Characters and Cops [Paperback]

Edwin J. Delattre (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 5, 2006 | ISBN-10: 0844742171 | ISBN-13: 978-0844742175 | Edition: 5th

The fifth edition of this enduring work features new material on how today's police officers can meet the ethical challenges of policing while living up to heightened demands for better security. Professor Delattre addresses the need for careful selection of law enforcement recruits by using four examples of intellectual competence and moral probity in policing and law enforcement: the investigation of mass murder at Columbine High School, which was conducted under FBI leadership; the effective transformation of the police force in the Rampart Area of Los Angeles following the catastrophic police misconduct of the 1990s and the reforms of the Los Angeles police department as a whole; the successful anti-gang work conducted by the Fairfax County police in Virginia; and the design and progress, since the September 11 terrorist attacks, of the New York State Office of Homeland Security.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Edwin J. Delattre is a resident scholar in the Center for School Improvement at Boston University, where he is a professor of philosophy in the College of Arts and Sciences, and a professor of education and former dean of the School of Education. He is an adjunct scholar at AEI and president emeritus of St. John's College - Annapolis and Santa Fe.

Product Details

• Paperback: 565 pages
• Publisher: AEI Press; 5th edition (April 5, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0844742171
• ISBN-13: 978-0844742175
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #607,200 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book, December 31, 2006

By 

Nate McCooey (Lockport, NY United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Characters and Cops (Paperback)

In this fifth edition of his acclaimed text on law enforcement ethics, Edwin Delattre takes on some of the toughest moral problems facing police officers these days. And he does so with a great amount of clarity and tact.

Although some chapters probably do go on a bit longer than they should, this can be forgiven due to the amount of interesting content contained therein. Delattre has been teaching police ethics courses and working with law enforcement officers for over twenty years, so he definitely knows what he's talking about. He addresses difficult moral and ethical questions in a very succinct manner, without leaving the reader feel as if they are "left hanging," so to speak. His arguments are clear and highly readable, and above all else, they make sense!

I'd have to say that my favorite chapters are Chapter 9: Illegal Narcotics--Moral Issues and Public Policy (in which the author examines both sides of the dead horse drug legalization argument and reaches a very sensible conclusion), Chapter 15: Fatalism, Microcosms, and Therapeutic Reductions, and Chapter 17: Police, The O.J. Simpson Trial, and Race (which examines the Simpson trial in considerable detail, as well as the implications of the verdict). That said, every chapter in the book offers some wonderful insights.

This is highly recommended reading for anyone even remotely interested in law enforcement and, in particular, for those who have taken an interest in how some tough ethical issues that face police officers can be resolved.

5.0 out of 5 stars A Timeless Book, June 4, 2011

By 

D. Glick (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Characters and Cops (Paperback)

I stuided under the author of Character and Cops while in graduate school and now work as a police clinician. It is an excellent and timeless text which provides law enforcement and related professionals with a philosophical underpining of their work. This is not an easy read and not for someone looking for a "quick and dirty" overview of ethics in policework. It is however for someone looking for an intelectual jaunt into this very critical subject.

1 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great price, May 2, 2008

By 

Anjanette Dewolf "anj" (Detroit, MI) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Characters and Cops (Paperback)

Best price around, shipping was pretty fast too. Book is for my employment so I guess the content is what it's supposed to be. I usually find a good price here at amazon, but if you just want to rent(like for an employer's exam/school) [...]