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Paul Bacon
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Bad Cop: New York's Least Likely Police Officer Tells All Paperback – March 31, 2009

by Paul Bacon (Author)
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 48 ratings
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A funny and revealing memoir of one man's journey into and out of the New York City police department.

In 2001, Paul Bacon was a typical young New Y orker: hip, liberal, overeducated, a little aimless. But then 9/11 happened. Hearing a call to duty―and lacking any better employment options―he joined the NYPD, with the earnest hope of making his hometown a safer place. Silly him.

In Bad Cop, Paul recounts his ill-conceived experiment in public service, focusing on his own professional handicaps: his glass jaw, his overly trusting nature, and his fear of confrontation. The book begins with his police academy training, when he falls in love with the beautiful cadet Clarabel (and develops an unhealthy attraction to his sidearm). T he story follows him through an awkward apprenticeship and out onto the streets, where the touchy-feely Paul is transformed into the rough-and-tumble Officer Bacon. Through amazing accounts of his escapades on the Harlem beat, his memoir emerges as both a celebration and a send-up of the legendary force that protects New Y ork―most of the time.

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  1. Print length
    260 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Bloomsbury USA
  4. Publication date
    March 31, 2009
  5. Dimensions
    5.48 x 0.73 x 8.32 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    159691159X
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1596911598
  8. See all details
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The Amazon Book Review
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

For almost four years after the 2001 World Trade Center tragedy, freelance writer Bacon chronicles his quest in this humorous book to do his best as a New York City cop, yet the arduous task of law enforcement was much more than he imagined. Self-described as a hip, overeducated liberal, the author had worked at home for five years for an online company before joining the NYPD force, but the collective experience of the police academy and being a Harlem beat cop eventually wears him down emotionally. Everything gnaws at his resolve, including the grueling cycle of drug collars, the rousting of crooks and a crush on a disinterested Latina police officer. When Bacon later unravels during a security detail in a manic Jerry Lewis–style comic scene, he writes: I was no good as a bad cop and not bad enough to be a good cop. I'm lucky I made it out alive. Bacon, now a scuba instructor on Maui, provides readers with a madcap yarn of handcuffs, broken hearts and the thin blue line. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

This memoir by a man who should never have strapped on a police holster has a wonderful narrative arc, spanning Bacon’s pre-NYPD series of menial jobs, a police career that lasted from 2001 to the 2004 Republican National Convention and that left him confused and exhausted, and a neat resolution as a life-saving scuba instructor in Maui. The events of September 11 (Bacon witnessed the collapse of the South Tower) propelled him from a desk job to policing in the worst part of Harlem. Feelings of civic pride and duty led Bacon to the streets, but what resulted was a series of humiliations and misadventures that he renders in excruciatingly comic detail. Part of the comedy and truth of this memoir is the way it counters expectations: the hero never does catch on with or win over either cops or perps, or he never becomes good at his job. A vivid and insightful saga of the wrong man in the wrong job at the wrong time. --Connie Fletcher

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bloomsbury USA; Original edition (March 31, 2009)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 260 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 159691159X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1596911598
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8.3 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.48 x 0.73 x 8.32 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 48 ratings

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Paul Bacon

Paul Bacon

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
48 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Mustang Ken
5.0 out of 5 stars "The Job" isn't for everyone! This book is proof of that....
Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2011
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This book is an account of one, Paul Bacon who quite literally witnessed the World Trade Center fall before his eyes is called to arms... he wanted to do something for the City of New York. It just so happens he fit the criteria for the NYPD.... even so, some people just aren't meant to be cops.... no matter how noble their intentions may be.

This book is a cautionary tale, albiet an enjoying and often howlingly funny one. It's not a slam on the NYPD nor about a crooked cop on the take. Paul Bacon wasn't a "bad cop", he did have some arrests that did take some criminals and drugs off the streets and he did recieve some awards.... it's just the fact that his nature and his job clashed many times and he eventually got burned out after 3 years on the job. He got in way over his head. Even so, it's a funny and enjoyable take on one person's career choice.

