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A review by wwtpeng
The Black and the Blue: A Cop Reveals the Crimes, Racism, and Injustice in America's Law Enforcement by Matthew Horace, Ron Harris
5.0
This is a very important book, a sad book, a personal book for the author. I want to remember every name mentioned. The victims, the people doing great work in disadvantaged communities, and the good officers. Horace's background gives him a great perspective in which to investigate this book. The title is a bit misleading. You may come to the conclusion from reading the title that Horace was simply a police officer, but rather he has been apart of many intergovernmental task forces through his work with the ATF. This gives him the inroads to give such a complete investigation with this book.
The book is very well written, and although there are times Horace evokes hyperbole, I think it works to keep the reader engaged. There is great focus on systemic problems in Chicago, St. Louis, and New Orleans, which all get multiple chapters. What is interesting about these three cities is that they have similar problems that were caused by different issues within their respective police forces, but similar solutions have been enacted in each City, of which, there has started to be a positive affect. I am sure many of the issues discussed in these chapters are seen throughout law enforcement institutes throughout the country, these need to be acknowledged, but at the same time, it is more important to acknowledge the solution.
Towards the end Horace starts to focus on mental illness. He does not offer any solutions for police engagement with the mentally ill, but does explain that police are not trained as mental illness professionals.
I think the book could cover more on engagement of force on the mentally ill and how they can better handle these situations. I would have liked to see some interviews with psychiatrists and psychologists.
The book is very well written, and although there are times Horace evokes hyperbole, I think it works to keep the reader engaged. There is great focus on systemic problems in Chicago, St. Louis, and New Orleans, which all get multiple chapters. What is interesting about these three cities is that they have similar problems that were caused by different issues within their respective police forces, but similar solutions have been enacted in each City, of which, there has started to be a positive affect. I am sure many of the issues discussed in these chapters are seen throughout law enforcement institutes throughout the country, these need to be acknowledged, but at the same time, it is more important to acknowledge the solution.
Towards the end Horace starts to focus on mental illness. He does not offer any solutions for police engagement with the mentally ill, but does explain that police are not trained as mental illness professionals.
I think the book could cover more on engagement of force on the mentally ill and how they can better handle these situations. I would have liked to see some interviews with psychiatrists and psychologists.