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Norm Stamper

Breaking Rank Paperback – Illustrated, May 24, 2006

by Norm Stamper (Author)

4.6 465 ratings

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Opening with a powerful letter to former Tacoma police chief David Brame, who shot his estranged wife before turning the gun on himself, Norm Stamper introduces us to the violent, secret world of domestic abuse that cops must not only navigate, but which some also perpetrate. Former chief of the Seattle police force, Stamper goes on to expose a troubling culture of racism, sexism, and homophobia that is still pervasive within the twenty-first-century force; then he explores how such prejudices can be addressed. He reveals the dangers and temptations that cops face, describing in gripping detail the split-second life-and-death decisions. Stamper draws on lessons learned to make powerful arguments for drug decriminalization, abolition of the death penalty, and radically revised approaches to prostitution and gun control. He offers penetrating insights into the "blue wall of silence," police undercover work, and what it means to kill a man. And, Stamper gives his personal account of the World Trade organization debacle of 1999, when protests he was in charge of controlling turned violent in the streets of Seattle. Breaking Rank reveals Norm Stamper as a brave man, a pioneering public servant whose extraordinary life has been dedicated to the service of his community.

Print length

417 pages
Language

English
Publication date

May 24, 2006
Grade level

11 and up
Reading age

13 years and up
Dimensions

5.5 x 1.05 x 8.5 inches
ISBN-10

1560258551
ISBN-13

978-1560258551
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Breaking Rank reveals an advocate for the kind of progressive social justice that Bobby Kennedy would have loved--a cop with guts enough to admit his own mistakes, learn from them, and remain a voice for changing the institution that both made and broke him."

About the Author

Norm Stamper was a cop for thirty-four years, the first twenty-eight in San Diego, the last six (1994-2000) as Seattle's police chief. He is credited as the architect of the nation's first community policing program and has a PhD in leadership and human behavior. He is the author of Breaking Rank: A Top Cop's Expose of the Dark Side of American Policing (Nation Books, 2005).

He served as a founding member of President Clinton's National Advisory Council on the Violence Against Women Act, and as an advisory board member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, along with numerous other boards dedicated to violence prevention, drug policy reform, and social justice. He has been called as an expert witness in approximately twenty police misconduct cases. He has written essays and opinion pieces for such publications as the New York Times, the Nation, Time Magazine, the Guardian (UK and US), Playboy, the Los Angeles Times, San Diego Union Tribune, Penthouse, American Police Beat Magazine, and YES! Magazine.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Nation Books (May 24, 2006)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 417 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1560258551
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1560258551
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 13 years and up
Grade level ‏ : ‎ 11 and up
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.03 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1.05 x 8.5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #340,028 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #322 in Law Enforcement Politics
- #935 in Criminology (Books)
- #9,797 in Memoirs (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.6 465 ratings

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4.6 out of 5

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Rebecca M

Interesting Book

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 29, 2023

Verified Purchase

Wasn’t what I expected. Must read for yourself.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 26, 2021

Verified Purchase

Very informative. Moving. I really enjoyed this book and recommend reading it. I am so proud to have this book in my collection.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Sharon A Mutuma

Truthful history of todays police lynching of BLACK PEOPLE in America.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 18, 2021

Verified Purchase

Nothing to dislike. Finally White America can realize Black Americans suffering.

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

John S.

easy to read

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 23, 2005

Verified Purchase

I met Mr. Stamper once briefly about 11 years ago in San Diego at a conference and decided to learn more about an interesting, knowledgeable, and experienced police professional. I'm glad he wrote this book and I recommend it.

Like Norm (I can't imagine anybody calling him anything else) I retired after three decades of professional policing. I began in 1970.

The three decades from 1970 to 2000 were tumultuously (yes, tumultuously) productive in the genuine professionalization of American policing. The profession is still blue collar shift work in many ways in most places, according to my own reading and experience, but it shouldn't be and seems to be heading in the right direction in many places. Myself, I am a proponent of the problem oriented approach. There are other approaches, and that is what makes for genuine professionalization -- vigorous (and tumultuous sometimes) effort.

Norm's personality is on display in his book, as well as his expertise. This is a warm book with plenty of humor, as well as a serious book with the kind of advocacy backed up by research and experience that we need from those of us who are serious about the improvement of American policing.

