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Courtesy of The Charleston Gazette/Chip Ellis

Petty platoon at the Charleston Police Department includes Sgt. Stephen R. Petty Sr., and his three sons, Stephen R. Petty Jr., and Mark Allen Petty and Matthew Aaron Petty, the twins.


SANDY WELLS

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- You can't just ask for Officer Petty at the Charleston Police Department. No telling which one you'll get.
You might get Sgt. Petty. That's Stephen R. Petty Sr. The dad.
You might get Stephen R. Petty Jr., his son.
You might get M.A. Petty, another son.
Which means you might get either Matthew Allen Petty or Mark Aaron Petty, the twins.
"We've had fathers and sons in the department before," the dad said. "And we've had maybe a father and two sons. We've had twins before. But we've never had a father and three sons, including twins. This is a first."
Desk clerks and mail clerks tear out their hair trying to reach the right Petty. "Just the other day, I got a subpoena meant for my son," the senior Petty said. "I just put 'Junior' on it and 'C Shift' and sent it on its way."
Twin sons with the same initials don't help matters. The two M.A. Pettys learned early on to use their full names on tickets, accident reports and other documents.
Just to complicate things, they look eerily alike. Matt tries to help by combing his short hair toward his forehead. Otherwise, only their handcuffs set them apart. Matt uses black. Mark uses silver.
Dad joined the force 15 years ago. Laid off from the mines, he found work as a county parks security guard and enrolled for training at the police academy. After a money crunch forced the county to drop the program, he noticed a recruiting ad for the Charleston Police Department.
He started work on May 16, 1993. He spent 10 years on patrol, walked a beat in the East End, worked with the bike patrol and in the special enforcement unit. Promoted to sergeant four years ago, he worked a couple of years as supervisor of the East End operation. Two years ago, assumed command of the warrants division.
The twins hired on as patrol officers on Sept. 15, 2005. One year later, after earning a degree in criminal justice, their older brother also signed on as a patrolman.
"The twins thought about joining right after high school," the elder Petty said. "They've always done everything together. I talked them out of it because I thought they were too young. I wanted them to be sure it's what they really wanted."
They worked for a while at CAMC, Matt in the warehouse and Mark in central service. "They finally told me they wanted a career, not just a job, and I knew they were ready."
The twins work the same patrol shift. Matt patrols the West Side in Car 103. Mark patrols the East End in Car 108. Steve Jr., patrols the West Side in Car 201.
While they're on duty, Mom wrestles with her role as chief worrywart. "It's stressful to have a husband and three sons working here," the senior Petty said. "Two of her babies go to work at the same time. When they get off, another one comes on. She worries for 48 hours, gets a two-day break, then has 72 straight hours with somebody working."
"We tell her not to listen to the scanner," Mark said. "We tell her if something happens, someone will call."
Now there are wives to worry with her. All three sons married in the last two years, the dad said. "Matt married Lisa Stanley, the city fire chief's daughter. We tell him he crossed the line, having to go to the fire department to find a wife."
Of course, the Petty platoon inspires considerable fatherly pride. "I think they do an excellent job. They're not looking to be millionaires. They're just out there trying to make a difference."

Story From: The Charleston Gazette

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