July 3, 2025 • 33 mins
This week, we welcome Mr. Earl D. Mack, Jr. — a decorated law enforcement veteran, Vietnam War combat medic, community leader, and living testament to servant leadership. With nearly four decades of public service across local, state, and federal levels, Mr. Mack shares wisdom forged through courage, commitment, and a lifelong mission to uplift communities through action, not just talk. Join us as we honor his incredible journey and celebrate a legacy grounded in honor, faith, and purpose.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Welcome to the Voices of Legacy, where you're writing your
legacy every day that you live. This is Pastor Carl
your host today on the Voices of Legacy. Were honored
to sit down with a true pioneer in Toledo and
Lucas County, a community empowerment major or captain. I'm not
sure what your rank is is a sergeant, post commander,
post commander. There you go, with over thirty nine years
(00:47):
of law enforcement experience and service combat medic during the
Vietnam conflict and enforcement agent, investigator, federal instructor, and Deputy
Director of Ohio Homeland Secure. Already the legendary mister Earl D.
Matt Good morning, sir, Good morning, good morning. So thankful
(01:08):
to have you in the building today. Yes, tell us
more about yourself.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Oh well, it's not much to tell.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
I'm just uh, I'm just a good old Toledo residence
all of my life. I went went went to school here,
well born here, first went to school here Gunkle if
you remember gunk Yes, L. P. Stewart Parkland, if you
remember what Parkling was about us boys that couldn't make
it in regular school. And I wish we had that today.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
And I went went to Libby Scott High School, played
played a little football for Scott.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
And then you're a bulldog. Yes, well I'm a cowboy
and a bulldog and and and and and.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Then uh after that that that uh uh, that educational experience.
I was drafted into into into the military in nineteen seventy,
which trained and served as a combat medic for Vietnam conflict,
as I call it. And then I played music for
(02:13):
a long time. You used to play with the Sweet
Spears and Audre Crouching Disciples and travel with them for
a while.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
One of my other guests that we've had here, Lady
Celeste Mitchell, told me something about that. She said, you
guys went to the same.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
Church, the Trinity Faith, Tabernet.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Yes, and she was telling me about how you played
and all that stuff. I was like, for real, okay,
I ain't.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Know all that.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Yeah, music for a while. I used to play with
Gene Holden as well, traveling with her for a while
as a drummer. And then until until I something happened
in that particular world and I decided to change course.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
And now and now what do you do?
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Well, well, now I'm a retired law enforcement officer, was
with the Ohio Department of Liquor Control for a number
of years, matter of fact, twenty seven years. Became the
Agent in charge of the Northwest Ohio District Enforcement Operations,
and when I retired from there, I then became the
a deputy director of Ohio Homeland Security for a number
(03:17):
of years.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Oh wow.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
But even before that, I was at Teledol Police I
mean a Teledo University Police officer for a short period
of time as well.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
I remember we had an event over there at their
new digs, a new location. Correct, So you used to
be one of them, yes, sir, I was.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
Wow. Wow.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
So you probably have a lot of good stories in bad.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Stories, some good and bad ones, most of them good.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Yeah, any that you can tell us, what's been your
best experience in law enforcement in particular?
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Well, just just all of these support that I had,
you know, during that particular time created some great friendships
with law enforcement officers, those that weren't worked undercover for
almost six and a half years.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
So that was an experience.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
Uh and uh, I just I mean I had I
had a great time, great great experience, and there were
some challenging times as well. But that's what law enforcement
gives you.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
Yeah. Well, to protect and served correct and to do
it undercover, that's a whole another animal. Oh yeah, Could
you tell us what your persona was in that time
or is it still top secret?
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Well?
Speaker 3 (04:25):
Uh, well, not top secret, but I used to work
a lot of narcotics investigations with with DEA and and
and a few other organizations FBI and UH worked all
across Ohio, uh, parts of Michigan and that. In that
undercover work, they called me, uh bug, that was my
(04:48):
uncover name. And I don't think you want to know
me back in those days, oh boy, And I rode
motorcycle and undercover as well.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
Wow. So you had to think like a criminal.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
Uh, we were very successful. And you're actually right, you
had to think like a criminal. You had to live
amongst them, look like you if you've seen the if
you've seen the pictures, yes, yeah, you had to know
that that whole kind of persona. Uh and you had
to live amongst them too, because we had apartments where
we lived in uh in in that community where we worked.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Did you have any fear in that? I know that's
probably a crazy question, but I'm sure it is something
that people want to know.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Well, well, there's always fear. You can't have courage unless
you have fear. Yeah, uh and so uh, there there
are some close moments.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Uh. And and maybe your cover might have been blown
or a couple of times.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
And I have a funny story, but I don't know
if if if I could tell it here.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
But but but.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
But we were working East Cleveland, uh one time, and
and you know, we we had to develop false friendships.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
And and I had developed a false a false friendship
with with with a young lady that that was a bartender.
And we worked because we were gathering information. And a
guy came in one day and and looked down. They
called him Blue. I never will forget. This's a funny story.
And so Blue had went over to talk to the bartenders,
(06:13):
said how well do you know them? Because I had
a partner by name of Ron Lewis. We were called
the the the the the boys.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
And he he said, if you don't know him, he
could be a cop. You do you know if he's
a cop?
Speaker 1 (06:27):
So, and they're talking about you, talking about me, boy.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
She came down and told me that. So I looked
over at at Roan. Our last names we were Sean,
Sean Wilson, and Earl Wilson. I kept mine and we
had an apartment and license place of a card that
that that that that that that if it was ran,
that came back to to Sean Wilson. And so after
(06:50):
she she told me, he thought, uh, she should look
more into me because I could be a cop. And
when she told me that, I waited until until he
went in the restauran. I won't tell you what happened,
but but as we came out there rest him. He
was our best informant.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
But but yeah, that and and we need those undercover
officers today because they can get close to what they're.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
Still working today. People don't think about that. Yeah yeah, wow,
wow wow. And you had some big bust.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
We we had a lot of local and and and
really national raids because of what was happening in Toledo, Detroit, uh, Lime, Ohio,
down to Florida.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
This used to be a drug quarter, that crossroads that
they ran drugs through and in Mansfield. If you can
believe that.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
I believe it. I saw on on PBS documentary in
regards to the history of Toledo and it's storied history, prostitution,
and many many other things between Chicago and New York.
This is the crossroads. As a matter of fact, what
was the guy from Chicago the I forget his name now,
but he had a condo apartment at the it's not
(08:06):
the park, but that apartment complex near the Museum of.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
Art here in the park called it was a Park
Park hotel.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Yes, yeah, and this guy that's restored that place too.
It's twenties error and it's got some of that stuff.
