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Beaten Black And Blue: Being A Black Cop In An America Under Siege
"Defund the police!”is shouted in the streets.
A.C.A.B.is spray painted on precinct buildings. Countless citizens believe all police are racists.
In this era of civil unrest and political divide, how do Black cops—or any cops—maintain the motivation and commitment to do their job? Former Tucson police officer—Brandon Tatum,shares his story and the stories of other police officers in the pages of his new book, Beaten Black and Blue.
Read why they joined the force, what it’s really like on the streets, and how they continue to fight the good fight.
Forget what you think you know and learn the truth!
A.C.A.B.is spray painted on precinct buildings. Countless citizens believe all police are racists.
In this era of civil unrest and political divide, how do Black cops—or any cops—maintain the motivation and commitment to do their job? Former Tucson police officer—Brandon Tatum,shares his story and the stories of other police officers in the pages of his new book, Beaten Black and Blue.
Read why they joined the force, what it’s really like on the streets, and how they continue to fight the good fight.
Forget what you think you know and learn the truth!
Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 2021
54 people are currently reading
428 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
May 26, 2021
A sober look at the dangerous slope we are on. Cautionary and realistic account and a must read!
January 2, 2022
This was a great read. Regardless of which end you fall on, you should read it. Go in with a open mind and heart. Provides great statistics, is realistic, and you can read the personality and passion.
December 10, 2021
I loved it and I'm not finished!!
A brutally honest and raw testimonial (through the lens of a family raised Democrat) of a peace officer that pulls the curtain back to expose the flaws of inner city violence and how grifters and hustlers take advantage of 1950's pre civil rights cliche's and what it takes to change what's wrong with American culture making a positive difference from within the struggle for equality and the balance of racial power.
A well versed and inspiring memoir from a peace caught in a world filled with racist grifters controlling the narrative and ruining our underprivileged adolescents ability to succeed by telling them daily they are oppressed by the very people that truly care about their communities and families lives.
Malcom X meets MLK embellished by Thurgood Marshall takes on the BLM agenda...
Officer Tatum paints a clear and detailed picture exposing the Main Stream Media'S lies through Race Hustling Sock Puppets of Corporate and Political Propagandiata.
#SchoolChoice
#47Red!
If you are gonna bet, bet on 47Red.com political odds on all candidates nation wide. Starting in 2022.
#SCHOOLCHOICE!!!!!!!
A brutally honest and raw testimonial (through the lens of a family raised Democrat) of a peace officer that pulls the curtain back to expose the flaws of inner city violence and how grifters and hustlers take advantage of 1950's pre civil rights cliche's and what it takes to change what's wrong with American culture making a positive difference from within the struggle for equality and the balance of racial power.
A well versed and inspiring memoir from a peace caught in a world filled with racist grifters controlling the narrative and ruining our underprivileged adolescents ability to succeed by telling them daily they are oppressed by the very people that truly care about their communities and families lives.
Malcom X meets MLK embellished by Thurgood Marshall takes on the BLM agenda...
Officer Tatum paints a clear and detailed picture exposing the Main Stream Media'S lies through Race Hustling Sock Puppets of Corporate and Political Propagandiata.
#SchoolChoice
#47Red!
If you are gonna bet, bet on 47Red.com political odds on all candidates nation wide. Starting in 2022.
#SCHOOLCHOICE!!!!!!!
September 16, 2022
If you think "De-Funding the Police" is a good idea, you need to read this book. I have to say, and I think it will begin to make you think that may not be "such a good idea". As usual I don't rehash what other reviewers have said about the book, you can read those reviews (mostly 4 & 5 stars). Officer Tatum is the real deal, and I can honestly say I admire him for being the person that he is and the police officer that he was.
Get his Podcasts on Rumble and subscribe to his "Tatum Report" at the "tatumreport.com".
Get his Podcasts on Rumble and subscribe to his "Tatum Report" at the "tatumreport.com".
