The Firestone Syndrome (Hardcover)

~ Stephen Beeler (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"His characters are real and recognizable; they exist in every police and Sheriff’s Department in the country. -- Gerald R. Ladhoff, Cptn (Ret.), L.A. Police Dept; Prof. Emeritus, No. AZ U

"The story reflects the truth about what can happen when the "police" think they are at war with their community. -- Robert P. White, Deputy Chief of Police, Flagstaff, AZ

Beeler has "walked the walk" and "talked the talk." the authenticity of his confrontational situations is uncontrived and honest." -- Gerald R. Ladhoff, Cptn (Ret.), L.A. Police Dept; Prof. Emeritus, No. AZ U

Product Description

The experience and trials I faced as a young cop in Los Angeles during the 60's and 70's at the notorious Los Angeles County Firestone Sheriff's Station led me to write this book. It is a novel based on an historical era and times, and it is the reader's prerogative to determine if this could happen anywhere at anytime.

This story is a hard, realistic, intense and sometimes sadly humorous look at street cops and the inside politics of the largest sheriff's department in the world. It follows an idealistic young deputy as he struggles with those politics and simultaneously battles what he perceives to be his own inability to use the lethal force that would gain him entrance into the "in" group.

My objective was to depict how power, control and money play an important part in major law enforcement departments, regardless of the idealistic virtues taught in academy courses. I wanted also to show how all-powerful "information" is used and misused to gain rank, wield power and sometimes destroy lives.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 361 pages
• Publisher: Advocate House (November 15, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0970657641
• ISBN-13: 978-0970657640
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #283,711 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent story, I highly recommend this book!, January 27, 2003

By A Customer

This is an excellent story. It was really difficult to set the book down at those moments I needed to get back to the demands of real life! I have personal interest in the lives described here as my own father was a cop and I always knew he kept things from us, his family. I always wondered if it was for our protection and this book confirms my suspicions. I doubt his experiences were this intense, I sure hope not!

Bless the souls of all cops that face this kind of life. I can only imagine the personal costs, the internal tests to walk the higher road even when your life is in the hands of a partner or team who could kill you just as easily as they can save you! How do you maintain the good in the midst of such a black hole trying to suck you in?!

This story is truly compelling. I recommend you set aside time to read it right through when you buy it.