True Blue: To Protect and Serve (To Protect & Serve) [Hardcover]

Sgt. Randy Sutton (Author)

Book Description

Series: To Protect & Serve | Publication Date: April 29, 2008

Lieutenant Randy Sutton’s fascinating collection of stories and memories, solicited from law enforcement officers across the country, offers a broad and insightful look at the many facets of police life: courage, exhilaration, frustration, loss, and even humor, from the everyday to the career-defining moments on the job. Told by the cops that lived them, these stories show what it truly means to protect and serve.

Readers will come to recognize the faces behind the badge, as they witness officers charge into the unknown on The Beat, honor and mourn friends in The Fallen, hear the War Stories spread in police locker rooms and bars, discover the unbreakable line between civilian and cop in the Line of Duty, and feel the blood-boiling adrenaline during those life-altering moments when a cop must use Deadly Force. TRUE BLUE: To Protect and Serve is a funny, exciting, haunting compilation of true stories written by active and retired police officers, most of whom have never written before, alongside published officers from all over the United States. 

A portion of the royalties for this book will be donated to The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

"We live in the worst twenty minutes of someone else's life," writes a cop, exemplifying the honesty and directness that characterize this book. Sutton, a detective in the Las Vegas Police Department, invited cops across the U.S. to write about themselves in such a way as to answer this question: "How can we show who we really are to citizens and cops alike?" The collection that resulted houses 51 responses, roughly divided into five categories: "Line of Duty," "The Beat," "War Stories," "Officer Down," and "Ground Zero: Stories of 9/11." No story is longer than 10 pages. Many are heartrending, especially the accounts of 9/11. Some are hilarious, like the way a cop convinced a nutcase that he had gotten rid of the space aliens infesting his house. All demonstrate that cops, who have reason to reflect on their experiences, are wonderful philosophers and storytellers. Connie Fletcher
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"* "Well worth reading." Police History Society (UK) on a COP'S LIFE"

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; First Edition edition (April 29, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312383541
• ISBN-13: 978-0312383541
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #776,093 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AWESOME!!!!, February 8, 2004

By 

Tom K. (Madison, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: True Blue: Police Stories by Those Who Have Lived Them (Hardcover)

As a law enforcement student I read as many of these types of books as possible. "TRUE BLUE" is by far the best... I couldn't put it down! The stories in the book are mesmerizing and because they are true and written by "real" cops makes this book a great read for anybody who wants to know the reality of police work and the dedication put forth in this profession. And as a double bonus..I found out that the proceeds from the sale of the book go to New York City 9-11 survivors fund. BUY THIS BOOK!!!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars amazing, February 9, 2004

By 

Mary C Martin (Sitka, AK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: True Blue: Police Stories by Those Who Have Lived Them (Hardcover)

Thank you to all who took the time to share with us the true, happy, sad, fearful and amazing lives of a police officer. I would have never realized the powerful jobs that each of you carry trying to protect us, everyday. Special thanks to Ray Majeski, Sitka, AK, for signing my book for my daughter Hillary--the first one that he signed. Seems he still touching the lives of others, even when he is no longer a police officer. Mary

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Often Sensitive Side of Police Officers, June 1, 2005

By 

Michael L. Slavin "HardBopper" (New Jersey) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: True Blue: Police Stories by Those Who Have Lived Them (Paperback)

The author has put together an excellent collection of true police short stories from around the country. By my count there are 55 different contributors included. Most of the stories are just several pages in length so that makes for quick reading. As might be expected the quality of the writers is somewhat uneven. Frequently there are quite dramatic events being recounted that certainly maintain the readers attention. All in all--quite an interesting read.