January 2, 2022
B.Tatum has such an immense perspective. He tells it like it is. My only complaint is with the Audiobook...it wasn't Brandon's voice!!
But, much love and respect to all the Officers that put their life on the line every day.
But, much love and respect to all the Officers that put their life on the line every day.
December 14, 2021
People truly need to wake up and realize what the media and news outlets are telling us pushes a false narrative. Be diligent in your thoughts and think for yourself.
December 10, 2021
I've been waiting so long to get this book and read it. That time has came and I was not disappointed!! I have been watching his YouTube videos for awhile now and have enjoyed those so much. Brandon Tatum is a wonderful, amazing man who has the guts to stand up and say what needs said in today's society that screams diversity but ridicules the same thing they are striving for. Makes no sense whatsoever and that is why our country is lacking in common sense. Many sadly just don't think for themselves anymore and allow others to put the words in their mouth while having no knowledge to back it up with.
While the book is not a long book, I applaud the amount of information he has included in the book along with his opinions. Hearing actual stories from the police community is so helpful in knowing what they actually do for some, because many are just in the dark as to why police officers are so important. I'm happy to be a supporter of Brandon's and I feel this book needs read by everyone right now. So important to know both sides of a story before making judgements. There are so many perspectives across the many cultures in our country that it is great to be able to share those differences and instead of hating them, listen and learn from them. Like one of the officers stated, we are all human.
Keep it up Brandon!! Love what you are doing for people across the world and especially for the black communities. This is exactly how you show that all black lives matter, not just a select few for agenda matters. Much love and encouragement from a fan who supports you 💯!
While the book is not a long book, I applaud the amount of information he has included in the book along with his opinions. Hearing actual stories from the police community is so helpful in knowing what they actually do for some, because many are just in the dark as to why police officers are so important. I'm happy to be a supporter of Brandon's and I feel this book needs read by everyone right now. So important to know both sides of a story before making judgements. There are so many perspectives across the many cultures in our country that it is great to be able to share those differences and instead of hating them, listen and learn from them. Like one of the officers stated, we are all human.
Keep it up Brandon!! Love what you are doing for people across the world and especially for the black communities. This is exactly how you show that all black lives matter, not just a select few for agenda matters. Much love and encouragement from a fan who supports you 💯!
April 10, 2022
Great book. Being in an LEO family there wasn’t much for me to “takeaway” but I’m so thankful someone is putting something out to open some eyes for those that “don’t know”.
June 2, 2025
A FORMER COP ACKNOWLEDGES PROBLEMS, BUT STRONGLY SUPPORTS THE POLICE
Brandon Tatum wrote in the Introduction to this 2021 book, “I decided to write this book after years of trying to talk myself out of it… However, over the last few years, this drive, hunger, and motivation for me to change the world and give police a voice at all costs has come bursting out of my heart… I am tired of the smear campaign against cops in nearly every city in our country… I believe there is a misunderstanding of police officers. Beyond the sensationalized cases … there are real people who go out every day to serve their community… Their stories are good stories, and they deserve to be told.”
