Triumph of Spirit: An Autobiography by Chief Penny Harrington (Paperback)

~ (Author) "The cruel voice on my answering machine growled, "Bitch, you die..." (more)
Key Phrases: policewoman sergeant, carotid hold, woman police chief, North Precinct, Women's Protective Division, Portland Police Bureau (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An explosive look at American policing through one womans courageous battles to change the system from within...This gutsy, often hilarious book really packs a punch." -- Connie Fletcher, PhD, Associate Professor of Communications, Loyola University, Chicago. Author of What Cops Know and Breaking and Entering

"Beneficial ... for courses such as women in the criminal justice system and introduction to Women's Studies." -- National Women's Studies Association Journal, Spring 2001

"Penny Harrington is one of only a handful of people who can claim to have changed American policing forever...Penny's fight against prejudice and discrimination is must reading.... -- Dorothy Moses Schulz, Police Historian and Associate Professor, John Jay College, New York. Author of From Social Worker to Crimefighter: Women in United States Municipal Policing

"Penny Harrington not only smashed the glass ceiling but ...after a successful career...took on the daunting task of...improving police response to domestic violence and reducing police brutality. Penny illustrates how one woman's spirit can triumph over the toughest of 'ole' boys clubs." -- Eleanor Smeal, President, Feminist Majority Foundation

"Penny Harrington's accomplishments reflect her spirit of determination. She is a shining example...for all persons who strive for success." -- Mayor Lee P. Brown, Houston, Texas

Product Description

Penny Harrington is the first woman in America to break through the bullet-proof glass ceiling, and achieve the rank of Chief of a major metropolitan police force. She is regarded by some as a maverick who challenged the system, and by others as a celebrity. She faced discrimination and harassment, personal tragedies and triumphs as she battled a system that is still male-dominated. In this revealing story, Harrington describes with great candor her 23 years in law enforcement, up to and including her promotion to Chief of the Portland Police Bureau in Oregon, and why she left her hard-won position following a scandal and rumors that rocked Portland and were covered in newspapers around the country.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Brittany Publications Ltd.; 1st edition (October 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0941394050
• ISBN-13: 978-0941394055
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,064,906 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring and informational reading, May 4, 2004

By	Kimberly A. Lonsway (San Luis Obispo, CA United States) - See all my reviews

Penny Harrington is truly a modern hero, who demonstrated through her courage and compassion how to change contemporary policing for the better -- first in Portland and then on the national and even international level. In this book, she describes her rise from the ranks of "police woman" to Chief, serving as the first female police chief in a major U.S. city. Her path was not traditional, because it could not have been for a woman in that era. Rather, her trajectory had twists and turns that make for interesting reading and serve as a lesson for all of us in the history of American policing. By achieving the highest rank of Chief in that organization, Penny Harrington showed other women in the agency and the rest of the country that women can make an important difference in their community by working as law enforcement officers. Since that time, Chief Harrington has continued to blaze trail after trail for countless women following behind her, by working to improve the police profession for those within it and in the communities they serve. More importantly, however, Chief Harrington has worked tirelessly for decades on the national and even international level to reform contemporary policing from within, tackling head-on the seemingly intractable issues of corruption, brutality, and the "good ole boy" network that makes change so difficult. This book is a terrific read, and the author is a one-of-a-kind historical and inspirational figure.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars True cop, April 30, 2004

By A Customer

There can be no higher praise for this book than trash reviews by bigoted cops. Chief Harrington's brutally honest evisceration of policing and her own life tells the inside story behind the Blue Wall, a story many cops do not want printed or read. Although sometimes overly personal, her journey is a showcase of the difficulties inherent in being a trailblazer, and the problems women still face in policing. As an employment law attorney, I use this book as a case study of women in policing.

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Penny Harrington belongs in the Women's Hall of Fame!, November 28, 1999

By	Stephen Asher (New York) - See all my reviews

When I read Penny's profile in "TOP COPS" by Marion Gold, I wanted to know more about this courageous lady. Her autobiography is filled with all the excitement, tragedy, and even suspense that great fiction is made from - but her story is TRUE. I take my hat off to Penny and salute her for standing up to injustice and for setting an example for all women in law enforcement - in fact, for all women who face discrimination and harassment in the workplace. Thank you Penny, for having the guts to tell the world what happened to you, and how you succeeded against the odds.