L.A. Justice: Lessons from the Firestorm, Can Our Families and Society Be Saved?

The author, Bob Vernon, rose up through the ranks of the LAPD and through a 37 year career, became Deputy Chief. This book gives important behind-the-scenes insight into the events surrounding the Rodney King incident and the riots that followed. It also lays out how Los Angeles politicians in this time period sought to use the police force for their own political purposes. The second half of the book uses police stories to illustrate principles that the author believes need to be addressed in society today to re-instate law and order. I can't recommend this book highly enough for those with either an interest or who are working in law enforcement.

Want to know what's wrong with the LAPD today? Read this book. Chief Vernon's first hand account of what went wrong provides tremendous insight into the destructive power of political correctness and and the political power struggles that destroyed the finest law enforcement agency in the world! Well written in a self-depricating and winsome style. A prophetic look at the future of big city municiple law enforcement. A must read for any police officer considering a career as a Law Enforcement Executive.

I live in a country where racialism was once institutionalised by law, where politicians and officials connived to conceal the tragic consequences of their laws, and where people were hopelessly divided from and mistrustful of one another. This book reminded me of my own country's failures and of the TV footage of the Rodney King affair. It also reminded me of the large number of commissions of enquiry into mysterious deaths that found "no one to blame".The author is candid, honest and courageous in his presentation of the facts as he has experienced them.