Carnage, Cops And Deadlines

by Roscoe C. Blunt Jr.

Murder, rape, prostitution, devastating fires, highway fatalities, bank robbers, shootouts, suicides, and high-speed chases are all part of the job. And so are petty politics, negative attitudes, vilification, second guessing, imperious editors and 3 a.m. phone calls. But for the very good police reporters there are moments of glory, great stories, recognition, awards and self-satisfaction. And of course, there is always the excitement and challenge. The conflicts between the press and authorities, the implacable deadlines, and the horror in the eyes of victims are graphically portrayed in a police reporter’s coverage, and they are the sum and substance of this book. Most intriguing is the behind-the-scenes view that is quite different from what you read about in the papers.

279 pages, Paperback

First published November 23, 2004

About the author

Roscoe C. Blunt, Jr. was journalist, jazz drummer, and veteran of the U.S. Army's 84th Infantry Division from World War II. He was the youngest soldier to be awarded the Expert Infantry Badge. After returning home from the war, he became an award-winning investigative journalist as well as an expert jazz and big-band drummer. He is the author of three books, including Inside the Battle of the Bulge and Foot Soldier: A Combat Infantryman's War in Europe, (Cambridge: Da Capo Press, 2002). He lived in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts until his death on February 10, 2011.