I normally read books on police officers, particulary NYPD officers as I'm taking the first steps to becoming one of New York's finest. I've read James Wagner's excellent but brutal portrail of life in the dangerous 9th precinct in the East Village circa the '70s. Also I'm currently reading the excellent Bravehearts, this book about officers that are the polar opposite of Paul Bacon.... the people who I hope to follow in their shoes eventually. I read 'Bad Cop' so I could see "The Job" from a differing viewpoint, one that wasn't entirelly positive, but again wasn't a slam from a bitter ex-employee. The author wasn't meant to be a police officer and he lets you know it. Even so, while I enjoyed this book and even if you have no interest in becoming an officer of the law, it's still a good read. If you're like me and do want to become a cop, then you really should read this book, becoming a police officer, especially for the NYPD is not a decesion you make on a lark, it takes dedication and sacrifice to do it.... so definately pick this one up to make sure this is what you want!
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Sam Wainwright
4.0 out of 5 stars This should be a movie
Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2015
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Loved it, wished it was longer, more eventful. Unfortunately, Bacon wasn't on the force all that long and being as it's a true story, there are certain payoffs you just don't get (trying to avoid a spoiler here). As a reader who has several friends on the force, I think this was very enjoyable. Would someone who wasn't a New Yorker enjoy it as much . . . mmmm . . . can't say. Descriptions of Pat Lynch & Bloomberg at the graduation: spot on. The various characters, stops and NYC events: very well described. The sense of pressure and mania in the buzz of Manhattan law enforcement: also good. Sadly, Bacon was ill during a significant part of his time on the force and departed within 3 years, so the book does not abound with adventures, but perhaps this speaks to it's authenticity. It was a short and interesting detour in his life—not a life-long quest or groundbreaking effort. Would make a GREAT movie.
2 people found this helpful
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Sheri Nugent
5.0 out of 5 stars Bad Cop - Great Writer
Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2009
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I read Bad Cop over the weekend... and I kid you not - I laughed out loud through the first half and couldn't put it down until I finished. I loved his writing style... very conversational - like he was sitting next to me with a glass of wine telling the most hilarious stories. He is so funny! As a fan of cop shows, this book was another point of view I hadn't read before. What an enjoyable way to spend a weekend. Suggestion for Paul Bacon: now go write a book about your diving job.
12 people found this helpful
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Michael G.
3.0 out of 5 stars Good style, so-so content.
Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2014
Synopsis: Bad Cop by Paul Bacon is a humorous look at the day to day workings of the NYPD as told by an insider who really is an outsider.
Paul Bacon's short career as a New York police officer started soon after 9/11. Caught up in the fervor of the moment Bacon thought it would be a good idea to become a cop even though he was temperamentally unsuited for such work and knew it.
First the positive aspects of this book: Bacon is a good writer stylistically; he has an engaging conversational style that makes for a smooth reading experience. The first part of Bad Cop is reasonably funny as Bacon, the fish out of water rookie, encounters the uniquely daunting world of police work.
But as the narrative wears on his experiences become less funny and more tiresome and frustrating. Which is to say the author's rather speedy transition from wide-eyed Pollyanna to barely competent cynic is a bit painful to watch unfold. Three stars.
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Milton Cheswick III
5.0 out of 5 stars AWESOME STORY, Very Entertaining!!!
Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2018
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Fabulous insight to the life of a rookie cop in a major city. Bacon’s writing is entertaining and his experiences insightful. Although he served in the NYPD, his story could be in any big city in the US. Loved the pacing and the evolution of his short career, as he told it. Recommend strongly!
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars A good read.
Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2016
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How could two Officers on opposite sides of the country, in drastically disparate departments, have such similar experiences? Thanks Mr. Bacon, glad to know I'm not the only one.
2 people found this helpful
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Jick Nacobs
4.0 out of 5 stars Very entertaining, yet realistic
Reviewed in the United States on October 1, 2010
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This novel was very entertaining and brought back memories of my first 2 years in the NYPD. From summons-crazed sergeants to collar-happy rookies, Paul Bacon truly shows a vivid image of what its like to be a cop in the city. Granted, he should have never been on the job, so many others share the same fate; yet they continue to exist in the rank & file of the largest police department in the world. Nonetheless, it's a short read that many will find comical.
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John Lopez
5.0 out of 5 stars Reality
Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2013
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Reality is often stranger than fiction; but this is a true to life drama. Good luck to the workers and hair-bags across the river in the 4-0 precinct of the bronx.
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Top reviews from other countries

Stephen Rasku
4.0 out of 5 stars Inside View Of The NYPD
Reviewed in Canada on March 8, 2014
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I heard Paul Bacon on The Moth podcast. The story he tells is in the book but not in much detail. However, the book covers his entire career not just the "unauthorized nap" incident. It's a great insight on how the NYPD works from someone who typically wouldn't choose to be a cop.
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