For decades, Trooper Steve Raabe patrolled some of the most desolate and dangerous highways in America. Alone in the remote Nevada desert, miles from any backup, Raabe was forced to contend with murderers, thieves, perverts, dope peddlers, and the occasional runaway train.While often tragic and terrifying, Raabe¿s true tales also abound with his signature wit and playful good cheer. Policing can be a deadly serious business, but for Raabe it also entailed buying a prisoner an ice cream cone on a hot summer day, or laughing along with some good old boys before booking them into jail as you¿ll discover in Patrolling the Heart of the West.In our contentious and politicized era, when police officers are too often portrayed as either infallible superheroes or oppressive henchmen, Raabe¿s charming collection reminds us that cops are mostly just ordinary men and women who've chosen an extraordinary career.