Chicago Street Cop: Amazing True Stories from the Mean Streets of Chicago and Beyond

by Pat McCarthy

Surviving a career in law enforcement involves a considerable amount of natural instinct, skill, luck, and intellect. Fortunately for Pat McCarthy, he possessed all of these, some more than others, at different times. In Chicago Street Cop, you
- Learn what it feels like to walk through the wreckage of the worst aviation disaster in America's history--collecting bodies and body parts.
- Go behind the scenes as McCarthy, wired by the FBI, is bribed by an organized crime figure to protect a secret gambling den in Chinatown.
- Get an insider's view into the life of a big city undercover cop buying drugs in a violent housing project.
- Ride along with McCarthy's FBI squad as they try to stop a gang war.
- Read about what it's like to be a SWAT team member in a two-day standoff with a cop killer. With a gritty and no-holds-barred narrative, Chicago Street Cop is a vivid reminder of the risks and choices that members of law enforcement face daily as they keep the general public safe from harm.

Genres: Crime

265 pages, Paperback

Published April 26, 2016

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is immediately recognizable as a self-written, self-published memoir about Pat McCarthy's turbulent, yet no regrets, turn as an officer in the Chicago police force. What he makes abundantly clear is that law enforcement ran in his family, it was his destiny and dream to become a part of the crime- busting side of Chicago law. The book is story after story of McCarthy's experiences as he moves through the ranks in different units; the Gang Unit, the Swat team, at one point he wanted to join the Narcotics Unit but was assigned elsewhere. It certainly left a sense of awe as to how Mr. McCarthy is even still alive after some of the things he went through, half of which probably didn't even make the book. Admittedly, the writing is rough, like sitting in a break room with a bunch of former cops talking about the good ol' days, motherf'in this and bullsh**t that, not to mention the dialogue he has with every pimp, gangbanger, drug dealer and murderer as an undercover agent having to contain the word "bro". But there's still a certain charm to the authenticity, remembering he was handling these busts in the 1980s and early 90s when that slang was far more common. For me, the most striking feature of the book was McCarthy's seemingly conflicted soul about the setting that provided most of the crimes he attempted to prevent. He despised the ghetto, lashing out at the lifestyle and the conditions with which "those people" live in, yet was utterly heartbroken by children he saw there that never had a chance. He spent most of the book denigrating crime and criminals naturally, but in a poignant moment in the book, bringing a professor to see a gunned down crime boss in the hospital hooked up to life support, he felt pangs of sympathy for the man as a human being in this horrible condition. One doesn't need Dostoevsky or Joyce, or hell, even JK Rowling to understand human emotion and compassion. It shows up in surprising places, and in many different books.

[Laurie Strebe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read! Clearly written by an Officer with law enforcement in his blood. I found each chapter enlightening and even inspiring. Very thought provoking from the start of an officers career that continues on with every page turn. Well written true stories penned from the author himself. Insight into mundane as well as mostly exciting encounters only a cop could provide. On my read again shelf!

[Wendopolis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good for a self-published book. Nice to read about a stand-up cop for once.

[Joe Rodeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best thing about *Chicago Street Cop* is that we learn a few things. Pat McCarthy talks about clout, or the departmental connections one needs to get chosen for special details such as SWAT. There's much about investigations and sting operations in undercover work such as how police will make unsavory confidential informant connections if they will help them catch the big criminals. He doesn't glamorize the job or try to dramatize. Rather he'll talk about the frustrations about how department runs its business; for instance, abandoning a long running investigation or not following protocols in a hostage situation.

"If a cop tells you they aren't affected by what they see and experience, they are probably full of shit or straight-up nut jobs."

The obvious informality is somewhat patronizing. But the tone should appeal to an audience that includes future cops.

Reading level: easy. Recommended for reluctant readers.

[Patrick Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love books about real street-level Chicago history and this one does not disappoint. I taught a lot of talented young people from Chicago families at DePaul during my two decades in Chicago, and this author is from the generation of their parents and, more recently, their grandparents. Some of them probably knew this author. You can really feel the authentic Chicago culture as you read this book about his experiences as a policeman in Chicago.

[Cathy Lutz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Smart without being smart alec, honest, real, surprisingly compassionate and so interesting. I was stunned, impressed, nervous & yet occasionally found myself laughing out loud. Highly recommend for a realistic look at police work.

[Sam Cradberry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a bit uneven in flow; nonetheless, it was enjoyable and informative.

Sam Cradberry

[Jacob Markrof · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better than any cop show/movie you’ve ever watched.

This was a real raw and gritty look at the life of a good cop in a bad place and time. They don’t call Chicago America’s murder capitol for nothing, and the pages of this book were covered in gang banger blood. While I enjoyed Pat’s uncensored and very personal narration, I was left wanting more from every one of his unique and amazing stories.

What could have been better? I wanted more history of the districts he worked. I found myself putting the book down constantly so I could look at maps and see where he was in the city. But maps today don’t reflect the world he was in, as almost all the projects he worked have been torn down. I wanted to see them and learn their history so I turned to YouTube and started watching documentaries. This supplementary information helped fill in the blanks that Pat was leaving out and carry the book.

I understand the book was self published and that it was very personal, but it felt like he was telling a story to someone who already had intimate knowledge of Chicago, of the history of Cabrini Greens and Humboldt Park, of the surrounding neighborhoods the gangs occupied, etc. I feel that if this autobiography was reworked to include that information (or added to his next book) it could leap from a moving tale of a hard life lived, to an amazing work of historical non-fiction.

In the end I really enjoyed the book and will carry his story with me for a very long time. Thank you for your service, Officer McCarthy.

[Susie Bush · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would definitely recommend this book for anyone wanting to have a job as a police officer! Even if they aren’t wanting to get into the city areas, it’s always good to know what can happen or even lessons to learn. I would say that the saying “shooting the shit” is placed in a lot of the chapters which could have been substituted for other phases. But overall it gave a new spin on how people should respect officers more for the heroic acts that they do.

[Mike]

As a lifelong Chicagoan, I am always interested in local celebrities.

This book is such a book on a local cop who has some great stories to tell of his years as a cop in the Chicago Police Department as well as his years as a SWAT Team member and in the FBI.

Whether its talking about witnessing what he saw after a major plane crash or in taking down a gang member, he always keeps the reader interested.

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent narrative straight from the streets. A little dated as the author is about 69 years old and retired around 2001. Nevertheless, great stories about police work in Chicago: the ghettos, organized crime and horrible violence.

[Tim Lucole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed the book immensely. As a lifelong Chicagoan myself, I knew almost all the locations that he mentioned.

[STEVEN ROSE · Rating 3 out of 5]

A gritty tale about some of Chicago street cop, Pat McCarthy's career on the streets of Chicago, and also working undercover and with the FBI. Pretty gory at some points, and there is a lot of profanity, but I guess that's what they call the "real" world. Pretty good read, if you're looking for a lot of what life as a street cop in Chicago must be really like.

[Lisa Leonard · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from a Goodreads giveaway. It had some interesting stories but at times I found the writing jumped around and was choppy. I think the book did more telling than showing so I had a difficult time engaging with it. And there were parts where I felt like I wanted to understand more but was left hanging. This book might appeal to readers who enjoy true crime and/or law enforcement memoir.

[Natalie Bianchini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great true stories from a cop’s cop! Pat was able to put all of his emotions and fast-paced judgement calls into words on pages. As the back cover reads, “take a ride along with McCarthy…”. I truly felt as if I was on a ride along with him during each call with his partners. I was sweating as if I were the one doing the undercover drug buys. A fast, great read and/or listen (audiobook now available as well)