Heading south to the big city of Los Angeles, Sharon Berryharper abandons her plans of attending a local junior college and, works in factories instead. All the time she works as a machinist, she has one dream--to become a cop. Sharon's opportunity comes when a federal court orders the Los Angeles Police Department to hire more women and minorities. Thinking that being a cop is about restoring peace and calm and working as a team, Sharon succeeds in getting into the force but finds out the reality of her dreams exactly the opposite. The first thing Officer Berryharper learns is that for her and her sister officers, there is no team. Sharon discovers how alone she really is. Forget team playing. The ebony cop will have to survive on her own.

Good Cop, Black Cop is a moving and timely memoir that reveals how racism impacts people on both sides of the "thin blue line."

“Defund the police!” is shouted in the streets. A.C.A.B. is spray painted on precinct buildings. Countless citizens believe all police are racists. In this era of civil unrest and political divide, how do Black cops—or any cops—maintain the motivation and commitment to do their job? Former police officer, co-founder of BLEXIT, and Founder and CEO of The Officer Tatum—Brandon Tatum shares his story and the stories of other police officers in the pages of his new book, Beaten Black and Blue. Read why they joined the force, what it’s really like on the streets, and how they continue to fight the good fight. Forget what you think you know and learn the truth!

Pulitzer Prize winning author Leon Litwack calls Brian Willingham's Soul of a Black Cop A scream from the bottom... a compelling and often unnerving documentary portrait of an urban war zone... the day to day experiences of America's interior exiles. The author is a black city cop in the Flint, Michigan, of Michael Moore fame. His beat is the ghetto, where a decaying city has imprisoned its downtrodden. There's no where else to go, and Willingham illustrates this through story after heartwrenching story and his profound comprehension of the human condition. It is a story of eight months in hell. Some say racism doesn't exist; others blame the suffering. A must-read book for all those in any type of social work, indeed a book for all America

During his 28-year career, Matthew Horace rose through the ranks from a police officer working the beat to a federal agent working criminal cases in some of the toughest communities in America to a highly decorated federal law enforcement executive managing high-profile investigations nationwide. Yet it was not until seven years into his service- when Horace found himself face down on the ground with a gun pointed at his head by a white fellow officer-that he fully understood the racism seething within America's police departments. Through gut-wrenching reportage, on-the-ground research, and personal accounts from interviews with police and government officials around the country, Horace presents an insider's examination of archaic police tactics. He dissects some of the nation's most highly publicized police shootings and communities to explain how these systems and tactics have hurt the people they serve, revealing the mistakes that have stoked racist policing, sky-high incarceration rates, and an epidemic of violence. "Horace's authority as an experienced officer, as well as his obvious integrity and courage, provides the book with a gravitas." -- The Washington Post "The Black and the Blue is an affirmation of the critical need for criminal justice reform, all the more urgent because it/DIVDIVcomes from an insider who respects his profession yet is willing to reveal its flaws." -- USA Today

When Calvin Lawrence joined the Halifax City Police in 1969, he thought he knew what to expect. There was growing tension in the city between the black community and the police, and Calvin believed that as a black police officer he would be able to make a difference. But what he didn't know was that he was embarking on a life-long career in which he would consistently be the target of racist behaviour — from his co-workers and his superiors, and from police organizations as a whole. Calvin describes how he was the target of racial slurs, mocked for being black, pigeonholed into roles, and denied advancement because he was not white. After 36 years in law enforcement, Calvin retired early from the police, suffering from clinical depression and with a settlement from the RCMP after winning a Human Rights complaint. Calvin holds nothing back as he reflects on a career that took him across the country — he shares his experiences as Newfoundland's only black police officer, his undercover stints in Edmonton and Toronto, and his time in Ottawa protecting major world leaders like Jimmy Carter and Brian Mulroney. Calvin Lawrence's story lays bare the key failures of Canadian police organizations that operate on the basis that only white Canadians are entitled to the rights promised to all by the rule of law and the Canadian Charter of Rights.

The stories in this book are based, in part, upon actual words and statements of the various characters portrayed throughout this revealing story. Any characterizations of persons, places, or things are the opinions of those individuals making the statements, any similarities to anyone is coincidental. This book is a fictionalized story based on the actual experiences and compilations of several African American police officers who were the first to be promoted to police executive levels, including police chiefs. The Color of Power takes place over four decades, from 1960 to 2020, in Southern California. The storyline depicts the primary character, Tyrone “Ty” Washington, and his journey to become a police officer and the subsequent social trials and tribulations of this choice. Becoming a police officer is a complex, intense, and rewarding process. In Ty’s case, the process was further complicated by being Black! This story will stir emotions regarding the social complexity, which still exists in the twenty-first century, regarding race in America. The Color of Power will provide all readers with social insight, relief, and a better understanding of the symbolism of power and race in America. Enjoy this legacy of success and Tyrone Washington’s American journey and the rich lessons he learned throughout

Calvin Lawrence became a cop at age twenty. He was recruited by the Halifax police department at a time of heightened racial tension in the city. From the start, some fellow African Canadians wondered if he had sold out. White citizens wondered whether a black Canadian even belonged in the job. Calvin takes readers into his confidence as he learns to navigate as a beat cop, and how to deal with racism in the community — and worse, in the police force itself. Lawrence leaves Halifax to join the RCMP. He shares his experiences about basic training in Regina, followed by a stint as Newfoundland's only black Mountie. He is pegged for undercover work there, but before long his cover is blown. RCMP stereotyping leads him into Toronto's notorious drug squad as an undercover police officer, and then to years in elite Mountie squads protecting prime ministers and presidents. Throughout his career, Calvin experiences hostility and racism within the force — completely contrary to the officvalues and image of the RCMP. Standing up for his rights gets him blacklisted for advancement, and ultimately leads him to clinical depression arising from workplace hostility and mistreatment. As a seventh-generation Canadian, Calvin Lawrence has written a book which lays bare key failures of Canadian police organizations. Even today they operate on the basis that only white Canadians are entitled to the rights promised to all by the rule of law and the Canadian Charter of Rights.

Black Cop By: Michael T. Morrison Black Cop is author Michael T. Morrison’s story as a young black cop navigating experiences in predominately white police departments. As the general population is unaware of the racism experienced by black officers, Morrison’s story shares an insightful and interesting read into a world many do not know. The current racial climate in the United States makes his story relevant and educational, from his early days in poverty to his time in the police force. He hopes society can gain an understanding of black officers and their experiences through his words. You will find they are not immune from the plight that minority citizens have while existing in this country.