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he explained. By the end of the training session, their minds are
blown and the typical response is, “This was the best training I’ve
ever received!”
Corporal Alan Chavers of the Tupelo Police Department
attended (and later assisted) a crisis negotiations training session
in 2010 where he first met Artis. “Jeff was able to keep the classes’
attention with knowledge and humor mixed in,” he said. Although
the comic relief element was emotionally necessary to handle this
type of intense training, Chavers said the primary content was life
changing. “I believe this training is the most important thing I have
ever been involved in,” he said. “When different cultures, races,
and religions begin to communicate, listen, and respect each other,
that’s when we see resentment, misunderstanding, and hatred
soften and subside.”
From talking a jumper down off the top of a building to
teaching others how to respect and handle diverse cultures and
lethal situations, we assume that spending quality time with the
family must be impossible. “No. I love the chaos and confusion,”
“...I am married
to a woman
who not only
understands my
working situation,
but is also strong
enough to tell me
to calm down
when I need it!
”
Artis responded. “We see it as opportunity or challenge, and I am
married to a woman who not only understands my working
situation, but is also strong enough to tell me to calm down when
I need it!” He admits he was in love the first day he met her.
“We met in Birmingham because we happened to be keeping
the scorebooks for our college basketball teams. I started pursuing
her that day.” Her name is Monica, and she admits Artis was
memorable but, “I can’t say that it was love at first sight.” Her sense
of humor is evident as she continued. “As a matter of fact, he made
me a little nervous at first because he wouldn’t stop talking and
was doing a pretty good job of distracting me from my assignment.
I would inch a little away from him, and he would in turn inch a
little closer to me,” she recalled. She was drawn to his sense of
humor and careless approach to life, “and it didn’t hurt that he
was pretty cute.”
How does the FBI agent and his professional forensics wife
manage a “normal” life outside of work? “As far as being normal,
I’m not quite sure that we are,” she quipped. She does understand,
though, that Artis often cannot afford to be distracted by personal
problems, “so, I try to make sure that when he is called upon to help
resolve hostile or touchy situations, he can do so without worrying
about me and the things that need to be taken care of at home.”
She said that she is thankful that he’s a great listener – most of
time. “Sometimes I stop him when his is agreeing with every word
and regurgitating my sentences and say, ‘Don’t forget that I have
seen your negotiations training material. Stop handling me.’”
Monica said she and the kids try to keep things light at home.
“Laughter is a big part of our gatherings, whenever they come
home from school.” And she stated she and Jeff spend plenty of
quality time together where she has his undivided attention,
“unless there is an Alabama game being televised!”
This sophisticatedly trained federal agent clearly infuses
humor in every aspect of his life. He said he is handy around his
home making nearly all home repairs himself, and has extended
his God-given handiness to family and friends. Upon explaining
that he has installed toilets for friends, he looked up seriously and
said, “There is nothing like messing with other people’s crap.”
A jest that could ironically apply to his difficult profession. n
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