He states in the first chapter, “Can I just talk a moment about fatherless homes? Fatherlessness is one of the biggest ailments that we face in America… about 23 percent of so of American homes are without fathers… the African American community is at an astronomical number: over 70 percent of the black community experiences fatherlessness… Take a look at these stats: *63 percent of youths who commit suicide did not have a daddy in their lives. *90 percent of all homeless and runaway youths don’t have a daddy at home. *85 percent of all children who exhibit behavioral disorders don’t have a daddy. *71 percent of all high school dropouts don’t have their daddy in their life. *70 percent of juveniles in state-operated institutions don’t have a daddy at home.” (Pg. 7-8)
He recounts that he had a football scholarship to the University of Arizona: “I was riding high on my athletic abilities… but my attitude was still horrible… I was not coachable, and I paid for it dearly. Although my life was spiraling out of control and my destiny in football became uncertain, I was headed closer to the biggest blessing of my life… I will never forget 2008, the years I got saved! I found Jesus and became a Christian.” (Pg. 9) He continues, “I was a young man about to have a young child…. Knowing football was over in a flash, I had to move on… I got a call from the Tucson Police Department… Luckily, I was smart enough to recognize that opportunity when it came to me… and it became another turning point that changed my life.” (Pg. 16-17)
He was allowed to do a ride-along with Officer Sean Payne, and it happened that this officer was able to stop a young man from committing suicide: “I will never forget thinking to myself, ‘This dude does this every day.’ … by the end of the day, I knew this was the kind of life I wanted to lead. I wanted to be a hero! I wanted to help people in my community… To be able to be the person someone turns to in a time of need… that sounded better than the best day of being a pro football player…” (Pg. 21-22)
He continues, “I loved being a police officer. After six and a half years and doing nearly every job I could within the department, I didn’t have any specific plans to leave the force. However, God led me in a different direction. It was all connected to making videos and sharing my thoughts… I also started my own personal social media page and started posting my thoughts and perspective. Today I have a lot of followers on my social media platforms… I have been asked a thousand times, ‘Brandon, why did you leave the police department?’ … ‘Was it too dangerous?’ ‘Could you not be a conservative in the police department?’ … I want to share with you the answers to all of them before I go any further with this book.” (Pg. 32-33)
He recounts, “I was becoming more conservative in my political views. Some of that started when I heard… Barack Obama say negative things about the police… having what I felt were ‘anti-cop’ things coming from the President … began to create an environment where our jog was way more dangerous than it should have been… That was when I said to myself, ‘Let me go to this Trump rally … and see what he’s all about.’ I did not start out supporting Donald Trump; I was a Ben Carson guy. Then when Ben Carson dropped out, he supported Trump… I was absolutely shocked at what I saw. Trump ended up not being … a racist, and his followers were everyday Americans like me… Now, the protesters were absolute lunatics… I had to make a video… The video went viral, so much so that I thought I was going to get fired because millions of people were watching that video… I was asked to be on a few news shows on Fox… these shows wanted to actually interview me… I was excited by my unexpected fame.” (Pg. 34-35) He continues, “I left [the force] to work with Conservative Tribune… I was going to make almost $20,000 more per year than I did as a police officer… I ended up working with Turning Point USA… Charlie Kirk and Candace Owens… were the amazing people I was working with…. God was showing me that he wanted me … to go in a different direction… I had a chance to change the world, not just one sector of the Tucson area…” (Pg. 34-35)
He states, “Let me start by saying this right out loud: Yes, there is police brutality in America. Yes, there are cases of misuse of power and use of excessive force…. But please read this: policing in America isn’t systematically racist …. Not every shooting by a cop is a bad shooting… The most important thing to understand is that every case is unique, and as with any situation that has two sides, you’ve got to … hear and understand both sides.” (Pg. 39)
Of Derek Chauvin’s killing of George Floyd, he comments, “what this officer did was wrong on more than one level… George Floyd was in handcuffs. He was lying face down on the ground… People were recording him, and Chauvin knew that… It was excessive force… This incident was a powder keg that resulted in riots and violence exploding across our country… those initial riots were kicked off by … one police officer, who was extremely arrogant… In my opinion, he showed he was a dummy… However, the other officers were not in the wrong in my opinion.” (Pg. 40-41)
