The Thin Blue Line: An In-depth Look at the Policing Practices of the Los Angeles Police Department

by Matthew B. Gordon

For the past thirty years, the Los Angeles Police Department has been accused of endless charges of brutality and corruption. From the highly public and polarizing Rodney King beating, to the shocking Rampart Scandal, many have viewed the department as a brutal, yet effective, crime fight force. To this end, many blame the more controversial acts of the department on a "few bad apples." Covering the time from Chief Gates' tenure until the end of the Rampart Scandal, The Thin Blue Line brings forgotten and startling events from the last thirty years of the L.A.P.D.'s shocking history to life. Attempting to view brutality and corruption through a critical lens, this book uses extensive research to investigate the various charges police corruption as a result of the different policing styles implemented by the department throughout the years, and not the result of a “few bad apples.”

76 pages, Paperback

First published September 29, 2011

Reviews

[Sonic · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was very disappointed with this. Extremely short, painfully clearly written by a college student, nothing in-depth about it. 37% of the book are the footnotes. I regret the $2.99 and twenty minutes wasted on this.