Breaking Rank: A Top Cop's Exposé of the Dark Side of American Policing

by Norm Stamper

Opening with a powerful letter to former Tacoma police chief David Brame, who shot his estranged wife before turning the gun on himself, Norm Stamper introduces us to the violent, secret world of domestic abuse that cops must not only navigate, but which some also perpetrate. Former chief of the Seattle police force, Stamper goes on to expose a troubling culture of racism, sexism, and homophobia that is still pervasive within the twenty-first-century force; then he explores how such prejudices can be addressed. He reveals the dangers and temptations that cops face, describing in gripping detail the split-second life-and-death decisions. Stamper draws on lessons learned to make powerful arguments for drug decriminalization, abolition of the death penalty, and radically revised approaches to prostitution and gun control. He offers penetrating insights into the "blue wall of silence," police undercover work, and what it means to kill a man. And, Stamper gives his personal account of the World Trade organization debacle of 1999, when protests he was in charge of controlling turned violent in the streets of Seattle. Breaking Rank reveals Norm Stamper as a brave man, a pioneering public servant whose extraordinary life has been dedicated to the service of his community.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Biography, Crime, Politics, True Crime, Memoir

396 pages, Hardcover

First published May 19, 2005

About the author

Norman Harvey "Norm" Stamper is an American former chief of police and writer.

He is known for his role as chief of the Seattle Police Department responsible for its response to the protests of the WTO Ministerial Conference of 1999, which he has expressed regret about. Since his resignation, Stamper has called for the legalization of drugs and the case-by-case release of persons incarcerated for nonviolent drug offenses.

Stamper is the author of Breaking Rank: A Top Cop's Exposé of the Dark Side of American Policing.

Reviews

[Joel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a raw book. And incredibly accurate in it portrayals. Anyone familiar with Seattle politics at the time would love some of the insider references. But even without out that local knowledge, the book overall is sadly accurate. And the passage of time makes it even more relevant to the extent that it is still...relevant.

[Bryan Shanks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy to read and well written. This book would have been more relevant had it been written twenty or thirty years ago. It's more of a history book, than a current events read. Nonetheless, I would recommend this book for anyone interested in American policing.

[Bill reilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Norm Stamper begins this book with the story of a fellow Washington State police chief’s murder-suicide of his wife with his service revolver. The very public nature of the crime was the impetus in the seriousness of domestic violence and resulted in his expansion of the treatment of victims. The former chief of police sees the $50 billion a year spent on the war on drugs as a complete waste of resources. Richard Nixon was hooked on Dilantin during his presidency. Rush Limbaugh’s drug of choice was Oxycontin. The hypocrisy is ridiculous. I have never used any mind altering drug in all of my sixty-one years, but on this topic I am a Libertarian. Stamper believes that drugs should be decriminalized and regulated the same way as alcohol. It is on to prostitution and the high murder rate of such individuals. Many cops use the term NHI (no humans involved) to describe them. As with drug policy, Stamper cites Amsterdam’s low crime rate using regulations to control prostitution. The Innocence Project changed the lawman’s opinion regarding the death penalty. He favors life without parole. He agrees with the original Miranda decision which encourages the police to behave properly. Stamper’s early career in the 1960’s with the San Diego P.D. included no female officers. Their addition to departments nationwide has been a necessary improvement. He was astounded by the rampant sexism and racism during his rise from beat cop to chief of the Seattle P.D. His fondest memory was the delivery of two babies in the same week on the same block. From 1968-1970, Stamper worked undercover spying on left wing groups such as SDS and the Black Panthers. He had a deep respect for the professor Angela Davis, and so do I. As a cop in San Diego, Norm was forced to shoot a man holding his little boy hostage in his car. A tape measure with black electrical tape resembled a gun and Stamper has been forever haunted by the bloody scene. The Stonewall incident in NYC and Stamper’s experience with homophobia within his department forced him to confront his own prejudices. His last stand was as chief of police during the Battle in Seattle in 1999. He blamed himself for not being properly prepared for the sheer volume of protestors. He took full responsibility for his failures and resigned shortly after the riots. His story covers thirty-six years in law enforcement and Breaking Rank is an entertaining and informative book.

[John Burden · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found Chief Norm Samper's book a very interesting read. Both of us started our law enforcement careers around the same time he in 1966 in San Diego myself in November 1965 across the bay in Coronado.

His book cofirmed the rumers that SDPD had some shady practice and very hard nosed with the people. We both knew the same folks when we went thru training. It was very informative following his career. I was surprized to see him find a place in the corner pocket with liberal mind set in conservative San Diego.

I left Coronado in 1968 becoming a Deputy Sheriff for the next 32 years just north of San Diego in a rural county. To learn what happen with the WTO in Washington was of interest and information. Which showed me there is still a place (at times) for hard nose enforcement action and having political folks stay on the sidelines.

Overall it was good story with substancial history of the darker side of being a street cop.

[Patrick Soule · Rating 4 out of 5]

An eye opener

[Doris J Moler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most honest account of police work

Recommend you read this, an honest account of the problems, causes, and solutions.
We the people must become involved for any lasting solution.