One big negative but constructive criticism: no index.

One lesser criticism: the chapter on "Undercover." Norm tells a compelling and true story in that chapter, however, having some experience in "UC" work myself, I would have written from the point of view of management analysis of cost-benefit. Most undercover work is very expensive and produces not very much genuine product. I distinguish here between process and product. UC might produce lots of arrests, but it seldom solves any problems. Process vs. permanent results. It should be used sparingly and with well-thought-out direction.

There is nothing new in Norm's book in terms of breaking new ground, but it is unique anyway, in that it is an easy read for those who should read it -- public administrators and elected officials -- who don't normally (no pun intended) have the time to do a lot of research and don't know much about what goes on within their very expensive and mysterious public safety services.

Norm -- Mr. Stamper -- hits the right nails on their heads. What Joseph Wambaugh does for policing in some of his fiction, Norm does here in a popular, non-fiction way.

63 people found this helpful

Helpful

John Green

A guide to police reform

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 20, 2007

Verified Purchase

This book is good on two levels. On one level, it includes excellent story-telling and is just plain interesting to read as a memoir. From beat cop in the dysfunctional San Diego police department to Seattle police chief overseeing the security at the 1999 WTO summit (remember, the protestors won?) this is a page turner.

On a more important level, Norm Stamper provides a lot of valuable insights into police reform. Those cities fortunate enough to have a citizen's review board might take inspiration from Stamper's mostly progressive vision. Those cities without review boards might take inspiration to create some fast from Stamper's chapter-by-chapter accounting of abuse, misuse and incompetent leadership in policing.

The one rock Stamper leaves un-turned is, what is the root of crime in society? Progressive reforms would lead to more effective, less Gestapo management of crime. But folks will have to ask themselves about a society that produces so much physical and sexual violence in the first place...

10 people found this helpful

Helpful

When it is You vs The Police. The Police will "almost" always win. Learn their rules of enagagement

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 11, 2019

Verified Purchase

Every citizen NEEDS to learn their rights.. especially after reading this book and to be honest learning your rights may not be enough.

Police are the state's revenue generators. Police are the manifestation of what Slave Catchers were in the turn of the century of the late 1800's. Police of today often have reckless abandon when policing the average American citizen. It is YOUR word against theirs and who will people in a jury believe - The officer wearing a badge or the black person who refutes their actions?

This book will help you understand what police are capable of and simple ways you can protect yourself. You pretty much need to comply, not give them any reason to execute you, BUT remember each and every moment so you can "hopefully" gain some recourse in the end. The advantage many have today is that we have the ability to use our camera phones. When you expose the corruption these officers exhibit it shines a bright light on them and their superiors and locale bringing attention they do NOT want. Right now, that's our only recourse. That or knowing someone high in power.

But the main objective is to not get on police radar period. Do not do anything to stand out, to bring attention to yourself. This is what they are looking for.

24 people found this helpful

Helpful

W. Williamson

Enjoyed reading this book

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 12, 2014

Verified Purchase

Enjoyed reading this book. On the plus side, it was a good read and put a lot of needed "flesh" on the bones of what we are hearing nearly every day from Ferguson; letting us know the contextual side and also from the police point of view. One of my police officer friends dismissed it out of hand as the product of a Liberal Mind. As the book goes on, that characterization of way too simplistic.

On the downside it was somewhat long and would have benefitted with a bit more organization. I felt as if the author at times was reciting a bunch of facts rather than telling a story. Still though a worthwhile read, especially in time like these..

8 people found this helpful

Helpful

K. G. Anderson

Timely

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 15, 2020

Verified Purchase

It's fascinating to see just about every current hot topic in policing and city government discussed in this fascinating book from several years back. Seattle's former police chief gives the inside story on police reform and why much of it has failed. Well-written.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Larry

Five Stars

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on July 19, 2017

Verified Purchase

THE BOOK IS VERY INTERESTING. ITS A EYE OPENER.

IAIN A

pat

None to add

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on April 1, 2019

Verified Purchase

Not bad read

E.T

Fricking good

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on May 25, 2020

Verified Purchase

Fricking good

John Steed

Put your seat belt on and brace yourself for the truth.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on February 21, 2018

Verified Purchase

A phenomenally honest book from an ex cop honest enough to tell it as it really is.

See all reviews

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