BOLO: Intrigue Alert is all about books that stun us. The Crew doesn’t usually spotlight memoirs in our BOLO: Intrigue Alert feature, but every rule has its exception. This one earned it. Hey, Sarge! A police memoir filled with bizarre calls, dark humor, and unforgettable moments.
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“Hey, Sarge!” Tales from the Bizarre Sides of Dallas
Author: Dwaine Sides
Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir
The true story of a nineteen-year-old kid, twice rejected by the Dallas Police Department, who went on to serve 48 years on the force.
From alien abductions to “zombies” at City Hall, from gallows humor to moments that test the soul, these stories reveal the bizarre, hilarious, and sometimes macabre side of police work. Step into the patrol car and ride along on calls—some ridiculous, some disturbing, but all unforgettable. One veteran cop shares what motivates officers, what wears them down, and why humor is often the only shield against the darkness.
Across nearly five decades, Sergeant Dwaine Sides witnessed the best and worst of human nature. These stories pull back the curtain on the strange coincidences, split-second decisions, and raw humanity that shape a life in blue. Equal parts outrageous and insightful, this memoir invites you on a journey you won’t soon forget.
About the Author of Hey, Sarge! Dwaine Sides
Dwaine Sides had a forty-eight-year-long career with the Dallas Police Department, DPD, from 1974 as a Police Cadet to his retirement from the Police Reserves in 2022. He spent 37½ years as a paid sworn DPD officer, and volunteered for eleven years as a Reserve Sergeant.
He was an adjunct instructor at both DPD’s Academy from 1984 until 2022 and at the Police Pistol and Rifle range from 1998 to 2022. He was part of a small committee of Sergeants who rewrote and taught the Field Training Manual for rookies and policies on everything from Critical Incident Response to both natural, like Tornados, to manmade disasters like Weapons of Mass Destruction, WMDs. He was an instructor for the Office of Domestic Preparedness and continued when it became the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
As part of a team, they trained all DPD officers and 100s of suburban officers in Mobile Field Force, Crowd Control Tactics, and Tactical Medical, Tac Med, which is first aid for traumatic injuries by applying tourniquets and pressure bandages to stop massive bleeding.
In addition to the above, Dwaine Sides was Sector Sgt in Patrol, leading small groups of uniformed officers in arresting suspects in crimes from the mundane to Double Capital Murders. He was assigned as both a Response Team and Specialized Response Team Sergeant for multiple routine and high-profile events.