Then he turns to George Floyd: “He tried to … pass fake money… because he was high on meth and fentanyl… When the cops showed up, he started immediately resisting… He said he was claustrophobic and couldn’t be in the back seat of the cop car. But he could be in the front seat of the little SUV he was in… crammed with other people? That doesn’t quite ring true, does it?... His choices were not good choices. Does that mean he deserved to die? No! Only God can make that judgment… However… his choices had a major contribution in his death. There does need to be better training and more support for police officers. There also need to be more accountability with the media and the role they play in creating the racial divide in America… they do a lot to keep Americans angry…” (Pg. 42)
He summarizes, “We do not need people mislabeling every altercation and every arrest as another case of police brutality on a black man… Are there things in the police department that can be improved? Of course. But you know how you don’t end up in an altercation with the police? You don’t resist arrest, whether they are detaining you lawfully or not. That’s something that you determine in court. If you keep fighting, then you’re gonna keep getting the same results.” (Pg. 51)
He then gives the stories of five police officers. Officer Lew states, “because I’m a black officer… I provided some sense of relief to my fellow brothers and sisters. But I treat everyone with respect, and I think that’s why I get a good response from most citizens. Yes, some of that is because I’m a black officer, and they feel I’m … on their side, and looking out for them… Of course, I’ve also heard the opposite and been told I’m a sellout because I ‘work for the white man.’” (Pg. 71)
Officer Lew continues, “Those riots were crazy. We would ride through neighborhoods, and people would throw bricks at the car and break our windows. We were all in fear for our lives and not able to do anything about it. Before, if someone had done something like that, I could act. During the riots, we were told to let them riot and ‘let off steam.’ I just had to take it… There were a lot of cops asking, ‘Why are we putting our lives on the line when we have families to go home to? When did we become the enemy?’ This is not something I started out to do.” (Pg. 73)
Officer Mason Minner observes, “A lot of things we’re doing is not how to fix this. I think a lot comes from the lack of quality training in law enforcement. We are so stuck on training in liability protection, and we must train a certain way to mitigate liability or negative perceptions, bad optics. I don’t care about the optics. We need to be trained to save the lives of good people and to stop the bad guy. That’s the bottom line.” (Pg. 88)
Tatum states, “police are the least racist people I know… I have to speak out and stand up for my fellow brothers and sisters in blue. Most police officers … can’t say the stuff I say, but they know what I’m saying is true. However, they risk being demonized and possibly fired if they say anything publicly. That’s why I am speaking out for them… Of course, we’ve got some cops on the police force who are racists… However, the fact is that those racist officers are not in the majority; they are the minority… Yes, it is true that black people get arrested at a disproportionate rate… disproportionately, black people are having force used against them and are getting into deadly conflicts with police officers. But… African-American people in this country commit a greater amount of crimes… less than 6 percent of black US citizens commit about half of the murders … Over half of all violent crimes in this country are committed by less than 6 percent of the population in our country.” (Pg. 96-97)
He continues, “Another thing that people… don’t want to acknowledge, is that white people get killed by police nearly twice as often as black people, and nearly twice as many of them are unarmed victims… if you have a disproportionate group, which is the black group, committing more of the crimes, then white people aren’t committing the same percentage of crime, but they’re getting shot more than black people… This is not the narrative that people want to tell you about…” (Pg. 98)
He argues, “what gets cut from the police department when you defund them. Are you going to be there to protect women from getting abused?... Are you gonna be there when someone is lying in the middle of the street with gunshot wounds?... Use your brain. The police officers who go on patrol… deserve support. They deserve funding… I hope you’ll join me and others in supporting police officers all over the country so we can make this country a better place.” (Pg. 112-113)
This book will be of great interest to those concerned about policing in contemporary society.
Brandon Tatum wrote in the Introduction to this 2021 book, “I decided to write this book after years of trying to talk myself out of it… However, over the last few years, this drive, hunger, and motivation for me to change the world and give police a voice at all costs has come bursting out of my heart… I am tired of the smear campaign against cops in nearly every city in our country… I believe there is a misunderstanding of police officers. Beyond the sensationalized cases … there are real people who go out every day to serve their community… Their stories are good stories, and they deserve to be told.”
