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The Turnaround: How America's Top Cop Reversed the Crime Epidemic
When Bill Bratton was sworn in as New York City's police commissioner in 1994, he made what many considered a bold The NYPD would fight crime in every borough...and win. It seemed foolhardy; even everybody knows you can't win the war on crime. But Bratton delivered. In an extraordinary twenty-seven months, serious crime in New York City went down by 33 percent, the murder rate was cut in half--and Bill Bratton was heralded as the most charismatic and respected law enforcement official in America.. In this outspoken account of his news-making career, Bratton reveals how his cutting-edge policing strategies brought about the historic reduction in crime.
Bratton's success made national news and landed him on the cover of Time . It also landed him in political hot water. Bratton earned such positive press that before he'd completed his first week on the job, the administration of New York's media-hungry mayor Rudolph Giuliani, threatened to fire him. Bratton gives a vivid, behind-the-scenes look at the sizzle and substance, and he pulls no punches describing the personalities who really run the city.
Bratton grew up in a working-class Boston neighborhood, always dreaming of being a cop. As a young officer under Robert di Grazia, Boston's progressive police commissioner, he got a ground-level view of real police reform and also saw what happens when an outspoken, dynamic, reform-minded police commissioner starts to outshine an ambitious mayor. He was soon in the forefront of the community policing movement and a rising star in the profession. Bratton had turned around four major police departments when he accepted the number one police job in America.
When Bratton arrived at the NYPD, New York's Finest were almost hiding; they had given up on preventing crime and were trying only to respond to it. Narcotics, Vice, Auto Theft, and the Gun Squads all worked banker's hours while the competition--the bad guys--worked around the clock. Bratton changed that. He brought talent to the top and instilled pride in the force; he listened to the people in the neighborhoods and to the cops on the street. Bratton and his "dream team" created Compstat, a combination of computer statistics analysis and an unwavering demand for accountability. Cops were called on the carpet, and crime began to drop. With Bratton on the job, New York City was turned around.
Today, New York's plummeting crime rate and improved quality of life remain a national success story. Bratton is directly responsible, and his strategies are being studied and implemented by police forces across the country and around the world. In Turnaround , Bratton shows how the war on crime can be won once and for all.
Bratton's success made national news and landed him on the cover of Time . It also landed him in political hot water. Bratton earned such positive press that before he'd completed his first week on the job, the administration of New York's media-hungry mayor Rudolph Giuliani, threatened to fire him. Bratton gives a vivid, behind-the-scenes look at the sizzle and substance, and he pulls no punches describing the personalities who really run the city.
Bratton grew up in a working-class Boston neighborhood, always dreaming of being a cop. As a young officer under Robert di Grazia, Boston's progressive police commissioner, he got a ground-level view of real police reform and also saw what happens when an outspoken, dynamic, reform-minded police commissioner starts to outshine an ambitious mayor. He was soon in the forefront of the community policing movement and a rising star in the profession. Bratton had turned around four major police departments when he accepted the number one police job in America.
When Bratton arrived at the NYPD, New York's Finest were almost hiding; they had given up on preventing crime and were trying only to respond to it. Narcotics, Vice, Auto Theft, and the Gun Squads all worked banker's hours while the competition--the bad guys--worked around the clock. Bratton changed that. He brought talent to the top and instilled pride in the force; he listened to the people in the neighborhoods and to the cops on the street. Bratton and his "dream team" created Compstat, a combination of computer statistics analysis and an unwavering demand for accountability. Cops were called on the carpet, and crime began to drop. With Bratton on the job, New York City was turned around.
Today, New York's plummeting crime rate and improved quality of life remain a national success story. Bratton is directly responsible, and his strategies are being studied and implemented by police forces across the country and around the world. In Turnaround , Bratton shows how the war on crime can be won once and for all.
