it just on the strength of your conscience.
I put in 30 years in the saddle in California, and I worry about some of the youngsters that are still driving around armed, thinking Police Work is some kind of extreme game, with points for just doing the MOST instead of the best you can. I’m sure that most will do the right thing, if they recognize it, but you and I need to help spread the word.
Like you, I knew that sometimes what was called for was not an arrest or cite, but a chewing out or a friendly word. A few times I just handed some poor soul one of the Gideon Bibles they hand out in lockup. Sometimes it was armed confrontation or a hand to hand fight to survive.
The heart attack that dropped me did so before I heard about OathKeepers, but I knew this was the right place the moment I saw it. Now my “jurisdiction” is bigger. Welcome.
October 24th, 2009 at 10:09 am
Sheriff Mack,
Thank You for all you do and have done. It was a powerful story, that you shared. You are a true inspiration to many for your dedication and service.
As you stated, I do believe many simply sign on to a job as a police officer or in the military without ever having read the Constitution.
People like yourself and a group like Oath Keepers is changing that little by little hopefully.
October 24th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Mack: You said I could call you that many years ago.
We were at a convention and you were signed six books that I wanted to send to friends.You talked to three of us for some time.
Now you and the three of us who’s life you changed
some 10 or so years ago are “OATH KEEPERS”.
THANK YOU!
KIT
October 25th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
I am proud that there is still American’s like you!!