Introduction

I first learned about Patrick David Shaw three years ago while sitting on my porch in Kenya's Rift Valley. A Kenyan man, who lived in Nairobi during the seventies and eighties, related to me tales of a huge white man known as "Mr. Shaw" who would drive around endlessly in his Volvo saloon liquidating criminals. Shaw, he said, was a former criminal and a gift to Kenya from the British Government to President Moi. To all that lived in Nairobi during that time, Shaw was a living legend and a veritable "super hero".

I spent the last three years researching the life and times of Shaw to better understand the man behind the myth. What I have uncovered is stranger than fiction. I am now ready to produce a documentary on the life of this incredible man and am now looking for your support to have his story published. Pat Shaw was Romeo 9 and the world needs to know.

Who was Pat Shaw? 

Patrick David Shaw (August 4, 1936 to February 14, 1988) was a Kenyan civil servant, school administrator and senior police reservist. He is best remembered for his crime fighting activities and as a first responder to all emergencies in Nairobi. Shaw was born in London in 1936. In 1965, Shaw started a full-time position at the famous Starehe Boys' Centre in Nairobi Kenya under Geoffrey Griffin.  Shaw joined the Kenyan police reserve in 1959 and rose to the rank of senior superintendent of police. Suffering from a granular disorder, he could not sleep more than two hours a night and spent most of his evenings patrolling the streets of Nairobi in his infamous white Volvo. During the 1970s and 1980s, Shaw, also known by his radio handle as 'Romeo 9', was credited with the deaths of Nairobi's most notorious gangsters and possibly hundreds of others. Shaw is best known for warning suspects to leave Nairobi or face extra-judicial execution. His ruthless approach to crime fighting, coupled with his large size and stature, resulted in him being feared by both criminals and the Kenyan public in general.

What are the projects goals? 

The intense story of Pat Shaw's life and legacy must be shared with the rest of the world. After three years of intensive research, including the collection of over thirty eyewitness accounts and key informant interviews as well as over two hundred document resources, I have completed the 150 page manuscript. It is now ready for professional editing and publication.

How will the funds be use?

The funds generated from this campaign shall be used to self-publish the piece, specifically the film's production, editing, DVD cover design, printing and marketing.

Who will be involved in the project? 

Jonathan Spangler is the executive producer and director of PSwR9. He will act as campaign's Project Manager.

Brian Omolo is a Kenyan graphic designer and member of the GoDown Arts Centre in Nairobi. He will serve as the project's Creative Designer in charge of DVD design and formatting.