Dog the Bounty Hunter to visit Warren store
By GUY D’ASTOLFO
dastolfo@vindy.com
Duane “Dog” Chapman, star of the top-rated A&E reality show “Dog, the Bounty Hunter,” will make a stop at the Elm Road Wal-Mart, north of Warren, at 8:30 p.m. Saturday.
Chapman is on a book tour to tout his latest work, “Where Mercy Is Shown, Mercy Is Given,” which was released Tuesday. His wife, Beth, who his part of his bounty-hunting team, is also part of the book-signing bus tour.
In a phone call from California, Chapman talked about his new book.
The title, he said, comes from a Bible scripture. And as a man who has found himself on both sides of the law throughout his life, it’s a sentiment he takes to heart.
In the book, Chapman goes into detail about the low points of his career. He was dogged by the Mexican government for years following his 2006 apprehension of convicted rapist Andrew Luster, heir to the Max Factor cosmetics fortune, in that country. He also took some much-publicized heat in 2007 for his use of the N-word during a tirade with his son.
“[The book] is divided into 12 or so subjects, like my use of the N-word, what happened in Mexico, where my kids are today, and greatest bounty hunting stories,” said Chapman.
After 30 years of hunting fugitives, Chapman has become an expert in the criminal justice system, and in his book he lays out his ideas to improve it.
“Sentencing, crime prevention ... someday my ideas will be put into law,” he said. “It’s stuff that the government isn’t doing. Putting everyone in jail just isn’t working. It’s derailing the system. Courts are closing. A lot of people will get into a lot of things because there is no court to try them. Cops won’t even arrest them, because they know they’ll go free.
“Under my plan, we will make money on crime, just like criminals make money on us.”
If Chapman sounds like he’s interested in shaping public policy, it’s because he is. He’s considered taking a stab at elective office, perhaps as a sheriff, but isn’t sure he’ll pass public scrutiny.
“Politicians are supposed to be perfect, or at least they can’t get caught,” he said. “I don’t know if I’m qualified. I might flip off someone, and then it will be all over the news. I might be better as an adviser. I’ve met a lot of cops, and I’ve been trained by some of the best. I consider myself an expert.”
“Where Mercy Is Shown” is Chapman’s second book, following the 2007 New York Times No. 1 best-seller “You Can Run But You Can’t Hide.”
He said he’s becoming a better writer — and a more kid-friendly one. “I used a lot of [expletive] the last time, but I didn’t use any in this book,” he said.
Meanwhile, the sixth season of his popular television show began last week, and production has already begun for the seventh.
It’s no small feat, as he explained. “We do 32 episodes a season, which is more than twice as many as the average show,” said Chapman.
if you go
What: Book-signing with Duane “Dog” Chapman
When: 8:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Elm Road Wal-Mart, north of Warren
Info: (330) 372-1772