Local author, retired detective sergeant shares crime insight with community

Putting his life on the line was never something Mickey Chernetsky thought twice about.

“We were bold,” said Chernetsky, retired Detective/Sergeant of the Buffalo Police Department, as he referred to the mentality both he and his former partner Joe Schwartz had.

Being bold, taking chances and being smart were a few things Chernetsky could rely on during his 34 years on the force.

After retiring in 1995, he suffered a heart attack and stroke that left him laying in a hospital bed for quite some time while he recovered. In order to keep his mind and hands busy, he gathered clippings of old newspapers that contained tidbits of crime reporting within and around the city of Buffalo.

From there, Chernetsky decided he would write a book with his findings and include many of his personal experiences on the force. Including life or death encounters; how he handled situations during his work with the robbery squad for 20 years; the outcome of an assassination plot against both he and Schwartz (who passed away as he lost his fight with cancer after retirement); the suicide rate of policemen and woman; and much more.

The book, titled, “SERGEANT, My 34 years behind the badge,” offers insight to what members of law enforcement experience firsthand and the truth about what really happens when first responders arrive on the scene.

“It’s about my personal life experiences of what my life on the job was like for 34 years,” said Chernetsky. “I spoke to a Buffalo police officer when I was young and after that, all I wanted to do was be a cop.”

Starting on the job in 1961 at only 25, Chernetsky - now 76 years old - wasn’t sure what he was getting himself into. In his book, he reflects on things he’s seen and how he learned to cope with them, as well as, touches base on how many law enforcement officials are faced with the burden of dealing with incidents they have witnessed and how sometimes it doesn’t always end well.

Today, as a resident of Kenmore, Chernetsky enjoys his retirement with his wife, Patricia, and dabbles in a few activities such as taking bowling lessons, golf lessons, doing crossword puzzles, readings and playing bingo.

Although life after the precinct is slightly less dangerous for Chernetsky, he often reflects on what it was like working for 34 years on the force and is glad he can share his experiences with the community.

His book, listed under SERGEANT, can be purchased at Barnes and Noble, 1565 Niagara Falls Blvd., Amherst or downloaded instantly on Amazon’s Kindle or Barnes and Noble’s Nook.

Help support our local authors by reading Chernetsky crime fighting book and go to www.publishamerica.com then online bookstore, law enforcement p. 2, or memoirs, p.7, or E-book p. 14. Title: “Sergeant My 34 years behind the badge.”