Oh yeah there, And then he allowed me to go
upstairs to one of those apartments. I'm like, wow, this
is amazing.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Well, you know, you should go to the Tolitle Club.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
I think it's on the third or fourth floor. They
still have the old speakeasy. They pull the wall back
and it's still sitting there.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
Yeah. I remember taking the tour. I don't think I
went into that portion, but he was talking about that
as well. But wow, wow, And some things never change.
Is even now it seems to be a huge issue
that we have not just in the cards, but human
trafficking in this area.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
So yeah, yeah, we worked that.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
From a matter of fact, our human trafficking, uh, the
investigations started here until it took us all the way
to the Playboy Mansion in those issues if you can
believe Toledo had a connection to the Playboy Mansion because
of alcohol illegal alcohol runs, and so we were able
to successfully shut that one down.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
Wow, well you didn't shut down the Playboy Mansion.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
No, not that that was interesting, But we can't talk
about that.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Oh my god. Looking back on nearly four decades of
law enforcement, man, is that part of your motivation going
forward to what you're doing now with the Buffalo Soldiers.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Well, the biggest part of my motivation.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
In nineteen eighty two, I lost my ten year old son,
first born, through gunshot to his chest, and so I
from that period on, I really dedicated myself to.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Children.
Speaker 3 (09:54):
That's why I've done a lot of underage trafficking, underage alcohol,
underage drugs, a lot of that, a lot of speaking
the kids doing doing those years and parents, uh and
and and and a lot of speaking about about gun
gun violence and those things which we still do today.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
And gun safety. That's one thing that really attracted me
to the Buffalo Soldiers now, uh is speaking to it
because you know they talk about I guess I'll say, uh,
save sex, because they're going to do it anyway, and
we're going to help them and give them. Well what
about guns. Guns are going to exist no matter what
we do. It makes sense to teach gun safety in
(10:34):
the respect of them and leave them alone and all
the stuff that we teach with the Buffalo Soldiers. And
I really really enjoy that. And and to engage the children.
It's shocking and your friend, it said, and I and
I witnessed how many children have actually, I mean kids
younger than my son now have actually put their hands
(10:55):
on or fired. It's sad and shocking, only in the
same breath.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
We know.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
We we do the nra A program, the Eddy Ego program,
and we walk into a room or or an auditorium
that's full of kids.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
We have.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
A couple of weeks or so ago, we had about
three hundred kids, uh that we that we presented the
program to, and we asked whoever seen a gun? Every
hand goles, We asked whoever touched a gun? Almost every
hand goles, And we asked who shot a gun? About
half the room raised their hand. He asked them for
experiences and these kids, and I'm talking about kids as
you know, kindergarten kids, first graders are finding guns in
(11:37):
their homes under the couch of grandma. Uh uh, you know,
under the mattress. They will find a gun. If you
take if you take four five kids and put them
in a room and hide a toy gun somewhere, and.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
They'll look around. They were finding a gun.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
The kids are very good at finding Yes, I was
when I was a kid. But in Toledo with all
of the issues that we have, especially inner city, I
remember a couple of years ago, we used to live
off of Rockwood.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
And there was a fully loaded automatic weapon uh in
the tall grass right at Lawrence and Delaware, just there.
Somebody probably ditched it through it out or something running
or whatever, but fully loaded. Unbelievable. Oh yeah, what what
could have happened?
Speaker 3 (12:23):
Oh yeah? And and kids run across that. They they
don't know how how dangerous these guns are. They think
that they're toys.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
And and when they watch cartoons, video games and video games,
and you know, they fire and shooting eight and they
see the blood come.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Out, it's it's it's like it's a game to them.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
So a lot of these kids really think that that's
that's the game unless you teach them otherwise.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
And there's no doovers. I've done too many funerals, there's
no doovers. Serving in combat as a combat medic, I'm
sure you've seen a lot even in that. How how
did that military experience shape your perspective for civil law enforcement.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Well, we spent a very short time because Nixon pulled
everybody out of nown uh, and so a lot of
that was what was really talking with with with with
soldiers helping with right right coming back, uh, you know,
the with with with psychologists, uh, and just just being
there so so that we can listen to those soldiers,
(13:24):
listen to what they had to say. A lot of
them came back, as you would would know, what was
a whole lot of problems. And I'm so glad that
that Nixon did stop that so called police action and
pull pull those those men and women you know, out
from from from that country from from serving the way
they did.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
And and and coming back home.
Speaker 3 (13:45):
You had to deal with with with with you know,
the public and groups that call you baby killers and
meeting you at the airport and signs and all this
kind of stuff, and and uh uh, you know, and
then and and then uh, the shooting had and at
the college. Uh, and and and then that it made
even worse it did.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
But yeah, and and and all the protests which we
still see to this day. But we we we grint
and bear and and hope to get everybody's voices heard.
You held leadership roles for local law enforcement homeland security.
How how has that really changed you. I think all
(14:24):
of your life experience helps mature you to a certain degree,
But how do you think that's really changed your perspective
on the world as opposed to if you hadn't.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
Man, Well, you know, I have enforcement perspective with with that,
and then and then a human community service uh perspective
as well.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
And on the enforcement side of it, we need that
I've seen it with without enforcement officers and supporting those
departments and and and and people that do that that work,
it becomes it is very how kind, I say, it
becomes we against them, Yes, And that's what happens a
(15:05):
lot of times when when you see police officers, they
you know, they got the you know, the the blue
line and all of this kind of it's because a
lot of that is because the public pushed them into
supporting each other. And when you have police officers that
that then if they think that public is not supporting them,
then they start supporting each other.
Speaker 2 (15:25):
That's when you start having.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
Issues because they are they are each other's you know
crutch uh and so and so I've seen a lot
of that. I've talked to to a lot of officers
are responded to to scenes with officers. We we were
we were state agents, so we were supporting uh personnel
for for local law enforcement. Uh and uh uh. So
(15:48):
I've seen that side of it. I've seen the other
side of it. When when you know, when when the
public community lose respect for those officers because of what
they see out there. And sometimes and I always tell
people this, when when when we talk about police officers
and policing, and we have a programs called what You
Do and Stop by Police, every police officer is not
(16:09):
you know, the enemy, right, No, every well, we make
some over a million stops a day in this country,
and over a million stops a day.
Speaker 2 (16:17):
Very few of those.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
Are you know, something goes wrong, Very very few of
those someone gets hurt, and very very very few of
those someone gets killed. So those officers are really doing
they're they're doing a great job, but we also had
bad officers out there too. And I never, I never
can say, I never shy away from talking about that,
because I've been around officers that I had to walk
(16:41):
up to them and say, you know, one other thing happened.
