Becoming a Police Officer: An Insider's Guide to a Career in Law Enforcement (Paperback)

~ Barry Baker (Author) "There is no other profession, occupation, or endeavor you could undertake where you'll experience the realities of life at their best and worst..." (more)
Key Phrases: Taser Gun, Bull Shit Theory

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Becoming a Police Officer: An Insider’s Guide to a Career in Law Enforcement is a serious examination of police work that is directed toward young people who are contemplating a career as a police officer. Author Barry Baker draws on over thirty-two years of experience from some of the most violent streets of any city in the United States to show you the unembellished truths of law enforcement.

Baker describes the self-satisfaction that can be found in police work while identifying its pitfalls and how to avoid them. Before ending his career as a detective lieutenant, Baker spent his first twenty years on the force as a patrol officer, making him uniquely qualified to speak from a breadth and depth of experience.

Becoming a Police Officer: An Insider’s Guide to a Career in Law Enforcement covers topics a newly trained police officer must appreciate—and master—to ensure success and safety, including the following:

• Self-evaluation for a police career
• Recognizing and ignoring bad advice
• Rapid advancement toward self-sufficiency
• The immeasurable importance of integrity
• Matters of life and death

Becoming a Police Officer: An Insider’s Guide to a Career in Law Enforcement is a valuable insight for those seeking a career in the honorable and important profession of law enforcement.

About the Author

Detective Lieutenant Barry Baker retired from the Baltimore Police Department in 2004. During his thirty-two year career, Baker served as a patrol officer, sergeant, and lieutenant, as well as a special operations lieutenant and detective lieutenant.

Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse, Inc. (February 27, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595380786
• ISBN-13: 978-0595380787
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #33,735 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #29 in	Books > Professional & Technical > Law > Criminal Law > Law Enforcement
  #32 in	Books > Nonfiction > Crime & Criminals > Law Enforcement
  #59 in	Books > Nonfiction > Law > Criminal Law

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Full of good advice, December 19, 2006

By	Officer Ben (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

I found the book to be packed with invaluable advice. I've only been a cop for about 6 months now, but I wish I had read the book before I became a cop.

The book offers great advice on choosing a department. It also has inspired me to write more reports and write them better.

One of the main points I took from the book was to never sacrafice your integrity.

I didn't like how the auther put a little introductory phrase before almost every single paragraph in the book. If he didn't do that, the book would probably only be 60 pages long.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a must read for thoughtful young people entering police work, June 27, 2006

By	David Ziskin (St. John, WA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Barry Baker was a street cop for 20 years in a very tough town before taking promotion. He accurately reflects the central role of patrol - street work - and does not sugar-coat or avoid difficult issues. The conciseness of the book is a strength. His advice to young people is genuine and not idealistic or poorly informed. A nice job.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, February 13, 2009

By	Stephen A. Limon (Ft. Bragg, NC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Very good book, I am currently Deployed in Iraq and this books has helped me alot and I have a better understanding of what i need to do. The seller has very fast shipping and I received the book in excellent condition.