Opening with a powerful letter to former Tacoma police chief David Brame, who shot his estranged wife before turning the gun on himself, Norm Stamper introduces us to the violent, secret world of domestic abuse that cops must not only navigate, but which some also perpetrate. Former chief of the Seattle police force, Stamper goes on to expose a troubling culture of racism, sexism, and homophobia that is still pervasive within the twenty-first-century force; then he explores how such prejudices can be addressed. He reveals the dangers and temptations that cops face, describing in gripping detail the split-second life-and-death decisions. Stamper draws on lessons learned to make powerful arguments for drug decriminalization, abolition of the death penalty, and radically revised approaches to prostitution and gun control. He offers penetrating insights into the "blue wall of silence," police undercover work, and what it means to kill a man. And, Stamper gives his personal account of the World Trade organization debacle of 1999, when protests he was in charge of controlling turned violent in the streets of Seattle. Breaking Rank reveals Norm Stamper as a brave man, a pioneering public servant whose extraordinary life has been dedicated to the service of his community.
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Review
"Breaking Rank reveals an advocate for the kind of progressive social justice that Bobby Kennedy would have loved--a cop with guts enough to admit his own mistakes, learn from them, and remain a voice for changing the institution that both made and broke him."
About the Author
Norm Stamper began his law enforcement career in San Diego in 1966 as a beat cop. In 1994, he was named chief of the Seattle Police Department, where he set about implementing many of the initiatives he writes about in Breaking Rank. Retiring in 2000, he now lives in a cabin on a mountain in the San Juan Islands in Washington State.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
34 of 38 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I met Mr. Stamper once briefly about 11 years ago in San Diego at a conference and decided to learn more about an interesting, knowledgeable, and experienced police professional. I'm glad he wrote this book and I recommend it.
Like Norm (I can't imagine anybody calling him anything else) I retired after three decades of professional policing. I began in 1970.
The three decades from 1970 to 2000 were tumultuously (yes, tumultuously) productive in the genuine professionalization of American policing. The profession is still blue collar shift work in many ways in most places, according to my own reading and experience, but it shouldn't be and seems to be heading in the right direction in many places. Myself, I am a proponent of the problem oriented approach. There are other approaches, and that is what makes for genuine professionalization -- vigorous (and tumultuous sometimes) effort.
Norm's personality is on display in his book, as well as his expertise. This is a warm book with plenty of humor, as well as a serious book with the kind of advocacy backed up by research and experience that we need from those of us who are serious about the improvement of American policing.
One big negative but constructive criticism: no index.
One lesser criticism: the chapter on "Undercover." Norm tells a compelling and true story in that chapter, however, having some experience in "UC" work myself, I would have written from the point of view of management analysis of cost-benefit. Most undercover work is very expensive and produces not very much genuine product. I distinguish here between process and product. UC might produce lots of arrests, but it seldom solves any problems. Process vs. permanent results. It should be used sparingly and with well-thought-out direction.
There is nothing new in Norm's book in terms of breaking new ground, but it is unique anyway, in that it is an easy read for those who should read it -- public administrators and elected officials -- who don't normally (no pun intended) have the time to do a lot of research and don't know much about what goes on within their very expensive and mysterious public safety services.
Norm -- Mr. Stamper -- hits the right nails on their heads. What Joseph Wambaugh does for policing in some of his fiction, Norm does here in a popular, non-fiction way.
Like Norm (I can't imagine anybody calling him anything else) I retired after three decades of professional policing. I began in 1970.
The three decades from 1970 to 2000 were tumultuously (yes, tumultuously) productive in the genuine professionalization of American policing. The profession is still blue collar shift work in many ways in most places, according to my own reading and experience, but it shouldn't be and seems to be heading in the right direction in many places. Myself, I am a proponent of the problem oriented approach. There are other approaches, and that is what makes for genuine professionalization -- vigorous (and tumultuous sometimes) effort.
Norm's personality is on display in his book, as well as his expertise. This is a warm book with plenty of humor, as well as a serious book with the kind of advocacy backed up by research and experience that we need from those of us who are serious about the improvement of American policing.
