Police

“Engaging as Well as Persuasive”

So says Diane Scharper in the Baltimore Sunabout my book, Cop in the Hood. Here’s the whole review: In his classic book, On Writing Well, William Zinsser claimed that people and places were the twin pillars on which all good nonfiction is built. These three books – all with a local connection – prove that point. Their subjects qualify them…

Continue Reading

Police

Does cheap gasoline cause crime?

I wish gas were taxed more. Much more. Luckily, I’m not running for political office. I saw this figurein an article in today’s New York Times. The point of the article is that gas in the U.S. is still pretty cheap compared to most countries. But when I look at the figure, I see what I think is an inverse…

Continue Reading

Police

“Couldn’t put it down”

I don’t know who this guy is, but I like him because he likes my book. A lot. Certainly more than he likes O’Malley.

Police

Officer Pete says (rule 1):

Always keep your hands where I can see them. [All the rules of “Officer Pete says” can be seen here. Got any to add? Please do so in a comment!]

Police

NIJ Taser Report

The National Institute of Justice has released a report on Tasers. Basically, they say they’re safe, but with some important qualifications. I think those qualifications need more emphasis than the report gives them.

Police

Ivy-League cops

I had a piece in the Princeton Alumni Weekly about my experiences as a police officer. Turns out I’m not the only Ivy-League cop out there. Here’s an excerpt from an email I received from a North Carolina police officer. I thought I would take a bunch of crap for being an Ivy League guy – I try to keep…

Continue Reading

Police

English Narco-Colonialism

There’s an interesting short BBC interview about the history of the opium trade in India under British rule. News to me.