One could say something similar these days: "It's not a good day to be a cop."
The boys in blue are not doing great in the public eye lately. One story after another about police brutality or unjustified shootings, often with a strong racial component.
Also the increased militarization of the police force with unnecessarily extreme military surplus weaponry.
Not to mention local police routinely making use of illegally obtained information (and then lying about how it was obtained) to lock up minor law-breakers via tools that were intended to fight terrorism.
And an evolution from the 50's perspective of "cops & good guys vs. bad guys" to the current perspective of "cops vs. civilians."
And police dishonesty and corruption.
Not good, any of it.
If any of us are victims of crime, it's nice to know we can rely on our police force to help us. But for most of us, our only interactions with police officers are nuisance automotive pull-overs where they jack us for two day's pay because we went a measly 6 miles over the speed limit or failed to come to a complete stop at a stop sign EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE NO CARS OR PEDESTRIANS WITHIN SIGHT.
There was even a recent movie called Let's Be Cops that was considered controversial on the basis of its title alone. (Which was ridiculous, as the real scandal was how painfully unfunny it was- that scene where the impostor officer distracts the gangbangers by dancing? Oof.)
So this isn't the best time and place for a book with a sympathetic inside perspective on the life of a police officer.
But this is the book the world needs right now.
400 Things Cops Know is a brilliant, bitingly funny, heartfelt, and painfully honest take on life as a police officer and the world they live in and the world as they see it.
It's strong medicine to help us not excuse the misdeeds of bad cops, but to understand the mentality of officers in general, and give us a glimpse of what they deal with and what it does to their minds (and bodies). And it could even help you in your dealings with officers, as it will tell you what triggers them and what puts them at ease.
It didn't make me forget all the problems of police in our present society, but it opened up a new world to me, one well worth a closer look.
I laughed nonstop while reading it and also found myself frequently pausing and thinking about the darkness and evil in the world around me and how little of it I see with my own eyes and how lucky that makes me.
Highest recommendation.
-Phony McFakename
I love this book so much! Glad it made it on the blog.
ReplyDeleteYay cop knowledge!
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