Becoming a Police Officer

About the Book

Becoming a Police Officer: An Insider's Guide to a Career in Law Enforcement is a serious examination of police work that is directed toward young people who are contemplating a career as a police officer. Author Barry Baker draws on over thirty-two years of experience from some of the most violent streets of any city in the United States to show you the unembellished truths of law enforcement.

Baker describes the self-satisfaction that can be found in police work while identifying its pitfalls and how to avoid them. Before ending his career as a detective lieutenant, Baker spent his first twenty years on the force as a patrol officer, making him uniquely qualified to speak from a breadth and depth of experience.

Becoming a Police Officer: An Insider's Guide to a Career in Law Enforcement covers topics a newly trained police officer must appreciate-and master-to ensure success and safety, including the following:

• Self-evaluation for a police career
• Recognizing and ignoring bad advice
• Rapid advancement toward self-sufficiency
• The immeasurable importance of integrity
• Matters of life and death

Becoming a Police Officer: An Insider's Guide to a Career in Law Enforcement is a valuable insight for those seeking a career in the honorable and important profession of law enforcement.

About the Author

Detective Lieutenant Barry Baker retired from the Baltimore Police Department in 2004. During his thirty-two year career, Baker served as a patrol officer, sergeant, and lieutenant, as well as a special operations lieutenant and detective lieutenant.