A book review of "A Cop's Life - True stories from the heart behind the badge." By Sgt. Randy Sutton
I like the subtitle of this book. It sounds like a catchy title for something about wives of police officers, too. We also are the heart behind the badge, right? I have had this book in my "to be read" pile for about a year now. I finally picked it up a couple weeks ago and read the whole thing within a few days.
This book was easy to read and kept me interested throughout. Each chapter is a story from Las Vegas Police Department Seargeant Randy Sutton as he remembers from throughout his career. His stories do not attempt to glamourize police work. Instead they are often dark, gritty and very raw, exposing a side of police officers, victims and criminals that only those who work in or with law enforcement will be familiar with.
This is not a book that is cheerful. It can be inspiring at points, though, as Sgt. Sutton shows how some officer and victims make it through dark times and learn to survive. One story is even sweet, as Sgt. Sutton recalls a time when he stopped his patrol car to help a little girl across a busy intersection.
This book is good for those who want to experience, through an officer's perspective, the darker side of law enforcement - whether it be helping victims who have lost hope, dealing with a fellow offer's suicide, or fighting overwhelming feelings of guilt after failing to save a victim when they had a chance.
I would not recommend this for a girlfriend or newly-married wife of a police officer - especially those who may already have worries about what their spouse may be experiencing on the job. But I would recommend it for those who want to learn more about troubles and trauma that officers might experience (esp in larger cities) and maybe gain a better understanding of what goes through their thoughts and emotions during and after these experiences.
I enjoyed the book and read it quickly. The stories each started and ended as their own chapters. It was easy to read and understand. I do think that Sgt. Sutton has experienced more than his fair share of hardship and trauma during his career, though, and hope that people who read this don't think that every single officer out there also experiences the same. The tone of the book is moody and dark, so don't read this if you're having a down day. Overall, though, I did find the stories interesting and am sure that some of you out there will too.
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