He states in the first chapter, “Can I just talk a moment about fatherless homes? Fatherlessness is one of the biggest ailments that we face in America… about 23 percent of so of American homes are without fathers… the African American community is at an astronomical number: over 70 percent of the black community experiences fatherlessness… Take a look at these stats: *63 percent of youths who commit suicide did not have a daddy in their lives. *90 percent of all homeless and runaway youths don’t have a daddy at home. *85 percent of all children who exhibit behavioral disorders don’t have a daddy. *71 percent of all high school dropouts don’t have their daddy in their life. *70 percent of juveniles in state-operated institutions don’t have a daddy at home.” (Pg. 7-8)
He recounts that he had a football scholarship to the University of Arizona: “I was riding high on my athletic abilities… but my attitude was still horrible… I was not coachable, and I paid for it dearly. Although my life was spiraling out of control and my destiny in football became uncertain, I was headed closer to the biggest blessing of my life… I will never forget 2008, the years I got saved! I found Jesus and became a Christian.” (Pg. 9) He continues, “I was a young man about to have a young child…. Knowing football was over in a flash, I had to move on… I got a call from the Tucson Police Department… Luckily, I was smart enough to recognize that opportunity when it came to me… and it became another turning point that changed my life.” (Pg. 16-17)
He was allowed to do a ride-along with Officer Sean Payne, and it happened that this officer was able to stop a young man from committing suicide: “I will never forget thinking to myself, ‘This dude does this every day.’ … by the end of the day, I knew this was the kind of life I wanted to lead. I wanted to be a hero! I wanted to help people in my community… To be able to be the person someone turns to in a time of need… that sounded better than the best day of being a pro football player…” (Pg. 21-22)
He continues, “I loved being a police officer. After six and a half years and doing nearly every job I could within the department, I didn’t have any specific plans to leave the force. However, God led me in a different direction. It was all connected to making videos and sharing my thoughts… I also started my own personal social media page and started posting my thoughts and perspective. Today I have a lot of followers on my social media platforms… I have been asked a thousand times, ‘Brandon, why did you leave the police department?’ … ‘Was it too dangerous?’ ‘Could you not be a conservative in the police department?’ … I want to share with you the answers to all of them before I go any further with this book.” (Pg. 32-33)
He recounts, “I was becoming more conservative in my political views. Some of that started when I heard… Barack Obama say negative things about the police… having what I felt were ‘anti-cop’ things coming from the President … began to create an environment where our jog was way more dangerous than it should have been… That was when I said to myself, ‘Let me go to this Trump rally … and see what he’s all about.’ I did not start out supporting Donald Trump; I was a Ben Carson guy. Then when Ben Carson dropped out, he supported Trump… I was absolutely shocked at what I saw. Trump ended up not being … a racist, and his followers were everyday Americans like me… Now, the protesters were absolute lunatics… I had to make a video… The video went viral, so much so that I thought I was going to get fired because millions of people were watching that video… I was asked to be on a few news shows on Fox… these shows wanted to actually interview me… I was excited by my unexpected fame.” (Pg. 34-35) He continues, “I left [the force] to work with Conservative Tribune… I was going to make almost $20,000 more per year than I did as a police officer… I ended up working with Turning Point USA… Charlie Kirk and Candace Owens… were the amazing people I was working with…. God was showing me that he wanted me … to go in a different direction… I had a chance to change the world, not just one sector of the Tucson area…” (Pg. 34-35)
He states, “Let me start by saying this right out loud: Yes, there is police brutality in America. Yes, there are cases of misuse of power and use of excessive force…. But please read this: policing in America isn’t systematically racist …. Not every shooting by a cop is a bad shooting… The most important thing to understand is that every case is unique, and as with any situation that has two sides, you’ve got to … hear and understand both sides.” (Pg. 39)
Of Derek Chauvin’s killing of George Floyd, he comments, “what this officer did was wrong on more than one level… George Floyd was in handcuffs. He was lying face down on the ground… People were recording him, and Chauvin knew that… It was excessive force… This incident was a powder keg that resulted in riots and violence exploding across our country… those initial riots were kicked off by … one police officer, who was extremely arrogant… In my opinion, he showed he was a dummy… However, the other officers were not in the wrong in my opinion.” (Pg. 40-41)