You know, we're we're gonna have some issues. And I
was in I was in a raid one time in
Lucas County with I was saying what agency it was,
and I had to come to the assistance of some
of some citizens at a bar because these police officers
began to misuse those citizens. Uh and uh and and
(17:04):
it ended up the charges that that that were filed
criminal charges against one one individual. When I talked talked
with the county prosecutor and the city prosecutor, they dismissed
those charges because they there were the wrong things. So
we have officers that don't do things the way their
policies and the way laws say. But always tell officers
(17:27):
the only thing, the only way you're going to stop
officer abuse of your citizens is by another officer. Yes,
those officers need to stand up and do the and
and do the right thing and.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
And stop that.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
And so I was known a while Therefore, if Earl
Max shows up on the scene, just chill out and
and and that's okay.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
What do you think about community engagement? You know, I'm
pretty it's hard to crack the nut of Toledo Police
departmental offense to a TVD. But at least we were
able to participate in their community engagement and coffee with
cops and things of that nature where the community comes
to actually meet the police officer, and the police officer
(18:06):
knows the community. So when those interactions happened, which it
could be any one of us getting stopped at any time,
you might not necessarily personally know the officer, but at
least you're familiar with each other so that you're not
suspect to them and vice versa. Do you think that's helpful? Oh?
Speaker 3 (18:22):
I love community engagement with with with police officers. That's
that's how we do get to know each other. But
I really loved that community engagement when the officers in
the community.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
And and they show that, you know, the empathy, uh,
you know, you know, to want to help. We we
were out not too not too long ago. And I'm
not gonna say what the police department it was, And
We've seen a car with two females a car of
the hood was up and they were put so something
was wrong, and a couple officers just rode right by them.
And we looked at at that and said, you know,
(18:56):
that's that that should not be happening.
Speaker 2 (18:59):
I know I can say this.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
I know in the State Highway Cotrol and I have
a lot of respect and relationships and experience with the
State Highway Patrol at our Ohio State Highway troth, they
wouldn't have never done that, uh, because that's that's part
of where I grew up, you know, under them. So
so when I go into talk to police groups, I
talk about that.
Speaker 1 (19:20):
Yeah, I talk about too busy correct.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
Talk about those experiences and if you if you want support,
you have to give support as well. And sometimes because brother,
it's it's television, the news, media, politics, what have you. Uh,
we turn officers away from that kind of support in
the community. And because all the complaints that you know
(19:43):
that they get. And I always tell tell people again communities,
only a few officers in this country are bad officers.
But that but anytime a bad officer do something, man
it pass case into the whole, the whole country. Uh,
and so we kind of talked about that's why we
had the program, what to do and stop by police.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
I remember I was in my uniform and I used
public transportation for that purpose in Charlotte, plusity never charged
me anyway to ride. We had trains and buses down there.
And it was just during the ride. And I won't
say what it was about, but you probably put two
and two together. There was a gentleman that lost his
(20:25):
life at his own hand by cop. I was just
riding to go downtown do my patrol man. That was
a bad idea. That's a day where I should have
been in a patrol vehicle because man, the pure animus
was more than palatable. I was cussed at one little
(20:45):
lady act like she wanted to pick a fight when
I'm like, you don't want to do that, you know,
I understand, But I'm just trying to get to work,
just like hopefully you are going to school. Whatever you're doing,
it does. It doesn't take much for things the spiral
out of control. And that's why I think that we
really need to focus on, as you're doing with the
(21:06):
Buffalo Soldiers, the humanity of each other. You know, we're
at the end of the day, we're all human. You
want to get home. I want to get home.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
Well, you have to look at it too. Police officers
lose their lives protecting people they don't even know, Yes
and so and so. I talk about that a lot.
You know, we look at an officer that that is,
I say, murdered, you know, doing their job. It's because
he or she was trying to protect that that community.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
Well, the young man that lost his life here in
Ohio recently, he's just directing traffic. The young man that
lost his life a couple of years back went to
his funeral in front of the Catholic church on Collingwood.
He was not even involved. He was protecting the perimeter
and that was it for him. So not saying that
(21:55):
all policemen are victims, nor am I saying that all
civilians are victims. But we just really need to come
to a place where we understand each other. I think again,
that's why I commend what the Buffalo Soldiers are doing it.
I'm thankful to be a part of the Buffalo Soldiers.
Full disclosure. Speaking of the which you've guys got a
lot of a watch, a lot a lot tell us
(22:18):
about some of the historic legacy and the awards that
the Buffalo Soldiers have obtained over the years for your service.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
Yeah, yeah, I need to listen in front of me.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
We need a little bit more time about that.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:33):
But but but but you know, we're just fortunate to
be who we are and to do the things we
do because if you look at the at the Buffalo
Soldiers from eighteen sixty six, they protected this country. Uh,
they've done some of the same things back then that
you see us doing doing today. Uh and so and
so people notice that, uh uh and so we I
(22:54):
mean we we've had the Martin Luther King's Award. We
we've had the the the Community Award from from the
City of Toledo's mayor. We've we've we've had oh man,
it's just it's a lot of awards.
Speaker 1 (23:08):
That we've had, but well learned because you're you're not
doing it for the really even thinking about it. My
experience has been with you guys, it's all about what
we're doing in that moment for the community, be it
motorcycle safety or or with the kids or even with
the elders. It's not just the kids that oh yeah,
you go to speak to you speak to our elders
(23:29):
as well.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
Oh yeah, we and we talked to our elders about
our safe and secure program, how to stay safe all
of the entrapments out there, phone calls and be careful
of that of people you don't know. And and because
the elderly, our elderly and young are the most targeted people,
uh you know in this country. Uh and so and so,
we we do a lot in that area. And then
(23:52):
and then we give out things, especially we just had
a senior program at senior centers here a few days ago,
and we talked talk to them about safety. We we
then for for door prizes, you know, we give out whistles,
American made whistles. Uh that that that that our military
whistles that that are very loud, and and we tell
them and even in the park, when we see a
(24:14):
single female walking and park, we give them a whistle
and tell them, look here, here's here's how this whistle sound.
And usually miss miss miss Hogg uh Larenda Michayla has.
Speaker 2 (24:23):
Her whistle on and she blows it.
Speaker 3 (24:26):
Oh yeah, and then I'm telling you it is loud,
and and and we tell them the next time we
see you either that at shopping by yourself or walking
in park byself.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
If you don't have that whistle, you get penalized.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
Wow, that's awesome. And and you reward the children as well,
oh yes, if they do well.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
Yes, we just pay attention. That's it. Well, well, the
first thing is respect.
Speaker 3 (24:48):
Yes, if you listen to to one of our members,
which is Fred the Fever, when we first walk into
to a classroom, we talked about respect first. Here's here's
how you get Here's here's how you do that respect.
