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Memoirs Of A Public Servant
Documenting the thoughts, feelings, and interactions of one Police Officer in the busiest and brightest city in the world, Las Vegas. This memoir takes you through the personal interactions experienced by a Police Officer with not only the community he seeks to serve but with his partners and their personalities. Some calls are over in an instant while others stick with you forever. Take a sneak peek into this Pandora's box and see if perception really is reality.
208 pages, Paperback
Published July 2, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
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July 28, 2022This book was nothing like what I thought it would be. With that said; I really enjoyed it.
I picked up this book because it was written by the murdered off duty officer in the Las Vegas Route 91 shootings. This everyday hero made it through Iraq and the streets of Las Vegas only to die by a coward from 32 floors up. That alone drew me to want to read his memoir.
Memoirs of a Public Servant was an easy read. Mr. Hartfield cracked jokes and was very relatable. It was very obvious that it was written sporadically over a long period of time because the book bounced around a lot. I could totally see him writing random pieces of his day, from his kitchen table, when something happened on the job that he didn’t want to forget.
There were many spelling and grammatical errors throughout the book. Surprisingly it didn’t bother me though because it lent itself to the authentic, real vibe the book had.
In the end, it was a book that I am thankful to have read. Many different passages hit home with me since, at one point, I wanted to be an officer (and even went through the academy). It angers me that we lost Mr. Hartfield in such a tragic, senseless way.
“They never had an opportunity to fight back, to look their enemy in the eyes while engaging them in combat. Their wives are without husbands, and their children are without fathers. The community lost protectors, servants and heroes.” - Charleston Hartfield. Rest Easy Warriors.
I picked up this book because it was written by the murdered off duty officer in the Las Vegas Route 91 shootings. This everyday hero made it through Iraq and the streets of Las Vegas only to die by a coward from 32 floors up. That alone drew me to want to read his memoir.
Memoirs of a Public Servant was an easy read. Mr. Hartfield cracked jokes and was very relatable. It was very obvious that it was written sporadically over a long period of time because the book bounced around a lot. I could totally see him writing random pieces of his day, from his kitchen table, when something happened on the job that he didn’t want to forget.
There were many spelling and grammatical errors throughout the book. Surprisingly it didn’t bother me though because it lent itself to the authentic, real vibe the book had.
In the end, it was a book that I am thankful to have read. Many different passages hit home with me since, at one point, I wanted to be an officer (and even went through the academy). It angers me that we lost Mr. Hartfield in such a tragic, senseless way.
“They never had an opportunity to fight back, to look their enemy in the eyes while engaging them in combat. Their wives are without husbands, and their children are without fathers. The community lost protectors, servants and heroes.” - Charleston Hartfield. Rest Easy Warriors.
November 6, 2017
“Memoirs of a Public Servant” by Charleston Hartfield contains the personal observations, reflections, and commentaries of a police officer in Las Vegas, Nevada.
It is a journal of specific events and has the casual conversational style of old friends sharing laughs, jokes, frustrations, sadness, and tragedy. He discusses delicate, tragic, and senseless events with compassion, understanding, and sympathy, all the while never forgetting his responsibility to duty and the law.
It is an easy book to read, but a difficult book to forget. Hartfield certainly gives readers things to contemplate. “It may not be a popular profession, but it certainly is one that is needed.” He does not sugarcoat the work he does, but does not degrade those with whom he comes into contact. His love of live and his job pour forth in every line.
He mentions that he never thought that when he started writing in journals “Who knew that I would be holding a printed copy of my thoughts? “ His writing was almost predictive, “It’s a hard job that rarely ends in a happy retirement.” Hartfield’s end came on October 1, 2017 when he was murdered while off duty attending the “Route 91” concert in Las Vegas.
It is a journal of specific events and has the casual conversational style of old friends sharing laughs, jokes, frustrations, sadness, and tragedy. He discusses delicate, tragic, and senseless events with compassion, understanding, and sympathy, all the while never forgetting his responsibility to duty and the law.
It is an easy book to read, but a difficult book to forget. Hartfield certainly gives readers things to contemplate. “It may not be a popular profession, but it certainly is one that is needed.” He does not sugarcoat the work he does, but does not degrade those with whom he comes into contact. His love of live and his job pour forth in every line.
He mentions that he never thought that when he started writing in journals “Who knew that I would be holding a printed copy of my thoughts? “ His writing was almost predictive, “It’s a hard job that rarely ends in a happy retirement.” Hartfield’s end came on October 1, 2017 when he was murdered while off duty attending the “Route 91” concert in Las Vegas.