329 pages, Hardcover
First published January 20, 1998
27 people are currently reading
227 people want to read
About the author
William Bratton
12 books4 followers William J. Bratton was New York City police commissioner from 1994-1996. He also served as chief of the New York City Transit Police from 1990-1992 and then as Boston’s police commissioner before returning to New York in 1994. Bratton began his career as a beat cop in Boston in 1970. In 2002, he moved to Los Angeles as head of its police department.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
December 5, 2011
One of the best management books I've read. Describes how Bratton improved street policing in the NYPD, focusing on preventing crime rather than solving crimes. His method starts with crime statistics by neighborhood. Then he makes police officers responsible for reducing crime in their territories. Simple ... and brilliant.
January 22, 2017
If you are interested in law enforcement this book is a great guide that shows you the success stories inside of the NYPD. It gives critical information on how William Bratton reduced New York's murder rate by 50% in just two years. Every police officer should be forced to read this book in order to steer them towards a successful career in crime fighting that works with the community rather than against them.
December 25, 2010
egomaniac
October 12, 2019
The good inside scoop on the turnaround of NYC crime. If you have been to the City in the last twenty years you no doubt recognize the feeling of safety compared to what it used to be. Bratten was the instrument that steered that turnaround. He assembled a great crew and they accepted only proven results. They changed the way policing was conducted in America for the better. A good read if you are concerned about crime in your neighborhood.
February 16, 2018
Insightful for Law Enforcement and Business Leaders Alike!
A reflective journey of a proven leader who seeks to inspire collaboration, stretch goals, integrity, motivation and community engagement. Bratton is candid and sincere in recounting his successes and challenges.
A reflective journey of a proven leader who seeks to inspire collaboration, stretch goals, integrity, motivation and community engagement. Bratton is candid and sincere in recounting his successes and challenges.
May 20, 2019
The life story of a man who helped change American policing.
September 2, 2020
Loved it!!
November 4, 2025
I was hoping this book would be primarily how to reform a police department. Instead, this book was 90% autobiography and 10% policing reform and strategy.
April 27, 2015
I can offer no better review than my professor's words: "It's a good book, but nobody loves Bratton like Bratton loves Bratton."
The Turnaround: How America's Top Cop Reversed the Crime Epidemic is a helpful book on management and a glimpse into the police world. In fact, so much of this book intrigued me that I decided to push it from three to four stars because of that elusive sense of potential. But to get to that potential, you have to deal with Bratton. And Bratton loves Bratton. Unfortunately, I do not.
Bratton's ambition and self-importance practically drips off the pages. He's “Mr. Offended Dignity” every time he gets overlooked for a job, and “Mr. Obliging Eagerness” when he does get one. It reached a point where I didn't know if I was reading false humility into the text or if it actually was in almost every paragraph.
Maybe he doesn't have to be modest. After all, he did do an incredible thing. Even though I suspect Bratton and I come to very different political conclusions, his theories and solutions made sense and felt like practical answers. I liked reading about how he developed a team around him and their various traits that made the team work. I found the book very helpful as a supplement to my textbook reading as well as my own personal knowledge. I would be intrigued to read about a long-term study of his work, and how it has been implemented in other cities
This book would have been really powerful if Bratton had waited a year or two or maybe five before writing it. I had not heard of William Bratton before my professor lent me his copy of this book. Yet Bratton writes with the assumption that I have heard of him. Well, maybe not me specifically. But this book is written with the idea that the reader has been paying attention to criticisms lobbied against Bratton, and he sometimes gets quite defensive over things that have no significance to me. Time reveals what really matters and this book would have been better if it had waited to see which controversies needed to be addressed and which ignored.
Caught in the moment as he was, Bratton treats Mayor Giuliani's actions as paramount. The response of his team was vital and dramatic, and Bratton writes that way. At the time, I am sure they were! But this memoir came about to soon. It isn't designed to be a detailed manual on his theories but it also isn't the conclusive story of his life. It falls somewhere in between. That might have worked if one of those had reached a developed conclusion. But it feels chopped off.
He had the opportunity to develop his ideas, but not all of them came to fruition. He brought NYC to a "turnaround," but barely gets two years into it. When this book ends, Bratton's story isn't over. He's shifting gears, in the heat of the moment, looking for what comes next. But what was next? There was no sense of his resting on his laurels, because that wasn't what he was planning on doing, by any stretch.
