I am a staunch conservative, a veteran of the U.S. Military, and have worked in private sector for the past 32 years in the Risk Management department for a large U.S. based retailer. I work closely with law enforcement across multiple jurisdictions mostly in the area of Organized Retail Crime and have an inbred respect for all law enforcement. I purchased this book with some reservations as I figured that it would be nothing more than a left wing progressive cop bashing fest. I could not have been more wrong about this author's body of work or intentions.
The book is well researched, full of facts, and I found it surprisingly to be politically neutral! The author in fact goes out of his way to not blame law enforcement for the current trend in the militarization of their officers, or the proliferation of SWAT teams materializing all over the country. In fact he lays most of the blame for this right at the feet of our legislators. No one party is or branch of government is exempt. Numerous presidents, senators, members of the house, and Supreme Court Justices are all mentioned, and their roles in getting the Fourth Amendment nullified are presented in excruciating detail. This book highlights how the sacred rights of the Castle Doctrine and the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 have all been circumnavigated. This is a must read for all Americans regardless of their political affiliation.
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Rise of the Warrior Cop Paperback – Illustrated, August 26, 2014
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Radley Balko
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Radley Balko
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Print length400 pages
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LanguageEnglish
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PublisherPublicAffairs
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Publication dateAugust 26, 2014
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Dimensions5.5 x 1 x 8.25 inches
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ISBN-101610394577
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ISBN-13978-1610394574
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Editorial Reviews
Review
Glenn Greenwald, The Intercept
The best and most comprehensive account of the dangers of police militarization.”
Sarah Stillman, NewYorker.com
A fascinating and at times wrenching new book.”
The Daily Beast
Virtually peerless as a writer on the issue”
The Economist
Mr Balko manages to avoid the clichés of both right and left, and provokes genuine outrage at the misuse of state power in its most brutal and unaccountable form: heavily armed police raiding the homes of unarmed, non-violent suspects on the flimsiest of pretexts, and behaving more like an occupying army in hostile territory than guardians of public safety. Rise of the Warrior Cop”, Mr Balko's interesting first book, explains what policies led to the militarisation of America's police. To his credit, he focuses his outrage not on the police themselves, but on politicians and the phoney, wasteful drug war they created.”
The best and most comprehensive account of the dangers of police militarization.”
Sarah Stillman, NewYorker.com
A fascinating and at times wrenching new book.”
The Daily Beast
Virtually peerless as a writer on the issue”
The Economist
Mr Balko manages to avoid the clichés of both right and left, and provokes genuine outrage at the misuse of state power in its most brutal and unaccountable form: heavily armed police raiding the homes of unarmed, non-violent suspects on the flimsiest of pretexts, and behaving more like an occupying army in hostile territory than guardians of public safety. Rise of the Warrior Cop”, Mr Balko's interesting first book, explains what policies led to the militarisation of America's police. To his credit, he focuses his outrage not on the police themselves, but on politicians and the phoney, wasteful drug war they created.”
New York Journal of Books
This historic review of America's police and police tactics is clear and direct in its nondismissal narrative. This is not an anti-police book, but a serious look at the growth and use of SWAT and military style tactics, at America's war on drugs, and the financial incentives that created the new community police force” This book is highly recommended for the historic value of the information; it is clear, concise, and well argued. Whether you are a lifetime, card carrying member of the ACLU or the newest law and order politician The Rise of the Warrior Cop provides a clear timeline and important information making it a must read.”
Publishers Weekly
'Are cops constitutional?' It's a bold and provocative question, and the more Balko delves into the history of law enforcement, the more that question seems worth considering. After reading Balko, you'll be aware, alrightand scared.”
Salt Lake Tribune
"a well-researched book that piques the reader's intellect as much as it does his or her emotions."
Ilya Somin, Volokh Conspiracy
The best new book on a law-related topic I have read so far this year”
Anthony D. Romero, Executive Director, American Civil Liberties Union
Excessively militarized policing is easy to ignore when a SWAT team is ramming down someone else's door or tear-gassing someone else's protest. What makes Rise of the Warrior Cop so important is that Mr. Balko makes police militarization real for all of us. This is a meticulously researched history book that casts needed light on a central civil liberties issue. Police militarization is something we should all care about, and Rise of the Warrior Cop will show you why.”
