L Gary Gunkel

Courage and Conviction: an Alaska State Trooper's Journey Through a Life of Principled Law Enforcement L Gary Gunkel

Publisher Marketing: Gary Gunkel tells about his real-life experiences as a US Marine, an Anchorage City Policeman, an Alaska State Trooper, Chief of Police in small town Alaska and Sheriff of Asotin County, Washington. His stories are guaranteed to keep you turning the pages on call after call, and his sometimes hair-raising law enforcement experiences will keep you on the edge of your seat. And just when you think you have heard it all there will be another call that you can't imagine. You will discover how Gary handles a dangerous situation surrounded by 24 members of a motorcycle gang with the nearest backup over 200 miles away. Another time you will feel the experience of stopping 17 gang members on a main highway because they were displaying a sawed off shotgun. The amazing thing is all these calls are real life...there is no fiction involved. Gary has, on occasion, changed a name to protect someone's privacy, or sometimes a name is left out because he cannot recall it or has no way of getting the name. You will experience commercial fishing with his whole family for salmon in Bristol Bay and flying loads of fish off the beach in his plane. You will read about several live action and near-death aircraft incidents that you cannot believe happened to Gary and his family. He writes about bush flying experiences that will make you laugh, and some truly whacko ones that will make you shake your head as you go fishing, trapping and hunting with him. And through it all, you will come away with the understanding that everything Gary Gunkel did in law enforcement was professional, that he has a huge capacity for living life completely, and great love for his family. Contributor Bio:  Gunkel, L Gary I was born in Northern California and mfamily moved to Lake Tahoe where lived for hunting, fishing and skiing. was on the trail building crew fothe 1956 pre-Olympic races anthe 1957 Olympic Games at SquaValley. I became involved in sled doracing and raced all over the WesterUnited States and AlaskaAfter getting married, Ann and I moveto Alaska where we raised three childreand had wonderful adventures in laenforcement as an Anchorage PolicOfficer, five years as an Alaska StatTrooper, seven years as a Chief of Policeand commercial fishing in Bristol BayThen we moved to Asotin County ithe state of Washington and purchasea 750 acre farm. We stayed active witour commercial fishing business in Alaskduring the summers, getting home just itime to harvest our grain in WashingtonThree years later I was elected AsotiCounty Sheriff, and Ann started our lasbusiness, raising organic vegetables analso opened a food processing plant wita full line of chocolates, fudges, breadand various baked itemsWe have now finished these projects anare retired. I am playing more golf, anAnn and I have more time to spend witour grandchildren and great grandchildrenIt's been a wonderful adventure