Perhaps it could be argued that’s what this book tries for. A sense of hope and enthusiasm and what will come next for America! But what might have worked in 1998 feels frustratingly outdated in 2015. It was like reading The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century but worse. Because besides being outdated, it ends like a candidate testing the waters for a presidential run. Barely useful in the moment, and certainly not afterwards.
Yet I sensed a great deal of possibility in Bratton's world. I was reminded of The Prince of Darkness: 50 Years Reporting in Washington, one of my all-time favorite memoirs. I felt like it could have reached that level of historical significance. It just ended too soon. Or rather, was written to early.
However, those mainly reflect my thoughts on the last quarter of this book. The first three quarters were intriguing and offered glimpses into police culture. Worth the time to read it, but bring some galoshes because there is a lot of Bratton to slog through.
The Turnaround: How America's Top Cop Reversed the Crime Epidemic is a helpful book on management and a glimpse into the police world. In fact, so much of this book intrigued me that I decided to push it from three to four stars because of that elusive sense of potential. But to get to that potential, you have to deal with Bratton. And Bratton loves Bratton. Unfortunately, I do not.
Bratton's ambition and self-importance practically drips off the pages. He's “Mr. Offended Dignity” every time he gets overlooked for a job, and “Mr. Obliging Eagerness” when he does get one. It reached a point where I didn't know if I was reading false humility into the text or if it actually was in almost every paragraph.
Maybe he doesn't have to be modest. After all, he did do an incredible thing. Even though I suspect Bratton and I come to very different political conclusions, his theories and solutions made sense and felt like practical answers. I liked reading about how he developed a team around him and their various traits that made the team work. I found the book very helpful as a supplement to my textbook reading as well as my own personal knowledge. I would be intrigued to read about a long-term study of his work, and how it has been implemented in other cities
This book would have been really powerful if Bratton had waited a year or two or maybe five before writing it. I had not heard of William Bratton before my professor lent me his copy of this book. Yet Bratton writes with the assumption that I have heard of him. Well, maybe not me specifically. But this book is written with the idea that the reader has been paying attention to criticisms lobbied against Bratton, and he sometimes gets quite defensive over things that have no significance to me. Time reveals what really matters and this book would have been better if it had waited to see which controversies needed to be addressed and which ignored.
Caught in the moment as he was, Bratton treats Mayor Giuliani's actions as paramount. The response of his team was vital and dramatic, and Bratton writes that way. At the time, I am sure they were! But this memoir came about to soon. It isn't designed to be a detailed manual on his theories but it also isn't the conclusive story of his life. It falls somewhere in between. That might have worked if one of those had reached a developed conclusion. But it feels chopped off.
He had the opportunity to develop his ideas, but not all of them came to fruition. He brought NYC to a "turnaround," but barely gets two years into it. When this book ends, Bratton's story isn't over. He's shifting gears, in the heat of the moment, looking for what comes next. But what was next? There was no sense of his resting on his laurels, because that wasn't what he was planning on doing, by any stretch.
Perhaps it could be argued that’s what this book tries for. A sense of hope and enthusiasm and what will come next for America! But what might have worked in 1998 feels frustratingly outdated in 2015. It was like reading The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century but worse. Because besides being outdated, it ends like a candidate testing the waters for a presidential run. Barely useful in the moment, and certainly not afterwards.
Yet I sensed a great deal of possibility in Bratton's world. I was reminded of The Prince of Darkness: 50 Years Reporting in Washington, one of my all-time favorite memoirs. I felt like it could have reached that level of historical significance. It just ended too soon. Or rather, was written to early.
However, those mainly reflect my thoughts on the last quarter of this book. The first three quarters were intriguing and offered glimpses into police culture. Worth the time to read it, but bring some galoshes because there is a lot of Bratton to slog through.
January 22, 2016
A very interesting read for those interested in how the Americans do policing and how the leadership differs in contrast to the UK. More so, very interesting to see how much of an impact one man can make to a system of policing that was already so well-established. There are few, dare I say it, 'revolutionaries' like Bratton in the world of policing. Most, particularly in the UK, are moulded into politicians and afraid to 'rock the boat' with drastic reforms; Bratton is certainly a departure from these types of leaders.