You don't talk when we're talking. If you have something
to say, raise your hand, stand up, tell us your name,
and then ask you a question or answer the question.
(25:08):
And we have one one of the girls that was
gonna challenge that one time, so we just ignored her.
She she was then started talking out. We ignored her.
We called somebody else. By the end of the day,
she she she was raising her hands, standing up and
answering her question.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
So you're worn down. That's good. That's good, and the
kids need that. They really do. Now to the model
deeds not words. Who came up with.
Speaker 3 (25:30):
That, Well, that's the If you look at the Harlem
hell fighters from from from World War Two.
Speaker 2 (25:36):
That was one of their models. These not words.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
And if you know anything about the Harlem hell fighters,
that's just what they're about. And that's and that's why
that that's partially why that war was won.
Speaker 1 (25:45):
Now it seems self evident.
Speaker 3 (25:47):
But what does it mean, Well, it means these not words.
That's if you're going to do something, and and and
and I'll tell you this. I don't know if you've
seen us in some of these meetings. Well, we'll go
to meetings. And if all you're gonna do is set
around that meeting talking, next meeting we come to you
are you talking again to third, we don't come back
anymore because we want to see dse. We want to
see what what is your actions? We need actions out there.
(26:09):
Anybody can bump their gums all they want to, but
but but people in our community need action. Our children
need action, they need they need hands on experience. So
that's that's what that means. These are not words.
Speaker 1 (26:20):
And and aside from everything that we mentioned again back
to the Buffalo soldiers, you gots feed people in the
streets as well.
Speaker 3 (26:27):
Oh yeah, we uh we have a a street uh
ministry as you want to call it. But it's it's
our homeless street street operation where when when the temperature
gets really low, we go out with with Chef Regnus,
who is one of the chefs at Penna County uh
and and and and he fixes soups, coffee, hot talking
(26:50):
and those things, and we'll go out in the street
and anyone that we find in the street, uh we
will pull over and and give them the soup, coffee,
give them.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
Shoes, socks and all that.
Speaker 3 (27:01):
And we had a young lady this year come up
and she she it was snow out and she was
walking in sandals, and we asked her and she and
she just had a little like a little blanket around.
We asked her, you know, do you have any shoes? No,
So we gave her a pair of shoes. We had
had a pair of shoes that fit her, uh and
and which was great. And we gave her a coat,
a winter coat. And so those things are at the
(27:22):
heart of us and helping our community along with other agencies.
We got a lot of agencies out out there. We
just you know, we we just need to keep it going.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
Yeah, in full disclosure, we've interacted it as well with
our church ministry with with your overflow. Yeah, it's awesome
serving the community that you exist in and you get
to meet some of the most amazing people, even those
that that other folks kind of brush over and the door.
You'd be surprised at some of the backgrounds of the people.
(27:53):
Even at Cherry Street Mission and or on the street.
Speaker 2 (27:56):
We got professors on the street.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
People I mean people that were ones and I won't
say once looked up to, but they were at that
at that society, right and and and something happened, and
that can happen to any one of us.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
Depression, anxiety, a drug abuse, and it's not just illegal drugs.
Sometimes it's actual prescription drugs. I've heard heard it all
seems like, but then I still hear more. So we're
so thankful for what you do in the community. Thank you,
Thank you so much for joining us today. But my
final question of the day, what do you think your
(28:29):
legacy is? For all that we've talked about, and we
didn't talk about everything today, and what would you like
your legacy to be?
Speaker 3 (28:37):
Yeah, you know, I never I never much talk about that.
You know, I'm a Harley man a right, a Harley okay,
but but you know, just just to do something that
that some young person to see, uh and and and
get interested and want to follow that because as we
you know, we're going to pass on one day, and
(28:57):
that needs to be passed down to two younger folks,
you know, to keep that kind of mission going.
Speaker 2 (29:01):
If not, we all are going to be lost.
Speaker 3 (29:03):
So so that legacy, my legacy, would would be hopefully
that that that some young person pick up on that,
and and and and that they move it forward and
we help some young person, we help a family, that
they pass it forward.
Speaker 1 (29:18):
That'd be a good legacy. And perfectly we'll get that.
I know we've got some new people coming in. I
blessed two new people I've never met before this last
time their bike, So it was kind of fun and
I did the Catholic rights. Uh. But nevertheless, we're so
thankful for the new members of the Buffalo Soldiers, including myself.
Full disclosure, I've been elected the chaplain of the Buffalo Soldiers.
(29:41):
Oh boy, do I have to get a bike now.
I haven't had a bike for thirty years.
Speaker 3 (29:45):
Well, look, you know Paula hit Suthing as one of
our members, and she rides a spider it's a three wheel.
You can handle a spider, but no, you don't need
to have you know, have a bike. You have that
mentality that that we look for. Uh, you know, you
love the Buffalo Soldiers, what the Buffalo Soldiers did in
eighteen sixty six, and and and that history. So that's
(30:06):
that's all it takes here in a clean.
Speaker 1 (30:08):
Record, okay, So no bike necessary, not necessary. I have
you on record any final words of encouragement that would
give the young men and women who are considering careers
in public service, law enforcement, or just civic leadership as
you're doing right now.
Speaker 3 (30:27):
About the only thing I can say is, I guess
is self respect. You know, if you have self respect,
there would be no issues with respecting others. And that's
something that's missing in a lot of our young folks,
and that's why we do what we do in ours
in our schools. So I would say, self respect. You
have that self respect, you can go far in life.
(30:48):
That's what That's what happened to me. You know, I said,
I went to Parkland All Boys School because I couldn't
make it in record.
Speaker 1 (30:54):
Start out with respect, but you ended.
Speaker 3 (30:56):
Up with I ended up with respect. So respect, self
respect means a lot.
Speaker 1 (31:01):
Yes, awesome, awesome, Well, thank you so much, brother Earl
for coming in. Thank you for the Voices of Legacy.
Do you have any books, any movies? Sound like with
all that detective work, you ought to have somebody writing
a book for you.
Speaker 3 (31:13):
Somebody keeps talking about that, but I don't know, you know,
maybe you'll do it for me.
Speaker 1 (31:18):
Nobody else will. I was thinking that was a movie
you were describing early with the undercover stuff. We'll just
change all the names. Let me do law and order.
But thank you so much for coming on the Voices
of Legacy or you. It's a pleasure having you here.
Look forward to create great things moving forward. You can
check out the Buffalo Soldiers.
Speaker 3 (31:39):
Were at www dot Toledo Buffalo Soldiers with an s
dot org.
Speaker 1 (31:56):
Thank you for listening to the Voices of a Legacy.
This is your friend, Pastor Carl Mitchell, the Third, your
host of this program. We want you to go to
WGTE dot org slash legacy to like, share, subscribe, and
hear all of our past podcast and our future podcast.