[Brooke Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative read! I started this like 10 years ago when it first came out and lost it but just returned to it. Very well written, well thought out, and an important perspective.

[Stephanie Lindorff · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF

While well written, the book is too out of date to be of interest or of use in our current policing crisis.

[Michael Linton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was written by (his words), a "cop reformist." Others might say he's a liberal cop. He was good ideas and tries to back it up with examples.

[Irshaad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read, highly recommended.

[Mike Thiac · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the second book I’ve read from retired Chief Stamper. I’ll simply say, I’m glad I bought the book second hand. I would not give hime money for this.

While he has a right to his opinion, and has some interesting ideas on how to improve law enforcement in the US (e.g. his push for “Community policing” is most noteworthy), he is not entitled to his own facts.

His push for gun control (Excuse me, “gun violence” control) is typical left wing claptrap. You have no “right” to firearms, and he referred to them in the context of hunting or target shooting. It never occurs to him (or he conveniently doesn’t mention it) the right is from your inherent right of self defense. And, if you believe him personal firearms are never used for self defense. The facts are otherwise, https://www.forbes.com/sites/paulhsie... .

And of course we need a national database of firearms and owners, plus you need a license to possess one. Never in his words is an explanation of how disarming law abiding citizens will stop crime. Plus calling the NRA (5M members, 3.2M in lobbying https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summ... )the most fears lobbying organization in the US is really humorous. Chief, have you ever heard of the AARP (38M members, 8M in direct lobbying https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summ...) or NEA (3M, 2.8M in lobbying https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summ...).

Ties into another issue with this book. He makes countless statements of “facts,” almost no sources are listed, and there is no bibliography.

His confusion and lack of knowledge of being a soldier and being a cop. From page 160, “...a soldier follows orders for a living, a police officers makes decisions for a living.” Chief, I was a soldier for 23 years, and I made decisions constantly. And I’ve been a cop fo over 20 years, I’ve had to follow orders all 20 plus years. Both are part of leadership, something you seem to have an issue with. See page 385, “...This means promoting the personal growth and professional development of each and every employee. (That’s why you delegate responsibility and authority, not because it’s the fashionable thing to do.)” Chief, hate to chock you, you **can** (and must, IMHO, to develop leaders) push authority down. However you cannot push responsibility down. They work for you, you give them the guidance for a task, and the authority, but the final responsibility is yours. The people you put in fail, it’s still your ass on the line. Choose and develop wisely.

His religious belief that of the 900K “cops” in the US (from local officers to federal agents), there is a major stream of racism. I’m not about to say there are not racist cops out there. That being said, if you believe this writing (unsupported by reference, but his belief) Bull Connor is still out there with hoses and dogs.

His regular attacks on Republican office holders, past and present (as of 2004), is not part of a look at policing in America. Sorry Chief, focus on the issue.


While there are some insightful points made (the need for development of your underlings, open leadership, changes in policing), this is seriously overridden by the serious chip on his shoulder. I don’t know the full story of the Seattle WTO Conference (which cost Stampler his position), Sorry Chief, first take the chip off your shoulder, then try it again.

[Geoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meh... Stamper and I agree on many things. The drug war is a colossal waste of time, money and lives. "Chickenshit police discipline" causes a culture of fear and insularity. Prostitution will never be stopped, so making it as safe as possible is the only humane choice. Capital punishment is too much responsibility for the state. There are too many guns in our country. Cops are often racist, sexist, fat, lazy. All of what he says is true in my experience. However, as someone who spent most of his career in management, his blanket attacks on police unions is -- while expected -- still a bit galling.

Are there police unions with too much power? Sure. Are there dirty cops? Absolutely. Should we throw the baby out with the bathwater in both situations? Of course not. Most police unions are laughably weak, especially in the midwest, south and on the east coast. (Stamper spent his career on the west coast: Seattle an San Diego.) Who protects cops from, in Stamper's words, "chickenshit discipline"? Police unions. Who fights a city government that wants to cut back on training and protective gear in order to beautify city parks? Police unions.

Libs will find a big ally in Stamper on most issues. He has loads of experience that color his opinions. As a member of the brass, his experience clearly slanted him against the unions. If you can get over that last part, it's a pretty good book.

[Gary Braham · Rating 4 out of 5]

West coast progressive Norm Stamper had quite the career in law enforcement. Rising from the ranks of not being quite on the up and up, to learning his craft the right way, and finally into leadership positions, including being the Chief in Seattle for a number of years.

Stamper doesn't pull any punches, either on his overwhelming liberalism, which sometimes gets in the way. To his past history as a scumbag, which he gets out of the way right at the beginning. It's a bold move. Right away he sets himself up as someone you can't possibly support. But then he gets into the things he's done right, and the ways he's changed for the better. It's probably better than bringing up all of the negative parts in his own life until the very end, so that's the last impression you are left with, or not at all, in which case he's going to be opening himself up to a lot of criticism. Either way, he's a tough guy to like or fully support.

But he does have some good points, and he does have a story worth telling. It's a conversation that needs to be had. Stamper does point out some of the good officers, and good policies, but this book is mostly a rundown of all the things he doesn't like about police work and the men and women behind the badge.

