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Product Description
Product Description
A memoir looking at policing in the UK from a trainee's perspective. Someone who joined with high aspirations of helping to protect people and serve the public trust, only to resign while still in probation after becoming throroughly disillusioned with the modern world of coppering.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
As a former police officer myself, Lance has my sympathies regarding the despicable way he was treated by his supposed mentors and supervisors.
Lance's account is an extremely well written memoir of his time in the police - yes there are two sides (sometimes more) to every story and I am sure others might give a different account, however for Lance to have felt strongly enough to put pen to paper, there must have been something wrong going on.
Police officers have enough to do without having to fight the `enemy from within' constantly.
If you liked this book you might also like my own, Bobby on the Run which is a fictional story based on real police officers experiences.
Lance's account is an extremely well written memoir of his time in the police - yes there are two sides (sometimes more) to every story and I am sure others might give a different account, however for Lance to have felt strongly enough to put pen to paper, there must have been something wrong going on.
Police officers have enough to do without having to fight the `enemy from within' constantly.
If you liked this book you might also like my own, Bobby on the Run which is a fictional story based on real police officers experiences.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is the kind of book that seems to attract sharply polarized opinion - readers either agree with every word or violently disagree. As a former public sector employee (London Underground), with close knowledge of how this sector works (and the restrictions that its functionaries labour under), I fall into the former group.
Manley has written a blistering attack on a target that, in fairness, has been created by a State force that has been thoroughly infected by the neo-Gramscian tendencies of 21st century Britain. The Metropolitan Police is operating a long, long way from the idealized 'Peelian Principles' and yet the great majority of those who live under the 'protection' of this force would have no knowledge of the depth of the rot, were it not for brave souls, such as Manley, who are prepared to shine a cold, harsh light on some unpalatable truths.
This book told me of much that I found new, most of which I read in dumbfounded amazement, interspersed with some good old belly-laughs. Buy it, read it, have your blood-pressure medicine at hand!
Manley has written a blistering attack on a target that, in fairness, has been created by a State force that has been thoroughly infected by the neo-Gramscian tendencies of 21st century Britain. The Metropolitan Police is operating a long, long way from the idealized 'Peelian Principles' and yet the great majority of those who live under the 'protection' of this force would have no knowledge of the depth of the rot, were it not for brave souls, such as Manley, who are prepared to shine a cold, harsh light on some unpalatable truths.
This book told me of much that I found new, most of which I read in dumbfounded amazement, interspersed with some good old belly-laughs. Buy it, read it, have your blood-pressure medicine at hand!
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is everyone's worst nightmares about not having anyone there to protect you.
The UK police, in their attempts to shake off the mantle of being considered racist, intolerant thugs (that they never had anyway, that's just Lord Scarman and his ilk being blinkered), have become shadows of what they are meant to stand or and are now ineffectual and useless, caring more for easy targets and soft arrests than actually protecting the public.
Lance Manley makes it quite clear that he was in no way perfect. He admits to making mistakes and trying hard to overcome both partial paralysis as well as the most obscene bullying from his superiors (Sergeant Kerwan and his assistant PC Esobe as two prime examples).
That society now accepts this wretched state of affairs from The Thin Blue Line only goes to show just how wrong we have let ourselves become. That officers like Kerwan continue in the police while others can be dismissed for one racist or sexist remark (regardless of whether anyone found it offensive at the time or not) is a frightening and ludicrous state of affairs.
The thing that hits home most of all about this book is not Lance's individual stories but that he portrays a world where cops are frightened of each other and will rat their colleagues for fear of of being accused of ignoring "innapropriate" behaviour.
Lance has a writing style that keeps you wanting to read more, although some of the book is VERY heavy (the chapters on murder victim Sophie Lancaster, the meeting where Lance is humiliated to the point of crying and the general hypocrisy and ignorance of senior cops to mention just three).