Be a friend and join with us in the Voices
(32:19):
of Legacy, where you're writing your own legacy every day
that you live. Have a blessed.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
W E voices around US
Welcome to the Voices of Legacy, where you're writing your
legacy every day that you live. This is Pastor Carl
your host today on the Voices of Legacy. Were honored
to sit down with a true pioneer in Toledo and
Lucas County, a community empowerment major or captain. I'm not
sure what your rank is is a sergeant, post commander,
post commander. There you go, with over thirty nine years
(00:47):
of law enforcement experience and service combat medic during the
Vietnam conflict and enforcement agent, investigator, federal instructor, and Deputy
Director of Ohio Homeland Secure. Already the legendary mister Earl D.
Matt Good morning, sir, Good morning, good morning. So thankful
(01:08):
to have you in the building today. Yes, tell us
more about yourself.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Oh well, it's not much to tell.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
I'm just uh, I'm just a good old Toledo residence
all of my life. I went went went to school here,
well born here, first went to school here Gunkle if
you remember gunk Yes, L. P. Stewart Parkland, if you
remember what Parkling was about us boys that couldn't make
it in regular school. And I wish we had that today.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
And I went went to Libby Scott High School, played
played a little football for Scott.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
And then you're a bulldog. Yes, well I'm a cowboy
and a bulldog and and and and and.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Then uh after that that that uh uh, that educational experience.
I was drafted into into into the military in nineteen seventy,
which trained and served as a combat medic for Vietnam conflict,
as I call it. And then I played music for
(02:13):
a long time. You used to play with the Sweet
Spears and Audre Crouching Disciples and travel with them for
a while.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
One of my other guests that we've had here, Lady
Celeste Mitchell, told me something about that. She said, you
guys went to the same.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
Church, the Trinity Faith, Tabernet.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Yes, and she was telling me about how you played
and all that stuff. I was like, for real, okay,
I ain't.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Know all that.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Yeah, music for a while. I used to play with
Gene Holden as well, traveling with her for a while
as a drummer. And then until until I something happened
in that particular world and I decided to change course.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
And now and now what do you do?
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Well, well, now I'm a retired law enforcement officer, was
with the Ohio Department of Liquor Control for a number
of years, matter of fact, twenty seven years. Became the
Agent in charge of the Northwest Ohio District Enforcement Operations,
and when I retired from there, I then became the
a deputy director of Ohio Homeland Security for a number
(03:17):
of years.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Oh wow.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
But even before that, I was at Teledol Police I
mean a Teledo University Police officer for a short period
of time as well.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
I remember we had an event over there at their
new digs, a new location. Correct, So you used to
be one of them, yes, sir, I was.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
Wow. Wow.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
So you probably have a lot of good stories in bad.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Stories, some good and bad ones, most of them good.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Yeah, any that you can tell us, what's been your
best experience in law enforcement in particular?
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Well, just just all of these support that I had,
you know, during that particular time created some great friendships
with law enforcement officers, those that weren't worked undercover for
almost six and a half years.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
So that was an experience.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
Uh and uh, I just I mean I had I
had a great time, great great experience, and there were
some challenging times as well. But that's what law enforcement
gives you.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
Yeah. Well, to protect and served correct and to do
it undercover, that's a whole another animal. Oh yeah, Could
you tell us what your persona was in that time
or is it still top secret?
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Well?
Speaker 3 (04:25):
Uh, well, not top secret, but I used to work
a lot of narcotics investigations with with DEA and and
and a few other organizations FBI and UH worked all
across Ohio, uh, parts of Michigan and that. In that
undercover work, they called me, uh bug, that was my
(04:48):
uncover name. And I don't think you want to know
me back in those days, oh boy, And I rode
motorcycle and undercover as well.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
Wow. So you had to think like a criminal.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
Uh, we were very successful. And you're actually right, you
had to think like a criminal. You had to live
amongst them, look like you if you've seen the if
you've seen the pictures, yes, yeah, you had to know
that that whole kind of persona. Uh and you had
to live amongst them too, because we had apartments where
we lived in uh in in that community where we worked.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Did you have any fear in that? I know that's
probably a crazy question, but I'm sure it is something
that people want to know.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Well, well, there's always fear. You can't have courage unless
you have fear. Yeah, uh and so uh, there there
are some close moments.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Uh. And and maybe your cover might have been blown
or a couple of times.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
And I have a funny story, but I don't know
if if if I could tell it here.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
But but but.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
But we were working East Cleveland, uh one time, and
and you know, we we had to develop false friendships.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
And and I had developed a false a false friendship
with with with a young lady that that was a bartender.
And we worked because we were gathering information. And a
guy came in one day and and looked down. They
called him Blue. I never will forget. This's a funny story.
And so Blue had went over to talk to the bartenders,
(06:13):
said how well do you know them? Because I had
a partner by name of Ron Lewis. We were called
the the the the the boys.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
And he he said, if you don't know him, he
could be a cop. You do you know if he's
a cop?
Speaker 1 (06:27):
So, and they're talking about you, talking about me, boy.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
She came down and told me that. So I looked
over at at Roan. Our last names we were Sean,
Sean Wilson, and Earl Wilson. I kept mine and we
had an apartment and license place of a card that
that that that that that that if it was ran,
that came back to to Sean Wilson. And so after
(06:50):
she she told me, he thought, uh, she should look
more into me because I could be a cop. And
when she told me that, I waited until until he
went in the restauran. I won't tell you what happened,
but but as we came out there rest him. He
was our best informant.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
But but yeah, that and and we need those undercover
officers today because they can get close to what they're.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
Still working today. People don't think about that. Yeah yeah, wow,
wow wow. And you had some big bust.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
We we had a lot of local and and and
really national raids because of what was happening in Toledo, Detroit, uh, Lime, Ohio,
down to Florida.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
This used to be a drug quarter, that crossroads that
they ran drugs through and in Mansfield. If you can
believe that.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
I believe it. I saw on on PBS documentary in
regards to the history of Toledo and it's storied history, prostitution,
and many many other things between Chicago and New York.
This is the crossroads. As a matter of fact, what
was the guy from Chicago the I forget his name now,
but he had a condo apartment at the it's not
(08:06):
the park, but that apartment complex near the Museum of.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
Art here in the park called it was a Park
Park hotel.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Yes, yeah, and this guy that's restored that place too.
It's twenties error and it's got some of that stuff.
Oh yeah there, And then he allowed me to go
upstairs to one of those apartments. I'm like, wow, this
is amazing.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Well, you know, you should go to the Tolitle Club.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
I think it's on the third or fourth floor. They
still have the old speakeasy. They pull the wall back
and it's still sitting there.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
Yeah. I remember taking the tour. I don't think I
went into that portion, but he was talking about that
as well. But wow, wow, And some things never change.
