I could be missing the point but, it seems to be directed at medics, police, and military.
589300
I may not be the right audience for this book.  I don't see much applicability to engineering and other non-crisis occupations, but I'm not very bright.
1658518
To protect and serve whom?  - the public or establishment paymasters?

This book doesnt question enough. A book on police reform needs to pose fundamental questions. This only does briefly and at the end (the book ought to be structured the other way around). A book on police needs to ask about society, justice, the basic good of humans. But as Stamper acknowledges, police are not philosophers, counsellors, pastors. So police reform by ex police is rather limited, for their role is to give and take orders, to problem solve. To fix.

And thats another issue: the subtitle. The fixing mentality is not suffice.

Its also very much about American police, thus alienating other would-be readers and losing sales, when the book could be more universal.

The book is full of hard toned anecdotes and many figures, but the suggestions for change are often small parts of each a chapter.

The widening expectations of police duty are dangerous, for many police don't have the qualities needed. His views on drugs and mental health were alarming, for they were also in the fix mindset.

This book is clearly for non police as it explains and also withholds information that is familiar to the average officer (I hated his repeated use of cop).

He defends the scary arsenal of weapons (not 'tools', Norm) including tasers and numchucks and never mentions their expense. He doesnt question searches including those that are rape. Although he wants more citizen participation, he sees it as unpaid but regular work and says there are times when the police must take priority, and expects that citizens stand aside.

Hes keen on not claiming a distinction between citizens and police, but he ultimately does.
Cops don't rule he acknowledges, but they often act like they do - even in his more progressive world.

There is some wisdom and compassion as well as honesty about his own behaviour, but its not surprising that someone whos been so entrenched in police work for decades cant really think outside of its mindset. Yes, he is courageous and speaks out, and asks for change. But reform needs to go much further - this is baby steps.

Id hoped that this book was something that might challenge and build bridges, but I disliked more than I liked and felt it quite dangerous in places, which was a disappointment as the reviews/blurb gave a different view.
4120213
I'd be happy to give it two stars, however they say it's for police military. BS! There is Way too much play for me even, and I'm no sniper. The scope base doesn't fight tightly to the pic rail because it needs a square insert which fits snug in between raised spots in your rail. Under heavy recoil your scope mount will slide forward when the rifle recoils back toward it's operator. Thus, not good for the police, or anyone who is looking for a scope. I'm just disappointed in myself that I don't have the money for USA products, which would more than likely have tight tolerances and put a smile on my face. Trump, do us well!  Bottom line, I used it with the .22 and no issues when it's tight, however the .308 is not tested yet. Either way I won't put my life on it like the ad mentions. Good for target shooting but inhumane for hunting in my book. UNLESS you tighten the bolts down so tight you can't use the lever any longer. Then it comes down to stripping the threads. HTF and WTF Taekwondo is where it's at folks
340788
There is a tendency to assume that major issues such as presented here are under control by somebody.  This is a reminder that we all need to be concerned.
3591268
A little more political than I care for but the point is made very well.
4474873
As a retired Officer, I can attest to what is written here.  Most of my career I was not aware or told much of this.  Main emphasis was on "Do not use your weapon".  When it happened I felt left out to dry.  Fortunately it turned out OK
4271403
It's nice to read an unbiased approach to this subject, something lacking the hysteria that normally surrounds it. And it takes courage to do so as unfortunately we live beneath a tyranny of the majority. But the author is puzzled as to why most parents will not consult with Welfare Professionals. Does he mean those Professionals who for the last 10 years have been telling our children, and anyone else who would listen, that a stranger is danger, thereby making impossible any intergenerational relationships any healthy society should encourage and, whilst at it, turning every adult male into a suspected pedeophile. Within my wife's canine therapy group there are still these 'Professionals' warning children about the same old stuff, but with the added caveat that even those children sitting around them are mostly strangers and so come under the same banner of stranger danger. (whatever happened to socialization). It's an unfortunate fact that not everyone with a Professional degree is automatically a rational human being, as the last 10 years has many times proved. I sometimes think society would be better off without all these 'Professionals' probing into our lives including those groups who seem to trash men at every opportunity they get. And then the author is again puzzled as to why adult men can find children sexually attractive. Is this a serious question ? There are 8 year olds who can melt your socks with one 'look' (though one wonders how they learnt to do this, from the media, or from adults close to them ?) And don't most children possess life in abundance. Don't they exude a purity, an innocence and a vulnerability which most everyone finds attractive ? (as we are attracted to the young of all species). But some adults, lacking certain qualities in their souls, for whatever reason, have the urge to internalize in any way they can whatever qualities they can. So I don't think this is primarily about sex. It seems penetrative sex is quite rare anyway between adults (of the 'stranger' kind) and pre-puberty children, the exception rather than the rule. We should be thankful for that. And of course there are many adults that just love children unreservedly and some will take this love too far. But It's the family environment that can be most problematic. With the very young the parents have a duty to protect them but, as these children get older, society should educate them on where their personal boundaries lay. Children aren't stupid, they'll get it if given facts instead of fiction. We are sexual beings and our nature is nothing to be ashamed of, but children must be made aware of what is permissible in the society in which they find themselves. It's a complex subject not to be fully explicated by a short diatribe like this. It seems no matter which direction we choose to take there remain pitfalls and it's probably a situation we can never get right to everyone's satisfaction. We can't save everyone, nor should we attempt to formulate and even worse apply, the dynamics of a 'successful' family (heaven save us from that) but, as one president hoped, can we at least make progress toward a 'kinder gentler nation' and with this in mind leave our medieval approach to punishment, especially against school teachers, far behind us.
114623
Xenophobic and sad.  The inclusion of the word insight in the subtitle must be irony; as the authors blatant contempt for Pashtuns and clear misunderstanding of some fairly predictable responses to coping with a horrible situation are the opposite of insightful.  If this is representative of our military intelligence, no wonder our efforts in the region have gone so badly.
4489173
After reading the reviews I think that about 45 doctors have read the book.  To be fair, the book is not bad, but the author goes overboard with the medical background every chance he can get.  For example, I probably should have said "Physicians" instead of doctors.  It reminded me of being in school with the one guy that wants everybody to know how smart he is so constantly asks obvious questions to show his knowledge.  Other than that the book is not bad at all.  It keeps things going at a decent pace, but I would recommend skipping the prologue until the end.  In an effort at foreshadowing, the author gives everything away.

