One Time : The Story of a South Central Los Angeles Police Officer (Paperback)

by Brian S. Bentley (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Crash" Oscar award winning Director Paul Haggis: "One Time" was one of the most inspirational books I've ever read. -- Variety Weekend Magazine Jan 12, 2006

Product Description
A hardcore look into the mind of a patrol officer working in South Central Los Angeles. The author uses personal testimony to illustrate how "Da Hood" changed him from a "community base" police officer into an aggressive predator of gang members.

The LAPD recruitment posters forgot to mention that he would be shot at, called an "Uncle Tom," and treated like an outsiders by his partners because he grew up and lived in the neighborhood he patrolled. The employment pamphlets failed to describe the helplessness he would feel while handling rape investigations or the sadness he would have to block out at homicide scenes.

Nothing prepared him for what he would experience. His Bachelors degree did not prepare him for a career with the LAPD. Growing up with gang members did not prepare him for the streets as a cop. The only adequate preparation he had was his religious beliefs. He was prepared to die.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 234 pages
• Publisher: Cool Jack Publishing; 1 edition (December 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1890632007
• ISBN-13: 978-1890632007
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #292,859 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars One Time, January 6, 2009

By	Jeff Fain - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book was very dissapointing. It is full of spelling errors and is generally a badly planned and written book. One interesting error is when the author talks about his gun sites (sights.) Being a police officer myself I find this to be an amusing error. I think I would not suggest spending money on it unless you need some bathroom reading.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The book is very revealing and informative., November 19, 1998

By A Customer

I read the book One Time with great appreciation and admiration for the young officer who worked in the inner city and for minority officers. The book depicts the inner most feelings of what it is like being an officer in Los Angeles. Law enforcement is sometimes frustrating, demamding, stressful and rewarding, which Mr. Bentley sucessfully displayed. The book also gave us a sample of how they are precieved and treated by the commnity and each other. It is unfortunate that this young, eager, and educated man was not allowed to be the kind of officer that he initally wanted to be, and to make a differnce in his commnity. Because of the prejudices, bureaucracy, politics and unethnical behaviors within the department,there will be many officers like Mr. Bentley who will be burned out by the system.

I recommend this book to all potental police officers and their families. A must read book!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Keeps You Very Interested!, October 20, 1998

By A Customer

Interesting book with real life drama and tells sories most cops are brainwashed not to tell! The author deserves respect from the black community and beyond for his style and heart to challenge the LAPD and the gangs from the mean streets of West and South Central Los Angeles.