[JP · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is enlightening. Stamper provides a thoughtful critique of policing, complete with plenty of interesting first-hand experiences that illustrate how much personal discretion is necessary. His breadth of experience, from beat cop to chief, establish his authority, but what makes this book truly credible is his openness in admitting his own mistakes and changes in outlook. Such dynamic thought appears to be rare in a profession so rooted to tradition and clear-cut operating principles. He covers a lot of philosophical ground in 400 pages: domestic violence, victimless crime, drug policy, racism, legal issues, undercover work, corruption, and terrorism. One of the most interesting sections described a set of nine real events that demonstrate ambiguity and the need for careful human judgment. He made me rethink capital punishment, on principle alone, and for the practical reason that wrong convictions might be more common than we realize. He didn't sway me toward gun control. Though sad, the imbalance of statistics he chose was probably driven by a lifetime of exposure similarly weighted in appreciation for the downside.

[Silja J.A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot heap enough praise on this book. Norm Stamper's book is utterly groundbreaking, eye-opening, page-turning, thrilling and, at times, quite disturbing.

This book is one of the most important and unexpected contributions to criminology in the past century. Stamper himself is one of the nation's leading advocates of drug (and prostitution) decriminalization within the law enforcement field, and has taken his role seriously as such. From racial profiling to domestic violence in the ranks, Stamper has got something profound to say about all of it. Stamper's humility and expertise combine to make him one of the most credible, top-ranking (current or former) law enforcement officers to speak out on these matters.

If you read one non-fiction book this year, make sure to read this one. I insist.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll be honest, I have only read half of this book, it is too long for me but I know I'll have to finish it one day when I am on a vacation and have the time. I kept putting it down to digest a chapter and spending so much time thinking about the topic he just covered I didn't have space to take on more. It's a rare gem of a book. I heard Stamper interviewed on the radio and he is such a smart, open minded, honest person. He's not perfect and he never pretends to be for a second but he's one righteous dude as far as I'm concerned. Personally I have a love/hate relationship with the police and his story fosters a greater understanding of why I have those feelings, why some of them are right and some of them wrong.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Norm Stamper had a few bumps in the road his first few years with the police force, but quickly became the kind of cop i wish they all aspired to be.
Throughout his career he pushed for what he believed in with integrity, smarts and savvy.
His book is intelligent and well written. Some portions dragged a bit, but needed to be said as they seemed to be targeted to a career cop audience. For the most part though, the book is liberally peppered with anecdote and the true police drama that shaped Stamper's views.
Entertaining, educational, and affirming (there are some good ones!)

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some interesting info, but Norm likes to rattle on a bit and he really works the tough cop I've seen it all and then some writing style. Imagine yourself sitting in his office and he starts telling you a story. Three stories later, you wonder if you are ever going to be able to leave or if you are trapped for life. So, I recommend it, but read chapters that most interest you and cruise through or skip the rest. As far as policing goes, I think he gives a fairly accurate picture and it was nice to read his support of gender equality.

[Diana Sandberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow - I have a lot of trouble reading many nonfiction books; my mind wanders, I just don’t get engaged. Not an issue with this one. Very interesting read. Stamper describes in unflinching detail the issues confronting police departments and citizens, including many anecdotes - several not at all flattering - from his own years as a cop. He has evolved over his career (he’s now retired) from a racist, sexist, homophobic punk rookie to a very articulate and thoughtful advocate for social justice and community policing. A radical and inspiring book.

[Orin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Norm Stamper lived in the same Seattle neighborhood I did, and our paths would cross occasionally. His is a refreshing take on the conventional wisdom of policing in a large American city; alas, it is a viewpoint very much in the minority. Even in Seattle, which is presently under a court order to change its ways, based on a recent history of excessive force and racial profiling. About the only place we disagree is his insistence that police cars be black and white...

[Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm doing research on the battle in Seattle and came across this book. Let me just say it is wonderful! Stamper is a great and compassionate writer. It only deals a little with the topic I am researching, but the insights into policing in the US is insightful and hopeful.

I highly recommend it.

[Donna Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

WHOA. While the FBI attempts to put a leash on the out-of-control Seattle Police Dept., apparently startlingly few people are reading the expose of its former police chief. He will tell you why cops beat Black men. In fact, he has a whole chapter about it.

[Griffin Fujioka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stamper shares a brave, rare and interesting perspective on American policing and I enjoyed his sometimes radical, yet often logical and well explained, views on many issues which continue to plague America. Bonus points because I'm from Seattle and he was Chief of SPD.

[Sharon Carvo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone interested in Criminal Justice should read this book, it is absolutely amazing!

[Aria]

Amazing insight!

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice to see someone critical of how police act and how they should act. They are not above the law and they are people just like the rest of us.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gets five stars for honesty and self-critique. If only Norm Stamper knew then (about himself and policing) that he knows now. Another great snapshot of local history.

[Ellen Silverman]

This is an excellent read on police work and administration. It's interesting, factual, and readable about a timely issue revisited.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. A mixed bag, but as a memoir it works pretty well.

[Jaclyn Garrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Way too long, but very interesting stories.