All in all not a bad read and terrorism is certainly a relevant topic these days.
4416924
Pointing out that people on the same side of a conflict can have different motivators seemed very relevant to the current divide in our country. So did pointing out yelling a position while not being willing to listen to alternate views is the action of a bigot.
2726926
Wish it had a little more detail.  It seems like the only solution is go seek emergency personnel.
4126489
I've never served in the military, and I can understand how people who have may take issue with this book for either blowing the lid on how soldiers really behave or overblowing the bad behavior scenes. Some of the snippets of how the men treat each other and, say, camels, are horrifying. But I don't think Swofford's glorifying them or presenting them in the hopes of making the military look bad. I think he's trying to show how human soldiers are, and that when they're left bored, afraid, and unsupervised for too long, they do get a bit crazy. Too bad not enough people in the military and government read this book prior to the Iraq Invasion, because then perhaps the stunts at Abu Ghraib could have been prevented.
556019
The author paints  U S  generals as blood thirsty creatures only interested in gaining glory for themselves by mindlessly sending GIs into useless hopeless battle. As a WW II and Korean War veteran that is not my view of most Generals, and I worked with eight different star wearing officers. Perhaps one was a little that way..
All who must send others into harms way must grow very tough skins or end up blithering wrecks, useless for the leadership role.
Emergency room workers must develop similar toughness, I'm sure, or the could not perform well when faced with atrocious injuries.
4213559
For me, too much focus on sexual violence, even though it was probably close to truth rather than fiction.
I guess I have read too many true stories of people who went through this horrific time of history, so it left me a little disappointed.
4650985
It seems that every decade or so someone comes out with a "new revelation" about a special generation of Christians who are supposed to be "conquerers of the end-time" or "manifested sons of God" or a special group-- beware of such "special" titles as they are based in pride and presumption.  Such "specialness" can lead into a cult-like, superior attitude. This book is off in my view. However, it may be well intended.
1415112
As I firefighter I oppose the use of this decal--we're not here to be monsters, brutal, and associated with death, but rather with saving lives. I don't know what's happening to police and firefighters in these tough times. Sure, we protect the community, but we're not marines and we shouldn't be!
2114333
The first thing I noticed was the non-military military. Every command is questioned and second guessing seems to be a sport. The amount of time the doctor and a crew member spent chit-chatting should have been rewarded with a firing squad. A few more days, weeks, or months studying technology before writing about it would help this author. I did enjoy not being SPAMMED with environmental crap or profanity or LGBT content.