by Joe Buffaloe
Daily Lobo
As young, rebellious college students, I'm sure many of us could think of a thousand reasons not to become a cop.
But James Richard Warner was a cop. As a 19-year veteran, he's lived the life and come out the other side to talk about it. His book 101 Reasons Why You Should Not Become a Cop tells what it's like to live behind the badge.
Contrary to what we have been led to believe - either by TV or personal experience - police do not spend the majority of their time hassling teenagers or hunting serial killers. Instead, it's a job like any other. Among Warner's list of complaints are obnoxious co-workers - the "kiss-ass" and "the nerdy cop" are a few types - inept bosses, maddening bureaucracy, and less-than-stellar pay for an excessive amount of work.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
The difference is at other jobs you don't have to worry about every fast-food cook spitting on your hamburger, or catching hepatitis from a belligerent criminal with open wounds. And cops get lied to almost as much as dentists. They also have restrictions on their free speech, where they can live, and how they control their health.
Warner wrote this book to inform the prospective police candidate about the negatives of a career in law enforcement. He doesn't conclude that you shouldn't become a cop - he just wants you to know what you're getting into. It would be great if every job had a guide like this just to offset the lies of recruiters: "Oh, you'll love giving pedicures to Yaks in Siberia. It's so cold you can't even smell them."
Each reason is accompanied by an explanation, then an example taken from real life. The stories pull you in and make you want to keep reading - reality can be stranger than fiction, after all.
The book would be better if Warner had a distinctive or interesting writing style. The commas are in the right places and I didn't notice any dangling participles, but it feels dry at times. While reading, I wished Warner would let more of his personality come through or expand on some of his opinions. He's a cop, not a writer, as is obvious from this book.
The best aspect of 101 Reasons is what it accomplishes outside of its stated goal. In warning prospective officers about the bad side of the job, Warner gives a detailed, insightful view of a fascinating lifestyle. Anyone who's ever complained about a job - whether criminal or saint - will sympathize with police officers at least a little. Despite the funny hat and ugly uniform, cops are people too.