Is even now it seems to be a huge issue
that we have not just in the cards, but human
trafficking in this area.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
So yeah, yeah, we worked that.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
From a matter of fact, our human trafficking, uh, the
investigations started here until it took us all the way
to the Playboy Mansion in those issues if you can
believe Toledo had a connection to the Playboy Mansion because
of alcohol illegal alcohol runs, and so we were able
to successfully shut that one down.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
Wow, well you didn't shut down the Playboy Mansion.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
No, not that that was interesting, But we can't talk
about that.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Oh my god. Looking back on nearly four decades of
law enforcement, man, is that part of your motivation going
forward to what you're doing now with the Buffalo Soldiers.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Well, the biggest part of my motivation.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
In nineteen eighty two, I lost my ten year old son,
first born, through gunshot to his chest, and so I
from that period on, I really dedicated myself to.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Children.
Speaker 3 (09:54):
That's why I've done a lot of underage trafficking, underage alcohol,
underage drugs, a lot of that, a lot of speaking
the kids doing doing those years and parents, uh and
and and and a lot of speaking about about gun
gun violence and those things which we still do today.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
And gun safety. That's one thing that really attracted me
to the Buffalo Soldiers now, uh is speaking to it
because you know they talk about I guess I'll say, uh,
save sex, because they're going to do it anyway, and
we're going to help them and give them. Well what
about guns. Guns are going to exist no matter what
we do. It makes sense to teach gun safety in
(10:34):
the respect of them and leave them alone and all
the stuff that we teach with the Buffalo Soldiers. And
I really really enjoy that. And and to engage the children.
It's shocking and your friend, it said, and I and
I witnessed how many children have actually, I mean kids
younger than my son now have actually put their hands
(10:55):
on or fired. It's sad and shocking, only in the
same breath.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
We know.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
We we do the nra A program, the Eddy Ego program,
and we walk into a room or or an auditorium
that's full of kids.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
We have.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
A couple of weeks or so ago, we had about
three hundred kids, uh that we that we presented the
program to, and we asked whoever seen a gun? Every
hand goles, We asked whoever touched a gun? Almost every
hand goles, And we asked who shot a gun? About
half the room raised their hand. He asked them for
experiences and these kids, and I'm talking about kids as
you know, kindergarten kids, first graders are finding guns in
(11:37):
their homes under the couch of grandma. Uh uh, you know,
under the mattress. They will find a gun. If you
take if you take four five kids and put them
in a room and hide a toy gun somewhere, and.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
They'll look around. They were finding a gun.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
The kids are very good at finding Yes, I was
when I was a kid. But in Toledo with all
of the issues that we have, especially inner city, I
remember a couple of years ago, we used to live
off of Rockwood.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
And there was a fully loaded automatic weapon uh in
the tall grass right at Lawrence and Delaware, just there.
Somebody probably ditched it through it out or something running
or whatever, but fully loaded. Unbelievable. Oh yeah, what what
could have happened?
Speaker 3 (12:23):
Oh yeah? And and kids run across that. They they
don't know how how dangerous these guns are. They think
that they're toys.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
And and when they watch cartoons, video games and video games,
and you know, they fire and shooting eight and they
see the blood come.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Out, it's it's it's like it's a game to them.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
So a lot of these kids really think that that's
that's the game unless you teach them otherwise.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
And there's no doovers. I've done too many funerals, there's
no doovers. Serving in combat as a combat medic, I'm
sure you've seen a lot even in that. How how
did that military experience shape your perspective for civil law enforcement.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Well, we spent a very short time because Nixon pulled
everybody out of nown uh, and so a lot of
that was what was really talking with with with with
soldiers helping with right right coming back, uh, you know,
the with with with psychologists, uh, and just just being
there so so that we can listen to those soldiers,
(13:24):
listen to what they had to say. A lot of
them came back, as you would would know, what was
a whole lot of problems. And I'm so glad that
that Nixon did stop that so called police action and
pull pull those those men and women you know, out
from from from that country from from serving the way
they did.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
And and and coming back home.
Speaker 3 (13:45):
You had to deal with with with with you know,
the public and groups that call you baby killers and
meeting you at the airport and signs and all this
kind of stuff, and and uh uh, you know, and
then and and then uh, the shooting had and at
the college. Uh, and and and then that it made
even worse it did.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
But yeah, and and and all the protests which we
still see to this day. But we we we grint
and bear and and hope to get everybody's voices heard.
You held leadership roles for local law enforcement homeland security.
How how has that really changed you. I think all
(14:24):
of your life experience helps mature you to a certain degree,
But how do you think that's really changed your perspective
on the world as opposed to if you hadn't.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
Man, Well, you know, I have enforcement perspective with with that,
and then and then a human community service uh perspective
as well.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
And on the enforcement side of it, we need that
I've seen it with without enforcement officers and supporting those
departments and and and and people that do that that work,
it becomes it is very how kind, I say, it
becomes we against them, Yes, And that's what happens a
(15:05):
lot of times when when you see police officers, they
you know, they got the you know, the the blue
line and all of this kind of it's because a
lot of that is because the public pushed them into
supporting each other. And when you have police officers that
that then if they think that public is not supporting them,
then they start supporting each other.
Speaker 2 (15:25):
That's when you start having.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
Issues because they are they are each other's you know
crutch uh and so and so I've seen a lot
of that. I've talked to to a lot of officers
are responded to to scenes with officers. We we were
we were state agents, so we were supporting uh personnel
for for local law enforcement. Uh and uh uh. So
(15:48):
I've seen that side of it. I've seen the other
side of it. When when you know, when when the
public community lose respect for those officers because of what
they see out there. And sometimes and I always tell
people this, when when when we talk about police officers
and policing, and we have a programs called what You
Do and Stop by Police, every police officer is not
(16:09):
you know, the enemy, right, No, every well, we make
some over a million stops a day in this country,
and over a million stops a day.
Speaker 2 (16:17):
Very few of those.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
Are you know, something goes wrong, Very very few of
those someone gets hurt, and very very very few of
those someone gets killed. So those officers are really doing
they're they're doing a great job, but we also had
bad officers out there too. And I never, I never
can say, I never shy away from talking about that,
because I've been around officers that I had to walk
(16:41):
up to them and say, you know, one other thing happened.
