Best of
Police

2005

Survive the Night


Diana Duncan - 2005
     Bookworm Bailey Chambers is a pacifist who believes there’s good in everyone. Falling for daring SWAT door-kicker Conall O’Rourke wasn’t in her plan. A glimpse of Con’s risky, violent job scares Bailey into breaking up with him…just when he was about to propose to her. Con never surrenders, and is determined to woo, win, and wed the woman he loves. After all, he smashes barricades for a living. But he can’t win this battle with his usual weapons. Sidelined to await the outcome while Bailey fights to slay her fears is the hardest thing Con’s ever done. When the couple are trapped in a deserted mall with a crew of ruthless bank robbers—who’ve taken their friends hostage—they must work together to overcome formidable odds. As the clock ticks toward the final countdown, Bailey and Con each offer the ultimate sacrifice, desperate to ensure the other will survive the night. But even if they live…will the terrifying battle be the final kill shot that dooms their relationship? Just 24 hours can change your life. Book 1 of 4 in the "24 Hours - Final Countdown" Series. Previously published as Midnight Hero.

Tulia: Race, Cocaine, and Corruption in a Small Texas Town


Nate Blakeslee - 2005
    The operation, a federally-funded investigation performed in cooperation with the local authorities, was based on the work of one notoriously unreliable undercover officer. At trial, the prosecution relied almost solely on the uncorroborated, and contradictory, testimony of that officer, Tom Coleman. Despite the flimsiness of the evidence against them, virtually all of the defendants were convicted and given sentences as high as ninety-nine years. Tom Coleman was named a Texas Lawman of the Year for his work.Tulia is the story of this town, the bust, the trials, and the heroic legal battle that ultimately led to the reversal of the convictions in the summer of 2003. Laws have been changed in Texas as a result of the scandal, and the defendants have earned a measure of bittersweet redemption. But the story is much bigger than the tale of just one bust. As Tulia makes clear, these events are the latest chapter in a story with themes as old as the country itself. It is a gripping, marvelously well-told tale about injustice, race, poverty, hysteria, and desperation in rural America.

A Cop's Life: True Stories from the Heart Behind the Badge


Randy Sutton - 2005
    Hundreds of active and former officers responded from all over the United States: men and women from big cities and small towns, some who had written professionally, but most for the first time. Sutton culled the selections into five categories: The Beat, Line of Duty, War Stories, Officer Down, and Ground Zero. The result is True Blue, a collection of funny, charming, exciting, haunting stories about murder investigations, missing children, bungling burglars, car chases, lonely and desperate shut-ins, routine traffic stops, officers killed in the line of duty, and the life-changing events of September 11. Here, officers reveal their emotions-fear and pride, joy and disgust, shame and love-as they recount the defining moments of their careers. In these stories, the heart and soul behind the badge shines through in unexpected ways. True Blue will change the way we think about the deeply human realm of police service.

Facing Evil


C.L. Hart - 2005
    Forced to take a leave of absence from her job, Abby heads to a mountain resort where she meets Sarah Murphy. The two women discover love for the first time in their lives, but are soon torn apart. Through twist and turns of the novel, Abby and Sarah experience for themselves the brutality of a serial killer before he ends up dead, and Abby is his accused killer.

Terror at Beslan: A Russian Tragedy with Lessons for America's Schools


John Giduck - 2005
    This book tells the untold story about the victims, the soldiers who were there and the history of the events leading up to the tragic incident. But more than just the story, this book highlights the lessons America's school system can learn from the tragedy to protect itself from terrorism.

Take Up the Shield: Comparing the Uniform of the Police Officer & the Armor of God


Tony Miano - 2005
    The importance of each piece of equipment is driven home through engaging, real-life police stories (responding to the infamous L.A. Riots, the devastating 1994 Northridge earthquake, working in jails, making arrests, and more).Although much has been written about this well-known passage of Scripture, little has been written from the perspective of a Christian who wears and uses the physical armor of the police officer every day, fighting both the physical battle against crime in our society and the spiritual battle against evil that all individuals are called to fight.You don't have to be a cop or a Christian to be encouraged and challenged by this book. In addition to building your faith, this book will serve as a helpful introduction to the men and women who protect you and your community.

The Business of Strangers


Kylie Brant - 2005
    The newly manufactured "Rianna Kingsley" only knew that her martial-arts skills and weaponry and assassination techniques went far beyond the average person's....A MARK THAT BECAME A DEATH WARRANTThe men who'd tried to assassinate her all shared one common trait: a tattoo of a winged horse, exactly like the one on her ankle. Where had it come from--and what did it mean to her survival?A MAN WHO WAS MORE THAN A STRANGERIt was dangerous for Rianna to share too much with anyone--much less the criminal hired to kill her--but she couldn't resist Jake Tarrance's arms, his bed. With her shadowy past hot on her heels, would Rianna's business with Jake be passionate...or deadly?

Police Women: Life with the Badge


Sandra K. Wells - 2005
    This is particularly true of women in law enforcement. Women have been involved in various forms of policing for the last 100 years, but it wasn't until the Equal Employment Act of 1970 that women could move from the job of meter maids to patrol and detective work. Yet less than 1% of all top-level cops are women, and there remain significant obstacles in the career paths of women in the force. This book looks at the history of women police officers and provides first-hand accounts of women at every level, including those who drop out. It addresses discrimination, competition, lack of mentoring, differential treatment and sexual harrassment, examining what issues play into the decision to stick it out or leave that many policewomen face. It also considers the family issues these women return home to at the end of the day.It is often said that a woman must do a job twice as well as a man in order to get half the credit. This is particularly true of women in law enforcement. Women have been involved in various forms of policing for the last 100 years, but it wasn't until the Equal Employment Act of 1970 that women could move from the job of meter maids to patrol and detective work. Yet less than 1% of all top-level cops are women, and there remain significant obstacles in the career paths of women in the force. This book looks at the history of women police officers and provides first-hand accounts of women at every level, including those who drop out. It addresses discrimination, competition, lack of mentoring, differential treatment, and sexual harrassment. It looks at what plays into the decision to stick it out or leave that many policewomen face. It also considers the family issues these women return home to at the end of the day.Unlike other treatments of the subject, Alt and Wells show how women have changed police work into a more community-oriented model of policing, reduced police violence, served as a strong force to promote a more effective response to domestic violence within police departments, and helped with community-police relations. With a combination of first-hand accounts, careful research, and lively analysis, the authors are able to convey the actual experiences of women who have made their careers behind the shield.