Review: Routine Patrol by Bart Ringer

In today’s troubled times, the idea of the police has changed dramatically, and the old image of small-town cops has all but disappeared. However, as author Bart Ringer is happy to remind readers in Routine Patrol: Memoirs of a Small-Town Cop, the Wild West is still alive and well, particularly in the small towns of Wyoming. In this collection of stories taken from his more than 35 years on the tiny but mighty force of the Riverton Police Department, the tales swing from tragic and moving to downright hilarious, told with gentle skill and undeniable honesty.

What strikes a reader first in this book is the authenticity, from the foreword to the final word; the narration feels torn directly from the pages of a personal journal, with unexpected tangents of memory, colloquial charm, and language that is laced with unadulterated humanity. There aren’t many great novels written about the state of Wyoming, and most people would assume that’s because few things happen there, but that clearly isn’t the case. Despite being a small town, there are moments when the police force, and Officer Bart Ringer, specifically, is pushed to the absolute limit.

Many of the calls Ringer responded to were dangerous, while others were amusing, and some are just unbelievable, but he tells each story as though he’s still pulling up to the curb, ready for anything. Sprinkled in with the drunken brawls and out-of-town criminals looking to take advantage of a sleepy town are moments of profound, humanistic beauty.

The simplicity of life in the dead center of a sprawling Western state holds an allure for many people, particularly if they are used to life in the urban cores of America, and this collection of stories delivers heartfelt and oddly relatable yarns that simply beg to be read. Spending 35+ years on the force – beginning in the early 70s – also means that Bart Ringer saw the world change, even his little corner of it, so this book serves as a time capsule, packed with wisdom and wistful dreaming of older, easier times.

Ringer’s skill as a writer combines nostalgia with timeless lessons about life, making the appeal of this book span generations. He didn’t spend his life improving his writing skills, but his experience in the world created a voice that is both unique and powerful. Every page isn’t necessarily packed with profundity, and some of the stories are weaker than others, but there are always flashes of brilliance that will stick with readers long after the book is completed.

While the authenticity is what makes this book so engaging, from a pure storytelling standpoint, there are missed opportunities to flesh out certain scenes or recurring characters, or make the descriptions of the events a bit more compelling. Simple is good, but a bit of spice and flair would help add some extra dimension to the writing. Overall, however, Routine Patrol is a delicious slice of Americana that has almost faded away, but Bart Ringer pours his memory out on each page and wields the pen with charming grace.