October 13, 2017
RIP Brother,
I enjoyed the book. Easy read finished in a day.
I enjoyed the book. Easy read finished in a day.
December 4, 2017
Officer Hartfield tells his compelling story, both personal and professional, in this book. The book touches on his personal background and shares experiences and anecdotes from his time serving as an office for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. The things police like Officer Hartfield experience on a regular basis are horrific. And yet Officer Hartfield found a way to make Las Vegas a better place by genuinely helping those in need and in the worst, most difficult moments of their lives.
If you're reading this, you probably know that Officer Hartfield was killed in the October 1 terrorist attack here in Las Vegas. I don't know the exact circumstances of his death, but having read this book, I am quite certain he must have been helping others.
This book offers a unique opportunity to better understand things from the perspective of a police officer. I would like to think there are more Officer Hartfield's out there, quietly keeping us safe by dealing with the worst of humanity, all the while showing the best that the human spirit has to offer. Officer Hartfield is a true hero and it's sad he's not out serving Las Vegas any longer.
If you're reading this, you probably know that Officer Hartfield was killed in the October 1 terrorist attack here in Las Vegas. I don't know the exact circumstances of his death, but having read this book, I am quite certain he must have been helping others.
This book offers a unique opportunity to better understand things from the perspective of a police officer. I would like to think there are more Officer Hartfield's out there, quietly keeping us safe by dealing with the worst of humanity, all the while showing the best that the human spirit has to offer. Officer Hartfield is a true hero and it's sad he's not out serving Las Vegas any longer.
November 20, 2017
Journal entry reflections on what it is to be a police officer in Las Vegas and personal observations about what it takes be be a good man, husband, father, mentor, coworker, and friend. One of the 58 people senselessly murdered in the Route 91 massacre, our community lost an outstanding individual October 1, 2017.
With a little attention to better formatting, this memoir should be a must read for everyone who thinks they’ve had a tough and troubled life. Charleston Hartfield shows how one can rise above adversity with dignity and grace.
With a little attention to better formatting, this memoir should be a must read for everyone who thinks they’ve had a tough and troubled life. Charleston Hartfield shows how one can rise above adversity with dignity and grace.
January 10, 2020
A very interesting account of a public servant's life. I'm grateful he knew to publish this when he did because if he'd waited even just two to three months, it would have been too late.
I felt it was important to read this book so I could know more about a man whose life was taken too soon. And I get the sense he was a very brave, dedicated, loving man. And it gave me a deep respect for those who put themselves in harm's way for our safety.
I felt it was important to read this book so I could know more about a man whose life was taken too soon. And I get the sense he was a very brave, dedicated, loving man. And it gave me a deep respect for those who put themselves in harm's way for our safety.
January 15, 2018
This book is probably the best book I've ever read on what it means to be a cop, personally and professionally. this Officer was killed in the Las vegas shooting in OCT 2017. This book had me laughing and crying. It is a quick easy read and worthy of your time. He keeps it "real" about many things including racism and hate against police and how crazy people are. I loved it, every page.
August 3, 2018
This is a great book because it is so real. It was written by a policeman and U.S. Veteran who shares his innermost thoughts and feelings that come with the hardships of the job. His humor is spread throughout the book, making him the type of guy you want to get to know better. One of my favorite quotes of his is, “a youthful mind produces a youthful body and soul.”
July 12, 2021
Used book store find that caught my eye. Self published diary selections from a police officer. Great for helping me better understand what the job entails on a personal level.
While trying to find out if he wrote a follow up covering his time in the military I learned three months after publishing this book he was one of the random victims of the Las Vegas concert shooting. Gut punch.
While trying to find out if he wrote a follow up covering his time in the military I learned three months after publishing this book he was one of the random victims of the Las Vegas concert shooting. Gut punch.
May 12, 2019
I actually really liked this book and how it was written. I was disappointed to see that it wasn't very well edited, as there were a lot of grammatical and spelling errors. Because of that, I lost interest for a bit. I'm glad that I ended up finishing it though.
August 21, 2018
Interesting stories. It's a bit of a rough read, but I enjoyed his point of few and am sad that he is no longer out there protecting our city.
November 18, 2021
This barely scratches the surface of what Hartfield could have wrote about. It's saddening to know that after the life he lived, while enjoying a concert, that was when he left this earth. It's saddening to know that he never received a chance to write more, when he seemed to have enjoyed it.
Out of respect of the family and the late author, I rated this at a 4.
Out of respect of the family and the late author, I rated this at a 4.
December 28, 2023
Rest in peace man, loved your life story.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews