Review by Booklist Review
Law enforcement is a controversial topic with well-documented cases of police violence and militarism making headlines along with public responses to these cases. Professor of sociology and former police officer Gross draws on his own and his peers' research to survey three police departments that employ theories of procedural justice in Stockton, California, Longmont, Colorado, and LaGrange, Georgia. The police chiefs of those departments have implemented reforms aiming to treat citizens and suspects with dignity, create ties with communities, address racial iniquities, and emphasize de-escalation over force when making arrests. Gross stresses that reforms only work if the underlying institutional culture can change to accommodate them. Walk the Walk is an excellent compilation of statistics, theory, and academic research thoughtfully applied to stories shared in interviews with the police chiefs and standout officers. Gross cuts through hyperbole and ideology to examine the realities of crime and law enforcement, presenting strong evidence that change is possible and that the police can and should do better in our democratic society.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
U.S. police officers kill more than 1,000 people every year, notes sociologist and former cop Gross (Why Are Professors Liberal and Why Do Conservatives Care?) in this well-researched and hopeful study of efforts to reduce police brutality. Among other factors, he traces the problem to cops' "social isolation," which leads them "to believe that lawmen are the only people they can trust and that the most important thing is to protect their brothers in blue, even if it means lying to cover for wrongdoing." Spotlighting Stockton, Calif.; Longmont, Colo.; and LaGrange, Ga.; Gross details how the chiefs of all three cities' police departments replaced an "aggressive crime fighter" approach with "healthier, more socially responsible models." Under Operation Ceasefire in Stockton, police and community organizers reduced a "skyrocketing" murder rate by reaching out to gang members before violence occurred, offering them job training and other "carrots," while directly communicating the consequences for illegal behavior. In Longmont, a restorative justice program, coupled with a shift toward harm reduction in drug cases, helped turn things around. Gross's suggestions for reform also include more inclusive recruiting practices and grants for departments willing to experiment with new methods. Tightly focused and consistently persuasive, this is a crucial guide to solving a pressing social issue. (Mar.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
The murder of George Floyd led to stepped-up calls for police reform, but the focus has remained on containing police power rather than changing police culture. A former policeman, Colby College sociology professor Gross embedded himself in three police departments--in Stockton, CA; Longmont, CO; and LaGrange, GA--that have countered aggressive policing with a more community-minded approach. With a 50,000-copy first printing.
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A former police officer sociologist examines reform through the lens of three departments and their farsighted leaders. Gross, the author of Why Are Professors Liberal and Why Do Conservatives Care?, opens with a description of a traffic stop from his days as a Berkeley police officer. Such stops, trainers tell officer candidates, are dangerous even if for minor infractions: "you might pull over someone with a felony warrant…or a guy with anger issues looking for a fight." All too often, the suspect is Black or brown, the officer White, and the situation ambiguous. Fortunately, the author's episode ended without bloodshed. But he wonders if he had undertaken "de-escalation training" and had used a calmer tone, if it might have gone better still. It's that intention to create calmer encounters that motivates police reform efforts in three communities in California, Colorado, and Georgia, with chiefs who understand that doing better is a mandate that begins at the top. "Not to put too fine a point on it," Gross writes, "but some cops are assholes," incapable of reining in aggression. Yet a friendly approach usually defuses potentially explosive situations. Other efforts include hiring more minority officers, who are less likely to use force and to enforce minor infractions, as well as enlisting minority communities to help formulate policies. Revised policies that limit armed response have led to demonstrably lower death rates. In the case of Longmont, Colorado, its chief's directives "prioritized humaneness and social responsibility." Gross points out that finding decent officers is a challenge: Not many people want careers in law enforcement, and "risk-averse mayors or city managers" often install leaders who don't rock the boat--and don't last long. As Gross shows, more work is needed, but his case studies constitute a step in the right direction. A conversation-provoking look at the real world of police work and ways to make it better for all concerned. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
