Protectors of Privilege: Red Squads and Police Repression in Urban America

by Frank Donner

This landmark exposé of the dark history of repressive police operations in American cities offers a richly detailed account of police misconduct and violations of protected freedoms over the past century. In an incisive examination of undercover work in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Philadelphia as well as Washington, D.C., Detroit, New Haven, Baltimore, and Birmingham, Donner reveals the underside of American law enforcement.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, American History, The United States Of America, Law, History

510 pages, Paperback

First published October 21, 1990

Reviews

[Loochiaseeds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally finished. This book is a doozy. Honestly if you want to read it, do so with a buddy, there’s just so much information to digest and it is dry dry dry.

Truly, this book is great purely for the amount of information and research involved. Donner is very smart and definitely wrote this book to maintain a record of police harms and surveillance. However, he does suffer from attorney syndrome and thinks the system can be litigated into submission.

His use of labor unions as context of police surveillance and how police protect the ruling class and property is really well done. Anyone interested in the pervasive nature of police surveillance should read this book!!! Preferably with a buddy!!!

[Jacob Woocher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only read the portions on the LAPD but .... really good. The book is super detailed and well sourced and paints a very clear picture of the LAPD as an institution that has waged a century-long war on anyone and everyone who fights against the capitalist status quo. Ahead of its time. Shout out to Stop LAPD Spying Coalition who I've seen cite this book in many places (although that's not what brought me to it).

[James Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic history of the Red Squads.