It is worth noting that Bratton's 'Turnarounds' were arguably centred in a different generation of policing - where resources were plentiful, set against today's age of austerity, but nonetheless, a very inspiring read for those in service. In particular, I would suggest relevant and accessible for those aspiring to leadership roles who are yet to be tainted by the inevitable cynicism (a point which Bratton eloquently discusses).
As with most autobiographies, it does suffer one-sidedness but having said that, there is nothing more in other literature (besides the controversy over the book deal itself), that suggests what Bratton writes is misleading.
His account of his time as NYPD Commissioner is particularly intriguing and demonstrates just how politicized policing in Western cultures has become. What sets Bratton aside from so many other police leaders is that he never seems to forget where he's come from and speaks constantly about the regard and respect he has for the officers that do everyday frontline policing. Indeed, one could argue that his entire leadership style is Branson-esque in the way that he keeps his officers and staff happy which in turn delivers crime reduction and public confidence.
A brilliant read.
It is worth noting that Bratton's 'Turnarounds' were arguably centred in a different generation of policing - where resources were plentiful, set against today's age of austerity, but nonetheless, a very inspiring read for those in service. In particular, I would suggest relevant and accessible for those aspiring to leadership roles who are yet to be tainted by the inevitable cynicism (a point which Bratton eloquently discusses).
As with most autobiographies, it does suffer one-sidedness but having said that, there is nothing more in other literature (besides the controversy over the book deal itself), that suggests what Bratton writes is misleading.
His account of his time as NYPD Commissioner is particularly intriguing and demonstrates just how politicized policing in Western cultures has become. What sets Bratton aside from so many other police leaders is that he never seems to forget where he's come from and speaks constantly about the regard and respect he has for the officers that do everyday frontline policing. Indeed, one could argue that his entire leadership style is Branson-esque in the way that he keeps his officers and staff happy which in turn delivers crime reduction and public confidence.
A brilliant read.
May 6, 2009
The fact that this is listed under the co-author and not Bill Bratton suggests to me that this book is indeed the fleecing of once of the greatest law enforcement minds in America. The brains behind the turnaround of NYC during the Bratton regime was Bill Bratton and the staff he surrounded himself with. The glory hound exemplified in the book is Rudy Guiliani. I can't attest that Bratton wasn't in it for the glory, but Guiliani made sure Bratton didn't get any regardless. I believe credit where it is due is reasonable.
Anyways, this was a textbook for community oriented policing, which Bratton's Broken Windows theory considered and found ways in which to take back the community. Countless communities have seen success using similar formats. Bratton was the brains; Guiliani was the glory hound.
Anyways, this was a textbook for community oriented policing, which Bratton's Broken Windows theory considered and found ways in which to take back the community. Countless communities have seen success using similar formats. Bratton was the brains; Guiliani was the glory hound.
June 12, 2013
This is a highly-engaging book for those interested in the development of modern policing. Bratton provides an in-depth analysis of how his team was able to transform policing in America resulting in some of the lowest crime rates in modern American history.
June 21, 2015
Decent book, with some good insights
I was hoping for a better read, but it wasn't that bad either. For the modern police leader, this book does have some valuable insights into the dangers of politics encroaching into the everyday operations of a PD. Altogether a worthwhile read.
I was hoping for a better read, but it wasn't that bad either. For the modern police leader, this book does have some valuable insights into the dangers of politics encroaching into the everyday operations of a PD. Altogether a worthwhile read.
September 25, 2023
What a fantastic memoir. So much wisdom from the leading thinker in public safety today.
May 4, 2011
I thought it was an excellent police management book. It chronicled the historic drop in crime in the 90's brought about by more efficient operations and concentration on quality of life issues.
January 4, 2013
Read this book to help a friend with a paper for college. Was reluctant at first but this is actually a good book if you enjoy reading biographies.
March 28, 2013
interesting and useful insight into the behind-the-scenes aspects of running police departments.
Read
June 29, 2017I enjoyed this book a lot; Bratton is both a tough cop and a fine businessman.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews