TONY TIFFIN is a Georgia native. Now retired, his interest in the story of Arc Road began as a fifty-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.
PROLOGUE:
Near the crossroads of downtown Buford, Georgia, there was a small country cafeteria where cozy booths lined three interior walls. The patrons reflected the quaintness of traditional southern values in both dress and manners. They exchanged soft smiles and poignant anecdotes of former days living in rural north Georgia. It was the high space of those interior walls that held my attention, though, for they portrayed through enlarged faded photographs the story of early Gwinnett County law enforcement: sheriffs, police chiefs, and hard-nosed cops, the restaurant proprietor himself having been in law enforcement for two decades. Although the men in those pictures of fifty years past may have lost their slender, youthful appearance, little had diminished their recollection of lawless behavior or the disgust from half a century before when three of their close police officer friends were viciously murdered on a forgotten dirt road not ten miles east of the café’s now barren walls.
On many occasions I had the honor of listening as Arnold, Dan, Edwin, Fred, George, Larry, Roger, and others, most notably Robert Hightower, recounted the black-and-white images of that time. In exchange I felt an obligation to provide meaning for what occurred and memorialize those brave Gwinnett County patrolmen who perished one April night long ago.
A journey for lost history of fifty years earlier represented a long road. A road that had to be traveled to find old memories through doors that had to be opened. It required not only diligence but a good amount of luck. I got lucky and entered musty attics, rustled through dark closets, and pried open closed chests. I walked among the best in law enforcement and through the dread of prison hallways. I often annoyed court recorders, irritated salvage yard operators, and fearfully admired the brilliance of medical examiners. I found critical autopsy reports, articles of clothing, missing guns, a stray bullet, and, of all things cherished, two cigars and a book of matches inside an old motorcycle boot. The journey allowed me to meet the most amazing people in my lifetime, a reward in itself well worth the trip.
This story, then, is not my story, but theirs, those who lived and cried through it as it happened. I only convey it; it is they who tell it, those amazing people, and their amazing story. Here now, I share it for them.
IN APPRECIATION:
For their tireless work in officer training, 10 percent of all revenues derived from the sales of ARC ROAD will go toward the National Association of Chiefs of Police tactical training program for law enforcement. I encourage everyone to visit and support the American Police Hall of Fame Museum and Memorial in Titusville, Florida. Founded in 1960, The APHF is a national treasure that provides a fun and unique learning experience for your entire family!
PRAISE FOR ARC ROAD:
Tony Tiffin takes the readers through a perilous journey. It is not for the faint of heart, yet the author gives a perspective of this brutal crime in a fascinating, intriguing, sad and moving story. As a veteran Law Enforcement officer, this book reminds me of the minefield of terror all sworn officers face each day. Arc Road tragically gives us a heads-up to train and protect our officers. Excellent read.
—Don Redden, ret. FBI
Tony Tiffin’s Arc Road is a harrowing examination of the cold-blooded killings of three Georgia police officers in 1964. It is told in the distinctive voice of a life-long resident of Gwinnett County where the murders were committed. Combining his intimate knowledge of both the area and its residents, Tony Tiffin’s writing powerfully conveys the shattering human cost of these killings and their seismic effects on both the survivors and the community at large. Thoroughly researched and compellingly written, Arc Road will leave you shocked, moved, and serve as a stark reminder that evil can be found anywhere…even on a lonely country road called Arc.
—David Dean, Retired Chief of Police, Avalon NJ
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
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