Then he turns to George Floyd: “He tried to … pass fake money… because he was high on meth and fentanyl… When the cops showed up, he started immediately resisting… He said he was claustrophobic and couldn’t be in the back seat of the cop car. But he could be in the front seat of the little SUV he was in… crammed with other people? That doesn’t quite ring true, does it?... His choices were not good choices. Does that mean he deserved to die? No! Only God can make that judgment… However… his choices had a major contribution in his death. There does need to be better training and more support for police officers. There also need to be more accountability with the media and the role they play in creating the racial divide in America… they do a lot to keep Americans angry…” (Pg. 42)
He summarizes, “We do not need people mislabeling every altercation and every arrest as another case of police brutality on a black man… Are there things in the police department that can be improved? Of course. But you know how you don’t end up in an altercation with the police? You don’t resist arrest, whether they are detaining you lawfully or not. That’s something that you determine in court. If you keep fighting, then you’re gonna keep getting the same results.” (Pg. 51)
He then gives the stories of five police officers. Officer Lew states, “because I’m a black officer… I provided some sense of relief to my fellow brothers and sisters. But I treat everyone with respect, and I think that’s why I get a good response from most citizens. Yes, some of that is because I’m a black officer, and they feel I’m … on their side, and looking out for them… Of course, I’ve also heard the opposite and been told I’m a sellout because I ‘work for the white man.’” (Pg. 71)
Officer Lew continues, “Those riots were crazy. We would ride through neighborhoods, and people would throw bricks at the car and break our windows. We were all in fear for our lives and not able to do anything about it. Before, if someone had done something like that, I could act. During the riots, we were told to let them riot and ‘let off steam.’ I just had to take it… There were a lot of cops asking, ‘Why are we putting our lives on the line when we have families to go home to? When did we become the enemy?’ This is not something I started out to do.” (Pg. 73)
Officer Mason Minner observes, “A lot of things we’re doing is not how to fix this. I think a lot comes from the lack of quality training in law enforcement. We are so stuck on training in liability protection, and we must train a certain way to mitigate liability or negative perceptions, bad optics. I don’t care about the optics. We need to be trained to save the lives of good people and to stop the bad guy. That’s the bottom line.” (Pg. 88)
Tatum states, “police are the least racist people I know… I have to speak out and stand up for my fellow brothers and sisters in blue. Most police officers … can’t say the stuff I say, but they know what I’m saying is true. However, they risk being demonized and possibly fired if they say anything publicly. That’s why I am speaking out for them… Of course, we’ve got some cops on the police force who are racists… However, the fact is that those racist officers are not in the majority; they are the minority… Yes, it is true that black people get arrested at a disproportionate rate… disproportionately, black people are having force used against them and are getting into deadly conflicts with police officers. But… African-American people in this country commit a greater amount of crimes… less than 6 percent of black US citizens commit about half of the murders … Over half of all violent crimes in this country are committed by less than 6 percent of the population in our country.” (Pg. 96-97)
He continues, “Another thing that people… don’t want to acknowledge, is that white people get killed by police nearly twice as often as black people, and nearly twice as many of them are unarmed victims… if you have a disproportionate group, which is the black group, committing more of the crimes, then white people aren’t committing the same percentage of crime, but they’re getting shot more than black people… This is not the narrative that people want to tell you about…” (Pg. 98)
He argues, “what gets cut from the police department when you defund them. Are you going to be there to protect women from getting abused?... Are you gonna be there when someone is lying in the middle of the street with gunshot wounds?... Use your brain. The police officers who go on patrol… deserve support. They deserve funding… I hope you’ll join me and others in supporting police officers all over the country so we can make this country a better place.” (Pg. 112-113)
This book will be of great interest to those concerned about policing in contemporary society.
