Boot: An L.a.p.d. Officer's Rookie Year

by William Dunn

The Rodney King beating and the OJ Simpson trial brought the L.A.P.D. national notoriety as a corrupt force out of synch with the city it polices. But is this force of 8,600 men and women really made up of mavericks, racists and rogues? In this revised edition of a timeless classic, rookie police officer William Dunn takes you inside that other L.A.P.D., where hard-working cops struggle to understand citizens' concerns and dodge criminal's bullets. Set during one of the it's most violent years in one of it's most violent South Central neighborhoods, Los Angeles-and the L.A.P.D.-as seen through the eyes of a rookie officer is a potentially volatile, constantly changing landscape. To be a good cop, and survive the experience, Dunn quickly learns from some unforgettable teachers how to lay down the law on the streets. Dunn's dispatches from the frontlines of L.A. are dramatic. Every day there's another drive-by shooting, high-speed chase, drug-related execution, or unexplained attack on police officers. He offers some of the most compelling insights into the trials and tribulations of the young officer-and the way that we keep the peace in our most dangerous policing districts.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, True Crime

300 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1996

Reviews

[Jack Oughton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this to be an extremely well told and gripping look at the year in the life of a rookie policeman in the LAPD. I would not want to do what this man did - fascinating.

[John Suzuki · Rating 5 out of 5]

An engaging book that contains many interesting stories that I enjoyed very much.

[Emily Burkman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this on a whim, it being the latest of my dad's Goodwill finds. I learned a fair amount of what goes into being an LAPD cop in the hardest part of the city. The prose is a bit stilted (referring to even his co-workers as "an Hispanic male" or a "black female" as way of description), but I'll forgive the author his cop-talk because, well, he's a cop! If anything even that idiosyncrasy teaches you something about the mindset and lifestyle of the police officer. The narrative is very matter-of-fact and deals very specifically with events pertaining to Dunn's first year in the South Side department. Very little is mentioned about his personal life. Needless to say, the narrative takes the form of short anecdotes or extended short stories.

[Garrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty fun read and probably recommended for anyone who might be interested from the title. The cop was a lot more objective than he might have been and does not come off like too much of a jerk for an LAPD.

But HOLY CRAP did Ray Charles copyedit this book? The Crips were formed in 1950?! Really?! Come on man, I'm a white guy from Texas and even I know that the Crips weren't formed in 1950. Per wikipedia Raymond Washington wasn't even born until 1953. (I know, wikipedia is kinda goofy, but really is there a more reputable source for checking the crips' founder's birthdate?) For a book that covers gangs as one its central themes this blunder gives its credibility a really serious hit.

[daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

fantastic read!

This book is so great, it had me reading page after page. I was always excited to read the next chapter since every chapter brings something new with it. Im currently in college studying to join the Police force one day, and this read was really influential in enforcing my desires to join the Police force. I recommend this book to anybody interested in law enforcement, or even people who want to know more of the daily challenges that police officers go through.

[Stephan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was interested in reading this book because of the title. What an exciting experience it must be to be a rookie officer with LAPD. The perspective has its moments of humor and suspense, but mostly it flows at a slow pace and seems like just a jumble of old war stories. I still enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to anyone interested in working for LAPD, especially all the parts about how easily the department will "throw you under the bus" for dumb stuff.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Straightforward and well-written book about being a cop patrolling gang neighborhoods in LA. Dunn tells stories well and obviously has a lot of source material to pull from, including a handful of stranger than fiction moments. I read this after reading a bunch of James Ellroy books and thought it was a good complement to his work.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brisk read, Dunn is an excellent storyteller and the characters he meets on both sides of the law are fascinating. Very similar to the fiction of Joseph Wambaugh.

[Ari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book. Gave me motivation to become a police officer. Very good account of life on the streets.

[Raymond Damian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, I read this book at least 5 times and it kept me engaged every time.