One big negative but constructive criticism: no index.
One lesser criticism: the chapter on "Undercover." Norm tells a compelling and true story in that chapter, however, having some experience in "UC" work myself, I would have written from the point of view of management analysis of cost-benefit. Most undercover work is very expensive and produces not very much genuine product. I distinguish here between process and product. UC might produce lots of arrests, but it seldom solves any problems. Process vs. permanent results. It should be used sparingly and with well-thought-out direction.
There is nothing new in Norm's book in terms of breaking new ground, but it is unique anyway, in that it is an easy read for those who should read it -- public administrators and elected officials -- who don't normally (no pun intended) have the time to do a lot of research and don't know much about what goes on within their very expensive and mysterious public safety services.
Norm -- Mr. Stamper -- hits the right nails on their heads. What Joseph Wambaugh does for policing in some of his fiction, Norm does here in a popular, non-fiction way.
21 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Police officers do a job that I'm not willing to do. Yet when my car broke down on the highway or we heard noises that convinced us a burglar was breaking into our home, I had no hesitation in calling 9-11 for help. I can't imagine life in these United States without the service of police officers.
Most of my experiences with cops so far have been positive, but not all. I have friends and family who work in law enforcement and I've heard some pretty unbelievable stories from behind the "thin blue line." Breaking Rank validates those stories (and more) and gives the reader an appreciation for all aspects of law enforcement: the nobility of police work, the dangerous work that cops do every day to keep our streets safe, and the problems inherent in every profession-and the big, big difference when problems occur in a profession where the employees have guns and badges and can choose to use them as deadly force against any person. I can't imagine life in these United States without constitutional restrictions on that choice especially now with even more power for local law enforcement granted under the Patriot Act.
In Breaking Rank, Stamper blows the smoke out of our eyes so we can see both the humanity and humanness behind the mystique of a respected and reviled profession. I found myself pensive and then concerned over issues that once seemed far removed from my corner of the world-violence in the home, capital punishment, the war on drugs to name a few. And, rather than getting one narrow opinion on these issues, I appreciated the research that was cited to back up Stamper's thinking.
What this former chief can expect is a steady stream of vitriol aimed his way as a result of authoring this book, although it sounds like he's no stranger to it. One has only to look at the current discord in the AFL-CIO and the personal attacks on union leaders to see what happens when someone in the ranks steps out of line with the rest. Peer pressure is hard to resist in any organization, but Stamper makes it clear that it's especially so for those who work in an environment where to openly talk about problems, admit fault or say you're sorry could cost you or your bosses millions of dollars.
Unfortunately, it's hard to correct problems or even make something better if no one is willing to talk about the flaws. One can hope that some open-minded people in law enforcement and beyond will be willing to consider some of the issues that the author raises in this book.
After reading Breaking Rank, I'm also reminded that we get what we pay for. I'm not sure I buy the argument that most people who use drugs have a "disease," but what I do buy is that I've been unwilling (or uneducated) to use my vote or my voice to question whether my tax dollars are best used to support an established industry that spends $50 billion on drug enforcement when public education and other prevention services are sadly lacking for resources.
I will say that dinner conversations are a lot livelier after reading Breaking Rank. Yours may be, too, if you delve into a book that should be required reading in the classroom and by all of us who conveniently forget that we're responsible as citizens for the quality of public service that we get.
Most of my experiences with cops so far have been positive, but not all. I have friends and family who work in law enforcement and I've heard some pretty unbelievable stories from behind the "thin blue line." Breaking Rank validates those stories (and more) and gives the reader an appreciation for all aspects of law enforcement: the nobility of police work, the dangerous work that cops do every day to keep our streets safe, and the problems inherent in every profession-and the big, big difference when problems occur in a profession where the employees have guns and badges and can choose to use them as deadly force against any person. I can't imagine life in these United States without constitutional restrictions on that choice especially now with even more power for local law enforcement granted under the Patriot Act.
