Trooper Down!: Life and Death on the Highway Patrol

by Marie Bartlett

It’s a trooper’s worst nightmare. What begins as a routine patrol suddenly turns violent when someone pulls a weapon. Moments later, the trooper is down―wounded or dead. Then, like a swarm of angry bees, every other trooper on the force mobilizes to catch the suspect. Whether they’re issuing a ticket for speeding “just a little” over the limit or conducting an all-out manhunt, the people who have chosen this perilous and demanding profession are rarely revealed as vividly or candidly as they are here. In Trooper Down! Marie Bartlett uses her gripping hell-for-leather style to paint a fascinating portrait of one of the nation’s most elite law-enforcement agencies. In interviews and anecdotes, troopers relate stories of narrow misses, breathtaking confrontations, strange and hilarious encounters with various “crazies,” and, most heartbreakingly, working the wrecks―aiding the injured and dying in highway accidents―while troopers’ wives and widows tell of the heart-wrenching realities trooper families face. Through this remarkable book, we not only comprehend the life of a trooper, we are unforgettably there.

Genres: Nonfiction

260 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1988

Reviews

[Yadira Denisse · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually read about 1/3 of the book and I had to keep reminding myself that it was written in the 80s....

The book itself is not that bad. The author writes well and the information is well presented. However, as the author notes it is only representative of STATE TROOPERS. Not only is it limited in experience but also is outdated by now, in 2015. It is easy to read it and believe that things still work that way when in fact things have change dramatically in the last 5 years let alone the last 10 or 20 years!!! Law enforcement is nothing like it was 10 years ago. It's more progressive now, there are more laws to be enforced, more rules to follow, better technologies, better procedures. The books was in its time a great source of information but not any more.

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

RATING : 4 (4.0 out of 4.0)

SUMMARY: True stories of the North Carolina Highway Patrol. The intent of the book is to give you insight into what it means to be a trooper.

COMMENTS: I read this book a long time ago from the library. I found it on Kindle Unlimited and decided to read it again.

I found it a very interesting book. But then, I've alway be interested in law enforcement. Especially state police organizations.

I liked that major parts of the book consists of incidents told by the troopers themselves.

[Jack M · Rating 2 out of 5]

Irregular pace...lacking depth