You know, we're we're gonna have some issues. And I
was in I was in a raid one time in
Lucas County with I was saying what agency it was,
and I had to come to the assistance of some
of some citizens at a bar because these police officers
began to misuse those citizens. Uh and uh and and
(17:04):
it ended up the charges that that that were filed
criminal charges against one one individual. When I talked talked
with the county prosecutor and the city prosecutor, they dismissed
those charges because they there were the wrong things. So
we have officers that don't do things the way their
policies and the way laws say. But always tell officers
(17:27):
the only thing, the only way you're going to stop
officer abuse of your citizens is by another officer. Yes,
those officers need to stand up and do the and
and do the right thing and.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
And stop that.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
And so I was known a while Therefore, if Earl
Max shows up on the scene, just chill out and
and and that's okay.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
What do you think about community engagement? You know, I'm
pretty it's hard to crack the nut of Toledo Police
departmental offense to a TVD. But at least we were
able to participate in their community engagement and coffee with
cops and things of that nature where the community comes
to actually meet the police officer, and the police officer
(18:06):
knows the community. So when those interactions happened, which it
could be any one of us getting stopped at any time,
you might not necessarily personally know the officer, but at
least you're familiar with each other so that you're not
suspect to them and vice versa. Do you think that's helpful? Oh?
Speaker 3 (18:22):
I love community engagement with with with police officers. That's
that's how we do get to know each other. But
I really loved that community engagement when the officers in
the community.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
And and they show that, you know, the empathy, uh,
you know, you know, to want to help. We we
were out not too not too long ago. And I'm
not gonna say what the police department it was, And
We've seen a car with two females a car of
the hood was up and they were put so something
was wrong, and a couple officers just rode right by them.
And we looked at at that and said, you know,
(18:56):
that's that that should not be happening.
Speaker 2 (18:59):
I know I can say this.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
I know in the State Highway Cotrol and I have
a lot of respect and relationships and experience with the
State Highway Patrol at our Ohio State Highway troth, they
wouldn't have never done that, uh, because that's that's part
of where I grew up, you know, under them. So
so when I go into talk to police groups, I
talk about that.
Speaker 1 (19:20):
Yeah, I talk about too busy correct.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
Talk about those experiences and if you if you want support,
you have to give support as well. And sometimes because brother,
it's it's television, the news, media, politics, what have you. Uh,
we turn officers away from that kind of support in
the community. And because all the complaints that you know
(19:43):
that they get. And I always tell tell people again communities,
only a few officers in this country are bad officers.
But that but anytime a bad officer do something, man
it pass case into the whole, the whole country. Uh,
and so we kind of talked about that's why we
had the program, what to do and stop by police.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
I remember I was in my uniform and I used
public transportation for that purpose in Charlotte, plusity never charged
me anyway to ride. We had trains and buses down there.
And it was just during the ride. And I won't
say what it was about, but you probably put two
and two together. There was a gentleman that lost his
(20:25):
life at his own hand by cop. I was just
riding to go downtown do my patrol man. That was
a bad idea. That's a day where I should have
been in a patrol vehicle because man, the pure animus
was more than palatable. I was cussed at one little
(20:45):
lady act like she wanted to pick a fight when
I'm like, you don't want to do that, you know,
I understand, But I'm just trying to get to work,
just like hopefully you are going to school. Whatever you're doing,
it does. It doesn't take much for things the spiral
out of control. And that's why I think that we
really need to focus on, as you're doing with the
(21:06):
Buffalo Soldiers, the humanity of each other. You know, we're
at the end of the day, we're all human. You
want to get home. I want to get home.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
Well, you have to look at it too. Police officers
lose their lives protecting people they don't even know, Yes
and so and so. I talk about that a lot.
You know, we look at an officer that that is,
I say, murdered, you know, doing their job. It's because
he or she was trying to protect that that community.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
Well, the young man that lost his life here in
Ohio recently, he's just directing traffic. The young man that
lost his life a couple of years back went to
his funeral in front of the Catholic church on Collingwood.
He was not even involved. He was protecting the perimeter
and that was it for him. So not saying that
(21:55):
all policemen are victims, nor am I saying that all
civilians are victims. But we just really need to come
to a place where we understand each other. I think again,
that's why I commend what the Buffalo Soldiers are doing it.
I'm thankful to be a part of the Buffalo Soldiers.
Full disclosure. Speaking of the which you've guys got a
lot of a watch, a lot a lot tell us
(22:18):
about some of the historic legacy and the awards that
the Buffalo Soldiers have obtained over the years for your service.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
Yeah, yeah, I need to listen in front of me.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
We need a little bit more time about that.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:33):
But but but but you know, we're just fortunate to
be who we are and to do the things we
do because if you look at the at the Buffalo
Soldiers from eighteen sixty six, they protected this country. Uh,
they've done some of the same things back then that
you see us doing doing today. Uh and so and
so people notice that, uh uh and so we I
(22:54):
mean we we've had the Martin Luther King's Award. We
we've had the the the Community Award from from the
City of Toledo's mayor. We've we've we've had oh man,
it's just it's a lot of awards.
Speaker 1 (23:08):
That we've had, but well learned because you're you're not
doing it for the really even thinking about it. My
experience has been with you guys, it's all about what
we're doing in that moment for the community, be it
motorcycle safety or or with the kids or even with
the elders. It's not just the kids that oh yeah,
you go to speak to you speak to our elders
(23:29):
as well.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
Oh yeah, we and we talked to our elders about
our safe and secure program, how to stay safe all
of the entrapments out there, phone calls and be careful
of that of people you don't know. And and because
the elderly, our elderly and young are the most targeted people,
uh you know in this country. Uh and so and so,
we we do a lot in that area. And then
(23:52):
and then we give out things, especially we just had
a senior program at senior centers here a few days ago,
and we talked talk to them about safety. We we
then for for door prizes, you know, we give out whistles,
American made whistles. Uh that that that that our military
whistles that that are very loud, and and we tell
them and even in the park, when we see a
(24:14):
single female walking and park, we give them a whistle
and tell them, look here, here's here's how this whistle sound.
And usually miss miss miss Hogg uh Larenda Michayla has.
Speaker 2 (24:23):
Her whistle on and she blows it.
Speaker 3 (24:26):
Oh yeah, and then I'm telling you it is loud,
and and and we tell them the next time we
see you either that at shopping by yourself or walking
in park byself.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
If you don't have that whistle, you get penalized.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
Wow, that's awesome. And and you reward the children as well,
oh yes, if they do well.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
Yes, we just pay attention. That's it. Well, well, the
first thing is respect.
Speaker 3 (24:48):
Yes, if you listen to to one of our members,
which is Fred the Fever, when we first walk into
to a classroom, we talked about respect first. Here's here's
how you get Here's here's how you do that respect.
You don't talk when we're talking. If you have something
to say, raise your hand, stand up, tell us your name,
and then ask you a question or answer the question.
(25:08):
And we have one one of the girls that was
gonna challenge that one time, so we just ignored her.