Thankfully there is humour in plentiful supply alongside the sobering accounts of the cretinous state of affairs. Spitfire McGuire's chapter made me laugh out loud and I found myself shouting "Yes!!" when Inspector Harwood told his counterpart to push off for being overcautious during a REPLICA firearams incident.
Highly reccomended, but despite the humour be prepared to be left very disillusioned (like the author himself) with the state of modern policing.
The UK police, in their attempts to shake off the mantle of being considered racist, intolerant thugs (that they never had anyway, that's just Lord Scarman and his ilk being blinkered), have become shadows of what they are meant to stand or and are now ineffectual and useless, caring more for easy targets and soft arrests than actually protecting the public.
Lance Manley makes it quite clear that he was in no way perfect. He admits to making mistakes and trying hard to overcome both partial paralysis as well as the most obscene bullying from his superiors (Sergeant Kerwan and his assistant PC Esobe as two prime examples).
That society now accepts this wretched state of affairs from The Thin Blue Line only goes to show just how wrong we have let ourselves become. That officers like Kerwan continue in the police while others can be dismissed for one racist or sexist remark (regardless of whether anyone found it offensive at the time or not) is a frightening and ludicrous state of affairs.
The thing that hits home most of all about this book is not Lance's individual stories but that he portrays a world where cops are frightened of each other and will rat their colleagues for fear of of being accused of ignoring "innapropriate" behaviour.
Lance has a writing style that keeps you wanting to read more, although some of the book is VERY heavy (the chapters on murder victim Sophie Lancaster, the meeting where Lance is humiliated to the point of crying and the general hypocrisy and ignorance of senior cops to mention just three).
Thankfully there is humour in plentiful supply alongside the sobering accounts of the cretinous state of affairs. Spitfire McGuire's chapter made me laugh out loud and I found myself shouting "Yes!!" when Inspector Harwood told his counterpart to push off for being overcautious during a REPLICA firearams incident.
Highly reccomended, but despite the humour be prepared to be left very disillusioned (like the author himself) with the state of modern policing.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
An interesting read
This is a well written and interesting book.
Although written specifically from Lance's point of view, it highlights a lot of the problems blighting a police force... Read more
Although written specifically from Lance's point of view, it highlights a lot of the problems blighting a police force... Read more
Published 20 days ago by R.C.Markworth
When the Job goes bad....
"This Job will shaft you, some people can take it and some can't. It seems like they had it in for you".
A pearl of wisdom from an officer refered to as 'Doris'. Read more
A pearl of wisdom from an officer refered to as 'Doris'. Read more
Published 2 months ago by CTC
A good read, very insightful
Being keen to join the Police Service I was eager to read more about what it's really like. The more I read however, the more I start to question my choice to pursue this. Read more
Published 3 months ago by You're not having my real name sorry.
Outstandingly accurate
This book is incredibly well written and for anyone who has seen how the probationary system and even the system of rank performs it is accurate. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Wicksey
Stab proof scarecrows
[[ASIN:1848762976 Stab Proof Scarecrows]
I bought this book expecting to read a whiny story about someone who couldn't cut it in the police.I was wrong. Read more
I bought this book expecting to read a whiny story about someone who couldn't cut it in the police.I was wrong. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Jaded
Like being there
Very interesting book, giving an account of what can happen in the modern police force when a person with principles and skills is placed under the control of those with none. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Hercule
excellent and interesting read
as a person who is ignorant to what goes on in public services such as the police force, i found it incredibly interesting to hear what happens from an insider's perspective. Read more
Published 10 months ago by lp
Eye-opening account of Policing attitudes
Although I have never (and from reading this, WILL never) pursue a law enforcement career, I picked up this title on a friends recommendation. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Mr. L. Hunt
The most frightening and addictive account of modern policing there...
I picked this book up due to my interest in UK policing and to try and get a different perspsective of exactly how cops in England work now. Read more
Published 14 months ago by David Ainsworth
Great book
Well having picked up this book on a Sunday and finished it by Tuesday, i can say it was a great read and enjoyed it from start to finish.
Published 14 months ago by simon-e
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