In Breaking Rank, Stamper blows the smoke out of our eyes so we can see both the humanity and humanness behind the mystique of a respected and reviled profession. I found myself pensive and then concerned over issues that once seemed far removed from my corner of the world-violence in the home, capital punishment, the war on drugs to name a few. And, rather than getting one narrow opinion on these issues, I appreciated the research that was cited to back up Stamper's thinking.
What this former chief can expect is a steady stream of vitriol aimed his way as a result of authoring this book, although it sounds like he's no stranger to it. One has only to look at the current discord in the AFL-CIO and the personal attacks on union leaders to see what happens when someone in the ranks steps out of line with the rest. Peer pressure is hard to resist in any organization, but Stamper makes it clear that it's especially so for those who work in an environment where to openly talk about problems, admit fault or say you're sorry could cost you or your bosses millions of dollars.
Unfortunately, it's hard to correct problems or even make something better if no one is willing to talk about the flaws. One can hope that some open-minded people in law enforcement and beyond will be willing to consider some of the issues that the author raises in this book.
After reading Breaking Rank, I'm also reminded that we get what we pay for. I'm not sure I buy the argument that most people who use drugs have a "disease," but what I do buy is that I've been unwilling (or uneducated) to use my vote or my voice to question whether my tax dollars are best used to support an established industry that spends $50 billion on drug enforcement when public education and other prevention services are sadly lacking for resources.
I will say that dinner conversations are a lot livelier after reading Breaking Rank. Yours may be, too, if you delve into a book that should be required reading in the classroom and by all of us who conveniently forget that we're responsible as citizens for the quality of public service that we get.
22 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Stamper's book should be required reading for all young law enforcement officers who, in particular, aspire to positions of future leadership of America's police forces. It offers guidelines for progressive changes, including greater emphasis on community policing, the rampant crime of domestic violence, and less militaristic models of police department organization. Stamper also makes persuasive arguments for such controversial policies as the elimination of capital punishment and the decriminalization of drugs. The author was a working cop and police administrator in San Diego and Seattle, where he was chief of police. This reviewer had the opportunity, as a newspaper editorial page editor, to observe Stamper's outstanding performance in the latter role. His account of his personal experiences is arresting - no pun intended - and often very entertaining.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
OK; not great
I used this book in a policing ethics class. The students loved it and I felt it was a good, accessible way for some of the more complicated aspects of ethical reasoning to "soak... Read more
Published 8 months ago by sabbatical woman
Profanity
Previous reviewers have well summarized the book and it's author. One facit of the book not addressed is its content of vulgarity and profanity. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Hjalmar
Great Read
The book is a great read to get the perspective of an officer of the law that saw it all from a different perspective. Read more
Published on May 12, 2010 by Bob A. Bivaletz-Thomson
A guide to police reform
This book is good on two levels. On one level, it includes excellent story-telling and is just plain interesting to read as a memoir. Read more
Published on November 20, 2007 by John Green
fuzzy-bunny liberalism breaks rank with reality
Although I agree with several of Mr. Stamper's recommendations (legalizing prostitution, decriminalizing drugs), many of his assertions are straight out of the "I-Hate-America"... Read more
Published on February 15, 2007 by K. Shoop
Unique insight.
The book was extremely honest and forthright. More police officers should have the courage to write their own tell all stories to break down the "Blue Wall. Read more
Published on August 2, 2006 by B. L. Royster
An Entertaining Read with some great insight
Norm Stamper, much like the late Seattle School Superintendant John Stanford was considered a cutting edge leader in the public sector during the '90s. Read more
Published on June 25, 2006 by Michael Barer
Excellent Candid Insight into Modern Policing
Stamper doesn't hold back - he outlines his experiences, sucesses, and failures. The book is organized around issues that are important to Stamper, such as community policing, gun... Read more
Published on April 1, 2006 by J. Martin
Truely awful, almost a satire of itself
This book is promoted as being about policing from a 'top cop'. Actually, the book is about Norm Stamper from his own perspective. Read more
Published on February 11, 2006 by D. Brown
Greensboro Needs a Norm Stamper
Greensboro NC is facing significant issues with our police force. The Chief has been suspended and the entire department is in disarray. Read more
Published on February 1, 2006 by Lisa E
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