Arianna Huffington, president and editor-in-chief, Huffington Post
With his thorough reporting and compelling storytelling gifts, Radley Balko builds a powerful narrative of the militarization of our police forces, which both liberals and conservatives have allowed to flourish. And he shows the chilling results of both parties' unwillingness to stand up to increasingly aggressive police tactics that often pit cops against those they are sworn to protect.”
Arianna Huffington, president and editor-in-chief, Huffington Post
With his thorough reporting and compelling storytelling gifts, Radley Balko builds a powerful narrative of the militarization of our police forces, which both liberals and conservatives have allowed to flourish. And he shows the chilling results of both parties' unwillingness to stand up to increasingly aggressive police tactics that often pit cops against those they are sworn to protect.”
Ron Paul, former Texas congressman and Republican presidential candidate
Rise of the Warrior Cop is a comprehensive look at the reasons for, and the results of, the increasing militarization of law enforcement. Civil libertarians on the left and limited government conservatives on the right should pay especially close attention to Radley Balko's examination of the link between the the war on drugs' and law enforcement's increased use of police state tactics.”
Diane Goldstein, Huffington Post
Rise of the Warrior Cop asks many questions about the proper role of law enforcement and the effect of the drug war, America's longest war, on our communities Balko interweaves history, the Constitution, and case law to create an account of how the massive expansion of SWAT teams occurred as the perfect storm of politics, ideology and federal fiscal coercion.”
Glenn Greenwald, constitutional lawyer, Guardian columnist, and New York Times-bestselling author
Vibrant and compelling. There is no vital trend in American society more overlooked than the militarization of our domestic police forces, and there is no journalist in America who is more knowledgeable and passionate about this topic than Radley Balko. If you care about the core political liberties of Americans, this is a must-read.”
Charleston (WV) Gazette
For Americans who care about their core political liberties, Balko's book is a must-read.”
Pacific Standard
Fascinating and sometimes terrifying”
"Jack Dunphy" (nom de plume of a police officer with the Los Angeles Police Department), National Review Online
For all my cop's quibbles with Rise of the Warrior Cop, I was struck by how much I found to agree with in the book. Balko makes a compelling case that in America today there are too many SWAT teams operating with too little accountability, further exposing the country to the dangers this magazine identified in 1996. No, America today isn't a police state,' he writes in the concluding chapter. Far from it. But it would be foolish to wait until it becomes one to get concerned.' One need not be a libertarian to appreciate the warning.”
Ron Paul, former Texas congressman and Republican presidential candidate
Rise of the Warrior Cop is a comprehensive look at the reasons for, and the results of, the increasing militarization of law enforcement. Civil libertarians on the left and limited government conservatives on the right should pay especially close attention to Radley Balko's examination of the link between the the war on drugs' and law enforcement's increased use of police state tactics.”
Norm Stamper, thirty-four-year police veteran and police chief of Seattle, Washington, 19942000
A rich, pertinent history, with unexpected but critically important observations of the increased militarization of American policing. And so well presented: clear, lucid, elegantly crafted. Rise of the Warrior Cop should be on the shelves of every police chief, sheriff, and SWAT commander in the country. A huge contribution.”
Glenn Greenwald, constitutional lawyer, Guardian columnist, and New York Times-bestselling author
Vibrant and compelling. There is no vital trend in American society more overlooked than the militarization of our domestic police forces, and there is no journalist in America who is more knowledgeable and passionate about this topic than Radley Balko. If you care about the core political liberties of Americans, this is a must-read.”
StoptheDrugWar.org
In Balko's hands, an entertaining and illuminating story as well as depressing and frightening told with verve and gusto, meticulously researched, and filled with telling historical detail Rise of the Warrior Cop is an important book and deserves to be read by small government conservatives, civil libertarian liberals, police commanders, and politicians alike.”