She she was then started talking out. We ignored her.
We called somebody else. By the end of the day,
she she she was raising her hands, standing up and
answering her question.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
So you're worn down. That's good. That's good, and the
kids need that. They really do. Now to the model
deeds not words. Who came up with.
Speaker 3 (25:30):
That, Well, that's the If you look at the Harlem
hell fighters from from from World War Two.
Speaker 2 (25:36):
That was one of their models. These not words.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
And if you know anything about the Harlem hell fighters,
that's just what they're about. And that's and that's why
that that's partially why that war was won.
Speaker 1 (25:45):
Now it seems self evident.
Speaker 3 (25:47):
But what does it mean, Well, it means these not words.
That's if you're going to do something, and and and
and I'll tell you this. I don't know if you've
seen us in some of these meetings. Well, we'll go
to meetings. And if all you're gonna do is set
around that meeting talking, next meeting we come to you
are you talking again to third, we don't come back
anymore because we want to see dse. We want to
see what what is your actions? We need actions out there.
(26:09):
Anybody can bump their gums all they want to, but
but but people in our community need action. Our children
need action, they need they need hands on experience. So
that's that's what that means. These are not words.
Speaker 1 (26:20):
And and aside from everything that we mentioned again back
to the Buffalo soldiers, you gots feed people in the
streets as well.
Speaker 3 (26:27):
Oh yeah, we uh we have a a street uh
ministry as you want to call it. But it's it's
our homeless street street operation where when when the temperature
gets really low, we go out with with Chef Regnus,
who is one of the chefs at Penna County uh
and and and and he fixes soups, coffee, hot talking
(26:50):
and those things, and we'll go out in the street
and anyone that we find in the street, uh we
will pull over and and give them the soup, coffee,
give them.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
Shoes, socks and all that.
Speaker 3 (27:01):
And we had a young lady this year come up
and she she it was snow out and she was
walking in sandals, and we asked her and she and
she just had a little like a little blanket around.
We asked her, you know, do you have any shoes? No,
So we gave her a pair of shoes. We had
had a pair of shoes that fit her, uh and
and which was great. And we gave her a coat,
a winter coat. And so those things are at the
(27:22):
heart of us and helping our community along with other agencies.
We got a lot of agencies out out there. We
just you know, we we just need to keep it going.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
Yeah, in full disclosure, we've interacted it as well with
our church ministry with with your overflow. Yeah, it's awesome
serving the community that you exist in and you get
to meet some of the most amazing people, even those
that that other folks kind of brush over and the door.
You'd be surprised at some of the backgrounds of the people.
(27:53):
Even at Cherry Street Mission and or on the street.
Speaker 2 (27:56):
We got professors on the street.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
People I mean people that were ones and I won't
say once looked up to, but they were at that
at that society, right and and and something happened, and
that can happen to any one of us.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
Depression, anxiety, a drug abuse, and it's not just illegal drugs.
Sometimes it's actual prescription drugs. I've heard heard it all
seems like, but then I still hear more. So we're
so thankful for what you do in the community. Thank you,
Thank you so much for joining us today. But my
final question of the day, what do you think your
(28:29):
legacy is? For all that we've talked about, and we
didn't talk about everything today, and what would you like
your legacy to be?
Speaker 3 (28:37):
Yeah, you know, I never I never much talk about that.
You know, I'm a Harley man a right, a Harley okay,
but but you know, just just to do something that
that some young person to see, uh and and and
get interested and want to follow that because as we
you know, we're going to pass on one day, and
(28:57):
that needs to be passed down to two younger folks,
you know, to keep that kind of mission going.
Speaker 2 (29:01):
If not, we all are going to be lost.
Speaker 3 (29:03):
So so that legacy, my legacy, would would be hopefully
that that that some young person pick up on that,
and and and and that they move it forward and
we help some young person, we help a family, that
they pass it forward.
Speaker 1 (29:18):
That'd be a good legacy. And perfectly we'll get that.
I know we've got some new people coming in. I
blessed two new people I've never met before this last
time their bike, So it was kind of fun and
I did the Catholic rights. Uh. But nevertheless, we're so
thankful for the new members of the Buffalo Soldiers, including myself.
Full disclosure, I've been elected the chaplain of the Buffalo Soldiers.
(29:41):
Oh boy, do I have to get a bike now.
I haven't had a bike for thirty years.
Speaker 3 (29:45):
Well, look, you know Paula hit Suthing as one of
our members, and she rides a spider it's a three wheel.
You can handle a spider, but no, you don't need
to have you know, have a bike. You have that
mentality that that we look for. Uh, you know, you
love the Buffalo Soldiers, what the Buffalo Soldiers did in
eighteen sixty six, and and and that history. So that's
(30:06):
that's all it takes here in a clean.
Speaker 1 (30:08):
Record, okay, So no bike necessary, not necessary. I have
you on record any final words of encouragement that would
give the young men and women who are considering careers
in public service, law enforcement, or just civic leadership as
you're doing right now.
Speaker 3 (30:27):
About the only thing I can say is, I guess
is self respect. You know, if you have self respect,
there would be no issues with respecting others. And that's
something that's missing in a lot of our young folks,
and that's why we do what we do in ours
in our schools. So I would say, self respect. You
have that self respect, you can go far in life.
(30:48):
That's what That's what happened to me. You know, I said,
I went to Parkland All Boys School because I couldn't
make it in record.
Speaker 1 (30:54):
Start out with respect, but you ended.
Speaker 3 (30:56):
Up with I ended up with respect. So respect, self
respect means a lot.
Speaker 1 (31:01):
Yes, awesome, awesome, Well, thank you so much, brother Earl
for coming in. Thank you for the Voices of Legacy.
Do you have any books, any movies? Sound like with
all that detective work, you ought to have somebody writing
a book for you.
Speaker 3 (31:13):
Somebody keeps talking about that, but I don't know, you know,
maybe you'll do it for me.
Speaker 1 (31:18):
Nobody else will. I was thinking that was a movie
you were describing early with the undercover stuff. We'll just
change all the names. Let me do law and order.
But thank you so much for coming on the Voices
of Legacy or you. It's a pleasure having you here.
Look forward to create great things moving forward. You can
check out the Buffalo Soldiers.
Speaker 3 (31:39):
Were at www dot Toledo Buffalo Soldiers with an s
dot org.
Speaker 1 (31:56):
Thank you for listening to the Voices of a Legacy.
This is your friend, Pastor Carl Mitchell, the Third, your
host of this program. We want you to go to
WGTE dot org slash legacy to like, share, subscribe, and
hear all of our past podcast and our future podcast.
Be a friend and join with us in the Voices
(32:19):
of Legacy, where you're writing your own legacy every day
that you live. Have a blessed.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
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