Life is a Jukebox

Life is a Jukebox is an emotional roller coaster of experiences. The author is very candid about the details of growing up on the south side of Columbus, Ohio and the circumstances that led him into the sometimes humorous world of radio. He also shares the ugliness that is often found in politics and the crime world. He provides the reader with a ringside seat to the greatest show on earth, human behavior, good and bad, for better or for worse! He gives glimpses of his life that started on the radio; providing him with the unusual ability to find a song that is appropriate for each and every event or person he encounters. Having seen life up close, on the streets, the author has the unique perspective of observing both sides of the shield. Life is a Jukebox delivers a collection of writings that takes the reader behind the scenes, where the author tells his story through laughter, suspense, tragedy and intrigue.

" I remember the first time I spent third shift in a Franklin County Sheriff's patrol car getting my first glimpse of peoples bad behavior and how cops deal with it. I was getting ready to jump from the ease of the broadcasting industry where I made my living interviewing news makers for four hours each afternoon on WCOL and into the world some of those news makers lived. But I didn't know it…" '"When sharing old radio stories it's not easy for me to leave out some of the best chapters. I haven't found a polite way to craft the words to write "The Best Of" series yet. Partly because some of the best stuff involves peoples three favorite sins, sex, drugs and rock & roll. But I'll take a shot…" "In 1991 I traveled to Washington, D.C. to appear on the FOX televison show, "America's Most Wanted". .. …featuring the escape of Timothy Brewster…wanted in addition to escape charges for rape and kidnapping." "I arrived one night and he was in the studio. Midway through my show I learned he was a former POW during the Viet Nam War. He lifted his shirt to expose scars that were hard to look at." "I noticed a village Hell raiser and his buddy acting strangely…' "He claimed he shot at his girl friend as she chased him into his house.." "This from a man who claimed to be a former Navy Seal." "Early in my law enforcement career there was a teenage girl who had been murdered, wrapped in plastic and found floating in a creek…" "No way to express the joy of playing practical jokes on other officers.." …"while their back was turned, placing road kill under their car seat."

Rick Minerd, former radio announcer and retired law enforcement officer, is the retired Chief of Police from the Obetz, Ohio Police Department. He began his law enforcement career as a deputy sheriff after several years in radio where he had been a disk jockey, news reporter, and talk-show host. Rick worked for five different radio stations in the Columbus, Ohio area, including, WTVN-AM, WNCI-FM, WRFD-AM, WMNI-AM and WCOL-AM and FM. Titles that Rick considered for this book were Deputy In Disguise, because that's how he often viewed himself and I Talked My Way Through It, his metaphor for how he spent his childhood and later succeeded in two very different career paths. Rick grew up on the south-side of Columbus, Ohio where he still lives in an area called German Village. He enjoys history, the outdoors, music, writing and classic cars.