Simple Justice blog
It's critical to appreciate the history of policing, to understand that what we now see as normal and inescapable wasn't always the case. For most of our history, this country did not have a group of people with shields and guns who wandered the streets ordering people about. If there is any hope of changing the course of the militarization of law enforcement, it will come from a greater understanding of why this was never meant to be the internal norm of this country, and that it doesn't have to be. Radley Balko has done an exceptional job of making the case. Every person who hopes to preserve the integrity of his Castle from dynamic entry needs to read The Rise of Warrior Cop.”
About the Author
Radley Balko is an award-winning investigative journalist who writes about civil liberties, police, prosecutors, and the broader criminal justice system. He is currently a writer and investigative reporter for the Washington Post. Previously, he was a senior writer and investigative reporter for the Huffington Post, senior editor for Reason magazine, and a policy analyst for the Cato Institute. In 2011, the Los Angeles Press Club named him Journalist of the Year.” Follow him on twitter: @RadleyBalko
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Product details
- Publisher : PublicAffairs; Illustrated edition (August 26, 2014)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 400 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1610394577
- ISBN-13 : 978-1610394574
- Item Weight : 14.4 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.5 x 1 x 8.25 inches
-
Best Sellers Rank:
#104,022 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #51 in Civil Rights Law (Books)
- #162 in Law Enforcement Politics
- #165 in Law Enforcement (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
Customer reviews
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926 global ratings
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Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2013
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Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2017
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I've been familiar with Radley Balko's reporting on police militarization going back to the days when he operated The Agitator website. In fact, I didn't read his book until now simply because I thought I'd already heard everything he had to say. I was wrong.
This book describes an evolution of culture, politics, and policies that transformed American policing from the uniformed cop as your friend to the army of cops in body armor who breaks down your door, terrorizes your family, and shoots your pets looking for small quantities of pot. Anyone who has followed the perpetual escalation of the drug war knows that this is no exaggeration, but it happened over so many years, we've become acclimated to it and don't pay it much attention.
But, Balko doesn't lay the blame for this war on citizens totally at the feet of police. The real culprits are the political motives, legislation and polices that have encouraged this shift in policing, making it inevitable. If you're a strong believer that the drug war can be won by increasing the number and power of police, you're probably not going agree with what this book says. If you're questioning the efficacy of the drug war and wondering if the cure is worse than the disease, this book provides a comprehensive history of the steady progression of policies that have gotten us to where we are today.
Balko not only knows the topic as well or better than anyone else in the country, he clearly knows how to organize and present that knowledge so anyone can understand it regardless of their level of familiarity with the topic. But Balko is not an ends-justifies-means crusader who will exaggerate or cherry-pick facts to sell you on his point of view. He analyzes other points of view and explains why excuses for this expansion of aggressive policing don't stand up to even basic common sense reasoning. Balko clearly doesn't hate cops, but he has a lot to say about the policies that encourage police to view and treat citizens as the enemy.
Whether your interest is in modern policing, the drug war, or the history of the US criminal justice system, you will most certainly appreciate what this author has to say.
This book describes an evolution of culture, politics, and policies that transformed American policing from the uniformed cop as your friend to the army of cops in body armor who breaks down your door, terrorizes your family, and shoots your pets looking for small quantities of pot. Anyone who has followed the perpetual escalation of the drug war knows that this is no exaggeration, but it happened over so many years, we've become acclimated to it and don't pay it much attention.
But, Balko doesn't lay the blame for this war on citizens totally at the feet of police. The real culprits are the political motives, legislation and polices that have encouraged this shift in policing, making it inevitable. If you're a strong believer that the drug war can be won by increasing the number and power of police, you're probably not going agree with what this book says. If you're questioning the efficacy of the drug war and wondering if the cure is worse than the disease, this book provides a comprehensive history of the steady progression of policies that have gotten us to where we are today.
Balko not only knows the topic as well or better than anyone else in the country, he clearly knows how to organize and present that knowledge so anyone can understand it regardless of their level of familiarity with the topic. But Balko is not an ends-justifies-means crusader who will exaggerate or cherry-pick facts to sell you on his point of view. He analyzes other points of view and explains why excuses for this expansion of aggressive policing don't stand up to even basic common sense reasoning. Balko clearly doesn't hate cops, but he has a lot to say about the policies that encourage police to view and treat citizens as the enemy.
