Pulitzer Prize winning author Leon Litwack calls Brian Willingham's Soul of a Black Cop A scream from the bottom... a compelling and often unnerving documentary portrait of an urban war zone... the day to day experiences of America's interior exiles. The author is a black city cop in the Flint, Michigan, of Michael Moore fame. His beat is the ghetto, where a decaying city has imprisoned its downtrodden. There's no where else to go, and Willingham illustrates this through story after heartwrenching story and his profound comprehension of the human condition. It is a story of eight months in hell. Some say racism doesn't exist; others blame the suffering. A must-read book for all those in any type of social work, indeed a book for all America
“Defund the police!” is shouted in the streets. A.C.A.B. is spray painted on precinct buildings. Countless citizens believe all police are racists. In this era of civil unrest and political divide, how do Black cops—or any cops—maintain the motivation and commitment to do their job? Former police officer, co-founder of BLEXIT, and Founder and CEO of The Officer Tatum—Brandon Tatum shares his story and the stories of other police officers in the pages of his new book, Beaten Black and Blue. Read why they joined the force, what it’s really like on the streets, and how they continue to fight the good fight. Forget what you think you know and learn the truth!
'Undercover, you're never just acting; you're only ever a different version of yourself.' Neil Woods spent fourteen years (1993-2007) infiltrating drug gangs as an undercover policeman, befriending and gaining the trust of some of the most violent, unpredictable criminals in Britain. But Neil was never your stereotypical gung-ho, tough-guy copper. This is the story of how a thoughtful, idealistic character learned to use his empathetic nature to master some of the roughest, most dangerous work in law enforcement. There was no training, no manual and no plan for when things went wrong; he was just dropped at a corner and told to make connections. But, inevitably, having swords thrust against his jugular, witnessing beatings, stabbings, and gangsters burning suspected rats with acid took its toll. Drawing on Neil’s experiences, with the insight that can only come from having fought on the front lines, GOOD COP, BAD WAR is at once a narrative-driven true crime read and a fascinating story of a character under pressure.
During his 28-year career, Matthew Horace rose through the ranks from a police officer working the beat to a federal agent working criminal cases in some of the toughest communities in America to a highly decorated federal law enforcement executive managing high-profile investigations nationwide. Yet it was not until seven years into his service- when Horace found himself face down on the ground with a gun pointed at his head by a white fellow officer-that he fully understood the racism seething within America's police departments. Through gut-wrenching reportage, on-the-ground research, and personal accounts from interviews with police and government officials around the country, Horace presents an insider's examination of archaic police tactics. He dissects some of the nation's most highly publicized police shootings and communities to explain how these systems and tactics have hurt the people they serve, revealing the mistakes that have stoked racist policing, sky-high incarceration rates, and an epidemic of violence. "Horace's authority as an experienced officer, as well as his obvious integrity and courage, provides the book with a gravitas." -- The Washington Post "The Black and the Blue is an affirmation of the critical need for criminal justice reform, all the more urgent because it/DIVDIVcomes from an insider who respects his profession yet is willing to reveal its flaws." -- USA Today
When Calvin Lawrence joined the Halifax City Police in 1969, he thought he knew what to expect. There was growing tension in the city between the black community and the police, and Calvin believed that as a black police officer he would be able to make a difference. But what he didn't know was that he was embarking on a life-long career in which he would consistently be the target of racist behaviour — from his co-workers and his superiors, and from police organizations as a whole. Calvin describes how he was the target of racial slurs, mocked for being black, pigeonholed into roles, and denied advancement because he was not white. After 36 years in law enforcement, Calvin retired early from the police, suffering from clinical depression and with a settlement from the RCMP after winning a Human Rights complaint. Calvin holds nothing back as he reflects on a career that took him across the country — he shares his experiences as Newfoundland's only black police officer, his undercover stints in Edmonton and Toronto, and his time in Ottawa protecting major world leaders like Jimmy Carter and Brian Mulroney. Calvin Lawrence's story lays bare the key failures of Canadian police organizations that operate on the basis that only white Canadians are entitled to the rights promised to all by the rule of law and the Canadian Charter of Rights.
Impressive ... A precisely written, carefully plotted novel, all the more dramatic for its understated tone Booklist In a world of growing nationalism, a quiet few are determined to resist. This gripping historical mystery explores the darkest days of the early 20th century. Munich, 1920. Detective Willi Geismeier has a problem: how do you uphold the law when the law goes bad? The First World War has been lost and Germany is in turmoil. The new government in Berlin is weak. The police and courts are corrupt. Fascists and Communists are fighting in the streets. People want a savior, someone who can make Germany great again. To many, Adolf Hitler seems perfect for the job. When the offices of a Munich newspaper are bombed, Willi Geismeier investigates, but as it gets political, he is taken off the case. Willi continues to ask questions, but when his pursuit of the truth itself becomes a crime, his career – and his life – are in grave danger.
A probing look at a multiple murder case in Ithaca, New York, and the perhaps specious justice that resulted reveals how an ambitious police investigator falsified testimony and tampered with evidence to bring about a quick conviction.
A New Jersey reporter investigates the suspicious death of a cop in the award-winning author’s “tautly written page-turner with charm and humor” (Booklist, starred review). As long as Newark Eagle-Examiner reporter Carter Ross turns in his stories on deadline, no one bats an eye at his late morning arrivals in the newsroom. So it’s an unpleasant surprise when he’s awakened at 8:38 a.m. by a phone call from his boss, telling him a local policeman was killed and to get the story. Shaking himself awake, Carter heads off to interview the cop’s widow. And then he gets another call: the story’s off, the cop committed suicide. But Carter can’t understand why a man with a job he loved, a beautiful wife, and plans to take his adorable children to Disney World would suddenly kill himself. And when Carter’s attempts to learn more are repeatedly blocked, it’s clear someone knows more than he’s saying about the cop’s death. The question is, who? And what does he have to hide? Carter, with his usual single-minded devotion to a good story—and to the memory of a Newark policeman—will do whatever it takes to uncover the truth.
A former SCMPD Homicide Detective explains the rise and fall of the Department from 2006 until the prosecution of Chief Willie Lovett in 2015. An inside look at the worst crimes committed in Savannah and the people behind the headlines. Sheds new light on stories that were underreported and brings to light stories that were never EXPOsed by local media. A must read for anyone in the greater Savannah Area and anyone who is concerned about safety and Law Enforcement."The ultimate Savannah Cop story and the hottest local read of the summer...a wild ride...a gripping read....the biggest thumbs up a reviewer could give!" -- Jim Morekis Connect Savannah"Blockbuster new book...It is disturbing and fascinating. Should be required reading by the Mayor and City Council and anyone who is concerned about Savannah's future and is looking for solutions to the crime problem." -- Tom Barton The Savannah Morning News