May 23, 2022
I love Brandon! He tells it like it is and I have always enjoyed his point of view! I love watching his YouTube videos and honestly he is the only person I watch on YouTube!
I couldn’t wait for this book to come out and read about his life story and background of being a police officer. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Whether you are a person who loves cops or hates them, Brandon will give it to you straight! If he sees a cop do something wrong, he will call it out but he also takes you through every scenario from a cops lense. After reading this book, you will have a new faith in police officers and their love for their community and desire to help others.
A great read and I have already lent my copy to a friend who I know will also really enjoy it!!
I couldn’t wait for this book to come out and read about his life story and background of being a police officer. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Whether you are a person who loves cops or hates them, Brandon will give it to you straight! If he sees a cop do something wrong, he will call it out but he also takes you through every scenario from a cops lense. After reading this book, you will have a new faith in police officers and their love for their community and desire to help others.
A great read and I have already lent my copy to a friend who I know will also really enjoy it!!
January 29, 2022
I love Brandon but this book was not well written. I also thought it was going to be more about his personal experience.
February 24, 2022
Good info. Not particularly well written. Very colloquial, rambling.
February 16, 2022
Balanced Perspective.
Officer Tatum presented a balanced view and approach to law enforcement. He, along with four other officers, provided an inside view of policing and an approach to social issues. Also what was provided was hope for the future when it seems like there is no hope. After reading this book, one will have a better appreciation for the thin blue line and what it takes for positive and effective law enforcement. But no matter how a person views law enforcement, this book provides a solid baseline of the needs and issues related to maintaining civility in a very divisive time in our history. This book is solid and very well done. It left me with a lot of food for positive thought.
Officer Tatum presented a balanced view and approach to law enforcement. He, along with four other officers, provided an inside view of policing and an approach to social issues. Also what was provided was hope for the future when it seems like there is no hope. After reading this book, one will have a better appreciation for the thin blue line and what it takes for positive and effective law enforcement. But no matter how a person views law enforcement, this book provides a solid baseline of the needs and issues related to maintaining civility in a very divisive time in our history. This book is solid and very well done. It left me with a lot of food for positive thought.
August 12, 2025
Let me say this first: my low marks for this book have nothing to do with the message. I can't think of anything noteworthy on which Brandon and I disagree.
Unfortunately, this book desperately needed an editor's heavy touch. It meanders and goes off on tangents frequently. Some of the very best parts were those which Brandon didn't personally write (he had other police officers contribute lengthy sections on their experiences) and the variation of quality is obvious. This all makes it more difficult to absorb the author's point at any given moment. Despite only being 138 pages, I struggled to finish it.
It's too bad really, because more material on this topic would be helpful to dispel the nonsensical Defund the Police movement.
Unfortunately, this book desperately needed an editor's heavy touch. It meanders and goes off on tangents frequently. Some of the very best parts were those which Brandon didn't personally write (he had other police officers contribute lengthy sections on their experiences) and the variation of quality is obvious. This all makes it more difficult to absorb the author's point at any given moment. Despite only being 138 pages, I struggled to finish it.
It's too bad really, because more material on this topic would be helpful to dispel the nonsensical Defund the Police movement.
October 9, 2022
I love following The Tatum Report. I think Brandon Tatum is well educated in politics and law enforcement and he's able to give a great perspective on things.
I was very excited to read this book but was slightly let down. Is it interesting? For sure. I really liked the different perspectives from different police officers. Was it the best written book ever? Not a chance. But he does mention he is not a writer before he starts. Haha.
I did the audiobook version of this and I'm so glad I did. I feel like I would have lost some interest if I was just reading it.
I was very excited to read this book but was slightly let down. Is it interesting? For sure. I really liked the different perspectives from different police officers. Was it the best written book ever? Not a chance. But he does mention he is not a writer before he starts. Haha.