Whether your interest is in modern policing, the drug war, or the history of the US criminal justice system, you will most certainly appreciate what this author has to say.
25 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2018
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The sections on the history of police forces as well as the anecdotal examples of America's out of control police state were what earned this book the three stars awarded. The author's conclusions, however, were nothing short of weak and typical. The disappointing part is that the author stated on several occasions the root causes of police overstep: incentives. The author seems to suggest that such a system can be reformed, and then makes some half-hearted attempts at suggesting some avenues to reform that hinge upon unsubstantial modifications to police force incentives. What the author fails to grasp is that reform is only possible under two situations: 1) the citizenry have a representative government or 2) negative incentives are replaced by a completely different model for delivering justice and protective services, that are in no way connected to The State. The former no longer exists in the US and other western countries, while the general populace cannot grasp the concept of the latter: the anarcho-capitalist concept of the private production of defense, protection, and justice. Reform is not possible in a system where "checks and balances" exist within the same system of governance because it creates an environment where negative incentives flourish.
15 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2018
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This is an excellent narrative of the current militarized state of police work in America. It gives an in depth background as to how law enforcement has steadily moved towards SWAT style tactics being applied to any and all situations- mostly where it is not necessary. The book keeps the focus at the higher organization level, where the officers and administrators make the decisions. I would have liked the author to get more into the prevailing attitudes of current and retired police officers at the tactical level in order to examine their perspectives. I would have liked also for the author to explore some of the perspectives within law enforcement that advocate against this militarization, and the methods to regain balance with the communities in which they work.
As a retired police officer, this book hit home especially hard. Seeing this trend towards militarization growing and the gap between police and the populace growing, it serves as a wake up call to police departments across the USA, both large and small.
As a retired police officer, this book hit home especially hard. Seeing this trend towards militarization growing and the gap between police and the populace growing, it serves as a wake up call to police departments across the USA, both large and small.
13 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries
Nish
5.0 out of 5 stars
RoboCop is a premonition!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 20, 2017Verified Purchase
This is an excellent read. Balko claims to be quite objectified in the content of this book, but I'd say his own thoughts and opinions clearly seep into the subject matter. That doesn't detract from the subject of the book though as he makes very valid points andhe seems to have researched the book very thoroughly. My only real criticism is that the book does tend to jump in time. I expected it to be written chronologically, which is how it starts, but then as the chapters tend to focus on topics and issues, the timeline does move around a bit. However, the book remains really engaging, even if you're unfamiliar with the US justice system and politics. It's a very topical read and worthy of attention.
Andrew Gottschalk
4.0 out of 5 stars
There today here tomorrow?
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 4, 2014Verified Purchase
As we grapple with the complex issue of community safety and our relations with the police this monograph must provoke our thinking and our action. The US experience may apppear to be irrelevant but stop read and let your mind play with the ideas and data.
3 people found this helpful
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Andrew C.
5.0 out of 5 stars
an important challenge to US Policing and Drugs policies
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 13, 2014Verified Purchase
This is a well referenced book that provides a credible narrative for the development of militarised policing and provides further evidence (if any were needed) of the futility of the "War on Drugs". Policy changes are required, but it is hard to see what will incentivise US political leadership to make this change.
One wonders if Police personnel working in this context become disturbed and conflicted by their experience ( as many soldiers do) and start to work against the militarised ethos. This could be the basis of a grassroots movement for change.
One wonders if Police personnel working in this context become disturbed and conflicted by their experience ( as many soldiers do) and start to work against the militarised ethos. This could be the basis of a grassroots movement for change.
peter
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gr8 book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 4, 2019Verified Purchase
Interesting
James
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 18, 2013Verified Purchase
A great work loaded with facts from the foundation of America to the present day. It really underscored the reasons for militarism and the erroding of constitutional freedoms in our country today. It also presents ideas for re establishing community trust between law enforcement and the citizenry that our founding fathers intended.
One person found this helpful
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