Robert Sadler: My Friend, Fellow Author, and a Cop Who Made a Difference

October 23, 2026
Birch Bay, Washington

My readers have seen the contributions of my friend Robert Sadler through his editing and graphics work on my books over the past many years.  Robert is also a retired Dallas police officer and a prolific author. A moving article in the October 2026 issue of D Magazine recognizes another part of his life: his determination to stop a serial rapist.

The story is told by a survivor who returned to Dallas nearly fifty years after the attack to thank Robert in person.

It describes how Robert and his partner, Tom Covington, reviewed more than 17,000 documents, mapped crime locations, studied patterns, and pursued the investigation for more than three years. Their painstaking analysis helped police anticipate where the offender would strike and contributed to his eventual arrest.

As a fellow retired police officer, I appreciate the persistence behind that work. The maps and reports represent years of asking questions, following leads, and refusing to give up while women remained at risk.

But what stayed with me most was Robert’s answer when she asked what had kept him going. Beyond his responsibility as a police officer, he wanted to prevent what had happened to her from happening to anyone else.

That concern for others comes through clearly in this account. So does the lasting difference a dedicated officer can make—even when he may not hear the words “thank you” until half a century later.

Robert, I’m proud to call you my friend. This is well-deserved recognition, and a story I wanted to share with my readers.

Here is a link to Robert’s Author Website and the full article: