To Protect and Serve

“This is a book America has been waiting for–a top cop's searing expose of corrupt, bigoted, brutal and trigger-happy policing in America and how to fix a broken system. It's the inside story, an MRI from former Seattle Police Chief Norm Stamper, showing good cops taking risks to protect us all, to cities balancing the books with police fines, militarization run amok, and a police culture off the rails. Now, says Stamper, the mindset behind the badge has to focus first on public safety, crime, and collaboration not confrontation, with communities asserting control and clear federal standards to insure accountability. And he shows how it can be done.” –Hedrick Smith, author of Who Stole the American Dream? and Executive Editor of Reclaim The American Dream

“Most of the nation's approximately 18,000 police departments receive scathing criticism from one of their own…. A vivid, well-written, vitally important book.” –Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

“A blistering structural critique of U.S. law enforcement… By emphasizing institutional change, Stamper makes a brave attempt to answer the common question (one asked whenever another unarmed African-American is shot by police), where are all the good cops?” –Publishers Weekly