Security: Policing Your Homeland, Your State, Your City

By Howard Safir and Ellis Whitman

From counterterrorism to tracking criminals by satellite, Security gives an expert's tour of twenty-first-century law enforcement. Former NYPD commissioner Howard Safir reveals the tools, methods, and science that police officers use to reduce crime, and track and apprehend criminals, including surveillance, crime scene evidence, DNA profiling, narcotics, and quality-of-life enforcement. With the dedication of 40,000 police officers, and using these tools, over the last four years of the Giuliani administration the NYPD under Safir was able to decrease the crime rate in New York City to a level not seen since the 1960s, with major crimes reduced by over a third and the murder rate cut almost in half. To illustrate the law enforcement successes in New York, Safir uses real-life crime stories to outline the tactics used by the Zodiac Killer; the investigation of Sante and Kenneth Kimes for the murder of socialite Irene Silverman; and the apprehension of the killers responsible for the massacre at a Wendy's in Queens. And Safir gives a behind-the-scenes look at some of the NYPD's more recent controversies, including the shooting of Amadou Diallo and the assault on Hatian immigrant Abner Louima. But Security is more than a look into the inner workings of the NYPD. This book gives valuable insight into how methods of law enforcement are needed to prevent terrorism (drawing on the NYPD's experience catching two potential subway bombers), to protect our homeland (with a precise look at the USA Patriot Act and biometric technologies), and to keep our streets and homes safe (from Safir's Model Block Program, to CompStat, to the controversial yet successful Street Crime Unit). In these troubling times of terror warnings and high alert levels, Security is a clear-eyed look at police tactics and an important citizen's guide to the role that law enforcement - on all levels - plays in our daily lives.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312301944
• ISBN13: 9780312301941
• Release Date: July 2003
• Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.4" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Invaluable resource

With all the concern about homeland security I've been reading a lot on the subject. This is definitely one of the best (and clearest) descriptions of the Patriot Act, and it's helped me understand the complexities of the act and the way it impacts us. The passages describing prior attempted terrorism acts (in New York City), made me realize that 9/11 was one in a series of attempts. I also liked learning more about real police tactics and reading the behind the scenes descriptions of real crimes.

Better than OK

Although this book could have gone more in-depth on certain subjects, I also liked the fact that it covered a lot of ground. Crime scene science, the structure of the NYPD and the use of new technology were especially well documented. It is definitely a must-read for anyone interested in true crime and policing. And if you can't tear yourself away from shows like Forensic Files and other true crime TV series you'll love this book.