Walking With the Devil: The Police Code of Silence: What bad cops don't want you to know and good cops won't tell you.

Quinn, Michael

ISBN 10: 0975912534 / ISBN 13: 9780975912539

Published by Quinn and Associates Publishing and Consulting, 2004

About this Item

May have light to moderate shelf wear and/or a remainder mark. Complete. Clean pages.

Seller Inventory # 1281127

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Walking With the Devil: The Police Code of Silence: What bad cops don't want you to know and good cops won't tell you.
• Publisher: Quinn and Associates Publishing and Consulting
• Publication Date: 2004
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0975912534
• ISBN 13: 9780975912539
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: Very Good

About this title

Synopsis

Michael W. Quinn’s new book, Walking With the Devil: The Police Code of Silence, is a must-read for every ethical person involved with the legal system. Quinn writes in vivid street-cop language, compelling police recuits’—and our—attention with gritty adrenaline-laced descriptions of the life-and-death, “slippery with blood and sweat” survival-mode situations in which gut instincts—“amygdala hijackings”—propel even the most ethical cops into difficult battles with the Code of Silence, the implicit rule that a cop never ‘snitches’ on another cop. When he has our attention, he leads us through the “terrible internal struggles” of honesty and ethics. Quinn is bluntly honest about “cop culture” and institutional pressures toward corruption, including “creative report writing” and “testilying.” Quinn guides his readers into a gut-level understanding of real-life ethics. He addresses the criminally-serious problems detailed in his book, describing outstanding successes of two police units he supervised, “that refused to use the Code,” and debunks the ‘top ten’ “Myths of Policing.” The Police Code of Silence is a profoundly power- ful text book. When studied with the dedicated seriousness of a police recruit at the Academy, Michael Quinn’s teaching builds and strengthens ethics beyond abstract intellectual knowledge, into the very fibers of one’s being. Even in those of us who believe ourselves to deeply ethical, Quinn’s book can awaken and nurture a deeper understanding of ethics as a vital part of life in every moment.

Review

Walking with the Devil is the definitive book for anyone trying to understand the police subculture. The book makes clear how officers are intimidated and pressured not to reveal the misconduct committed by the few bad officers that dishonor the badge and their peers. This book should be mandatory reading for any police recruit. It should also be the basis for a national program to implement programs to encourage the officers to intervene, stop, and deter misconduct. Mike articulates how honest and ethical law enforcement officers would thrive and succeed in their jobs if these changes and programs were developed. There are many Michael Quinns wearing badges that want to break this cycle. I am proud to say I have worked with many such officers. Hopefully, this book starts the process to enlarge this number.

--Stephen C. Parker, "Former Chief of the Civil Rights and Police Misconduct Unit (Retired), U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Tennessee "