Ryan M. (rmadland) reviewed Vice: One Cop's Story of Patrolling America's Most Dangerous City on + 67 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
The book "Vice" by John R. Baker with Stephen J. Rivelle is an inside look at what it was like to be a police officer in Compton, California during some of its most bleakest times. Officer John Baker holds nothing back as he details how he and other members of the Compton Police Department dealt with crime in that area. This is the most in depth inside look inside what its like to be a cop I've read.
Throughout the book Officer Baker reveals that sometimes the Compton Police Department didn't go about things in the most ethical way, but as you read further into the stories, you understand why. They were in war zone and the regular rules of law did not apply to what they were dealing with. They were hugely outnumbered by gangs with higher powered guns who were not afraid to shoot to kill especially when it came to the boys in blue.
Not only does the author detail so of his most complex cases, but he goes into some great detail about some of most unusual and dangerous arrests. He does a great job at letting you see the dangers they were going through at the time. Nothing was a simple as it seems. They always had to be on their toes or otherwise they could wind up dead.
Although there are moments where you read and wonder how these cops got away with some of the unethical methods, the other is also talks about how proud he was of his members of his department because they didn't have the shoot to kill method like other police departments in the area. When faced with an armed assailant their first goal was to get them to drop the weapon and give themselves up. He also talks about how some members of his department were distraught when they actually did have to kill a suspect, showing that the cops were tough, but could still be effected by taking a life.
This novel is gritty, dark, and sometimes humorous. I am fan of true crime and also seeing things through the police's eyes, so I really enjoyed this book. This is one book I can highly recommend.
Throughout the book Officer Baker reveals that sometimes the Compton Police Department didn't go about things in the most ethical way, but as you read further into the stories, you understand why. They were in war zone and the regular rules of law did not apply to what they were dealing with. They were hugely outnumbered by gangs with higher powered guns who were not afraid to shoot to kill especially when it came to the boys in blue.
Not only does the author detail so of his most complex cases, but he goes into some great detail about some of most unusual and dangerous arrests. He does a great job at letting you see the dangers they were going through at the time. Nothing was a simple as it seems. They always had to be on their toes or otherwise they could wind up dead.
Although there are moments where you read and wonder how these cops got away with some of the unethical methods, the other is also talks about how proud he was of his members of his department because they didn't have the shoot to kill method like other police departments in the area. When faced with an armed assailant their first goal was to get them to drop the weapon and give themselves up. He also talks about how some members of his department were distraught when they actually did have to kill a suspect, showing that the cops were tough, but could still be effected by taking a life.
This novel is gritty, dark, and sometimes humorous. I am fan of true crime and also seeing things through the police's eyes, so I really enjoyed this book. This is one book I can highly recommend.
