****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
I think I have read most books written by CPD retired, but I’ve never read one quite like this one. Frank Goff, CPD retired, has lived in the blood, sweat, and tears of big city police work. Lucky for us, he has a great memory and recall for details, and he wrote this strong book. If there were 10 stars, I would award all of them to this collection.He writes about a Chicago Police Department that was effective and strong and managed to keep this rough city reasonably safe. But that police department is gone, and the city is rougher than ever. Ask any Chicagoan if they feel safe in their city these days, and everyone of them will answer, No!I have recommended this book to nine friends, and one cynical skeptic who said he wasn’t interested in another police book. I sent the skeptic a gift copy, and the day after he received it he called and practically shouted, ‘’holy Christ! Who is this guy?’’ The skeptic’s father was a long time CPD dick, so he’s no stranger to police stories and culture. But Frank’s stories are so well written and detailed, varied and recalled that it’s exhilarating to read them and imagine what a strong CPD could do for our safety and security, if the politicians hadn’t managed to break its back.Who is this guy? He’s one of those guys who was born to be the real police. He’s one of those coppers who can see around corners and through walls, one of those coppers who has handled everything that the radio or the street or the bosses could throw at him. He had the respect and the trust and the admiration of his fellow officers; there’s only one way to get that: Earn it. He did.The stories are a combination of the ridiculous and the sublime, good and evil, cowardice and courage all jumbled together…in short, the agony and ecstasy of real police work. And at the end of each story, Goff offers a very brief editorial comment and how we have gotten to the god-awful place we are today in the criminal justice system.Do yourself a favor and read this book, and it will remind you that things don’t have to be as bad as they are, if we just let the police department do what they promised they would do when they took their oath of office. Do yourself that favor.
