In 1869, the police force in Los Angeles went from a voluntary to a paid city police force. Since then, thousands upon thousands of men and women have served on the Los Angeles Police Department. In this book, thirty-four former officers share stories of their experiences in police work in their own words. Of the thirty-four, the first officer came on in 1941 and the last officer retired in 2009, a range of time just short of seventy years. The experiences recounted in this book cover a wide range of assignments and speak to just about any situation a police officer can encounter.

The officers were frank, truthful, and open about an occupation met with everything from monotony to split-second life and death decisions. They recounted their thoughts of purpose, duty, and in many instances, valor. Whether rescuing an abused child, confronting armed individuals, managing civil disorder, or losing one of their own, the officers in this book reveal the human element present in all those who serve in law enforcement.