I did the audiobook version of this and I'm so glad I did. I feel like I would have lost some interest if I was just reading it.
January 27, 2022
Educate through example!
I enjoyed B Tatums honest approach by allowing those he’s served with, share their stories. How important it is to change, personally through action but first by looking beyond what is on the surface, knowing as we grow individually through being responsible, meaning becomes so much more clearer with each day serving each other. Becoming something is much more rewarding than keeping bad things from happening by being selfish! Chazaq Forever
WilmKutney
I enjoyed B Tatums honest approach by allowing those he’s served with, share their stories. How important it is to change, personally through action but first by looking beyond what is on the surface, knowing as we grow individually through being responsible, meaning becomes so much more clearer with each day serving each other. Becoming something is much more rewarding than keeping bad things from happening by being selfish! Chazaq Forever
WilmKutney
May 9, 2023
From the title of the book, I was hoping for a more comprehensive look at Officer Tatum’s personal experiences. (I am a big fan of memoirs.) However, for me much of the book felt like I was a spectator listening to someone on a soapbox. There were many valid points made in this book but the tone was overly casual, some things were redundant, and in one of the later chapters I felt like I being admonished.
April 17, 2022
I love B Tatum. I love watching his YouTube channel.
Although I agree with the message i n this book the way it was written was, ummm no so good.
In fact, if "I'm keeping it 100" (A phrase used way too much in this book) I would say this book wasn't so much written as it was just a verbatim transcript of B Tatum just talking.
Although I agree with the message i n this book the way it was written was, ummm no so good.
In fact, if "I'm keeping it 100" (A phrase used way too much in this book) I would say this book wasn't so much written as it was just a verbatim transcript of B Tatum just talking.
September 10, 2025
Excellent insight into what law enforcement goes through. Brandon’s tone is welcoming, informative and inspiring. The media has widened the gap between law enforcement and the public in the last decade and Brandon is trying to bridge that gap. He does so with facts, statistics and sharing experiences of fellow officers. Great read.
January 10, 2022
Hear first hand about what it is to be a cop in America, Hear it from the cops, not the media, not a talking head, from cops, as Tatum has several officers share their experiences in this book, like I said, hear it from cops, Black cops.
February 23, 2022
This was read as an audiobook. The reader was excellent.
This is a candid look at being black and a police officer in today's society. Brandon Tatum is a pioneer in communicating his perspective. I thank him!
This is a candid look at being black and a police officer in today's society. Brandon Tatum is a pioneer in communicating his perspective. I thank him!
September 19, 2024
I was not going to rate this initially.
I have a partner who is a police officer, as well as a father. I fear for them both. Neither of them are African American, so while this book does not directly relate to them, it does share insight as to how families in this field feel.
I have a partner who is a police officer, as well as a father. I fear for them both. Neither of them are African American, so while this book does not directly relate to them, it does share insight as to how families in this field feel.
February 8, 2022
very disappointed. i expected to be inspired and understand better what our cops have felt during these tumultuous times. i got neither
Read
April 26, 2022Interesting, but I can't agree with most of the author's opinions. He has a story that should be shared, but most of his positions on these topics were too far from my own beliefs.
May 20, 2022
Awesome insightful book on the important role cops play.
July 14, 2022
Informative and interesting
Enj
oyed learning police procedures , thanks officer Tatum this book has explained and clarified many things. Also
Enjoyed your humor.
Enj
oyed learning police procedures , thanks officer Tatum this book has explained and clarified many things. Also
Enjoyed your humor.
October 3, 2022
Very quick read and hits on many of the main issues we are facing and is not being addressed. Would recommend this book to others.
October 22, 2023
This book is great. I love to see police department more with the community when it comes to training/scenarios. Officer Tatum, I’m a fan!
Back the blue!
Back the blue!
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