One of my fears is that my book won’t be well received by my cop friends in Baltimore.
I’m proud of the book. And I think it’s pro-police because it shows the shit we had to deal with. Good workers in a bad system. But I’m always been afraid that cops wouldn’t like it because it’s not 100% pro-police. I don’t want to be tarred and feathered next time I go to Baltimore.
But the initial reports from Charm City’s Finest are favorable.
One of my academy classmates said he liked the academy chapter and wrote me a good story I’d forgotten:
I don’t know if you remember, but one day we were getting ready to take a test, and [____] stood up and said, “Sir, you can’t give us the test yet. We have not been spoon fed the answers yet.”
He never knew when to shut up.
The cops (and former cops) I have talked to about your book seem intrigued. In one on one conversations, most cops don’t tow the company line. Of course, some officers conflate criticism of systemic problems with cop bashing, and this is unfortunate.
I strongly believe that your book will appeal to the “foot soldiers.” I also hope it will embolden them. We lose fear when we realize that we aren’t alone or crazy. If anyone knows that the system is in need of radical reform, it should be those of us who work in public safety, healthcare or human services and experience the frustration, grief and often unecessary danger daily.
Preach on, brother…
And…I’m…spent…