NYPD green : a memoir ; and Irish-born detective's twenty years on the mean streets of New York

Prologue: April 2008 -- Bang! You're dead -- Long Island iced tea -- Frankie Maybe -- Shoot the thug -- Dog day afternoon -- Pick a pocket or two -- When you're in, you're in -- Krusty -- Uncharted waters -- It ain't over till it's over -- Curious cases of U.S. Code 18 -- Arthur's theme -- End of innocence -- The sleep of the just -- Justice delayed -- Eyes wide open -- Cop out -- You can't stay off the grid -- Be afraid, Scooby Doo -- Little by little -- Scooby Doo, we got you -- Don't forget to duck.;In this gritty, sometimes hilarious, but always brutally honest memoir, Irish immigrant and retired NYPD homicide detective Luke Waters shares the darker and harder side of the police force that "will make you sit up, stay up, and keep reading" (Edward Conlon, author of Blue Blood). Growing up in the rough outskirts of northern Dublin at a time when joining the guards, the army, or the civil service was the height of most parents' ambitions for their children, Luke Waters knew he was destined for a career in some sort of law enforcement. Dreaming of becoming a police officer, Waters immigrated to the United States in search of better employment opportunities and joined the NYPD. Despite a successful career with one of the most formidable and revered police forces in the world, Waters's reality as a cop in New York was a far cry from his fantasy of serving and protecting his community. Over the course of a career spanning more than twenty years--from rookie to lead investigator, during which time he saw New York transform from the crack epidemic of the '90s to the low crime stats of today--Waters discovered that both sides of the law were entrenched in crooked culture. In NYPD Green Waters offers a gripping and fascinating account filled with details from real criminal cases involving murder, theft, gang violence, and more, and takes you into the thick of the danger and scandal of life as a New York cop--both on and off the beat. Balanced with wit and humor, Waters's account paints a vivid picture of the colorful characters on the force and on the streets and provides an unflinching--often critical--look at the corruption and negligence in the justice system put in place to protect us, showing the hidden side of police work where many officers are motivated not purely by the desire to serve the community, but rather by the "green" earned in overtime, expenses, and allowances. A multifaceted and engaging narrative about the immigrant experience in America, Waters's story is also one of personal growth, success, and disillusionment--a rollicking journey through the day-to-day in the New York Police Department. "In this gritty, sometimes hilarious, but always brutally honest memoir, Irish immigrant and retired NYPD homicide detective Luke Waters shares the darker and harder side of the police force that "will make you sit up, stay up, and keep reading" (Edward Conlon, author of Blue Blood). Growing up in the rough outskirts of northern Dublin at a time when joining the guards, the army, or the civil service was the height of most parents' ambitions for their children, Luke Waters knew he was destined for a career in some sort of law enforcement. Dreaming of becoming a police officer, Waters immigrated to the United States in search of better employment opportunities and joined the NYPD. Despite a successful career with one of the most formidable and revered police forces in the world, Waters's reality as a cop in New York was a far cry from his fantasy of serving and protecting his community. Over the course of a career spanning more than twenty years--from rookie to lead investigator, during which time he saw New York transform from the crack epidemic of the '90s to the low crime stats of today--Waters discovered that both sides of the law were entrenched in crooked culture. In NYPD Green Waters offers a gripping and fascinating account filled with details from real criminal cases involving murder, theft, gang violence, and more, and takes you into the thick of the danger and scandal of life as a New York cop--both on and off the beat. Balanced with wit and humor, Waters's account paints a vivid picture of the colorful characters on the force and on the streets and provides an unflinching--often critical--look at the corruption and negligence in the justice system put in place to protect us, showing the hidden side of police work where many officers are motivated not purely by the desire to serve the community, but rather by the "green" earned in overtime, expenses, and allowances. A multifaceted and engaging narrative about the immigrant experience in America, Waters's story is also one of personal growth, success, and disillusionment--a rollicking journey through the day-to-day in the New York Police Department"-- "In the tradition of bestsellers like Blue Blood comes a book that takes us inside the New York City police department and offers a glimpse at the grit, the glory, and often the absurdity of police work in the Big Apple -- this time, through the eyes of an Irish immigrant who spent more than 20 years as one of New York's Finest, in an account that "will make you sit up, stay up, and keep reading" (Ed Conlon)"-- "In this gritty, sometimes hilarious, but always brutally honest memoir, Irish immigrant and retired NYPD homicide detective Luke Waters shares the darker and harder side of the police force that "will make you sit up, stay up, and keep reading" (Edward Conlon, author of Blue Blood). Growing up in the rough outskirts of northern Dublin at a time when joining the guards, the army, or the civil service was the height of most parents' ambitions for their children, Luke Waters knew he was destined for a career in some sort of law enforcement. Dreaming of becoming a police officer, Waters immigrated to the United States in search of better employment opportunities and joined the NYPD. Despite a successful career with one of the most formidable and revered police forces in the world, Waters's reality as a cop in New York was a far cry from his fantasy of serving and protecting his community. Over the course of a career spanning more than twenty years--from rookie to lead investigator, during which time he saw New York transform from the crack epidemic of the '90s to the low crime stats of today--Waters discovered that both sides of the law were entrenched in crooked culture. In NYPD Green Waters offers a gripping and fascinating account filled with details from real criminal cases involving murder, theft, gang violence, and more, and takes you into the thick of the danger and scandal of life as a New York cop--both on and off the beat. Balanced with wit and humor, Waters's account paints a vivid picture of the colorful characters on the force and on the streets and provides an unflinching--often critical--look at the corruption and negligence in the justice system put in place to protect us, showing the hidden side of police work where many officers are motivated not purely by the desire to serve the community, but rather by the "green" earned in overtime, expenses, and allowances. A multifaceted and engaging narrative about the immigrant experience in America, Waters's story is also one of personal growth, success, and disillusionment--a rollicking journey through the day-to-day in the New York Police Department"-- Provided by publisher In this "inspiring inside tour of the human toll, and the satisfactions of becoming a cop" ( The New York Times ), Irish immigrant and retired NYPD homicide detective Luke Waters takes us inside the New York City police department and offers a glimpse at the grit, the glory, and the sometimes darker side of the police force. Growing up in the rough outskirts of northern Dublin at a time when joining the guards, the army, or the civil service was the height of most parents' ambitions for their children, Luke Waters knew he was destined for a career in some sort of law enforcement. Dreaming of becoming a police officer, Waters immigrated to the United States in search of better employment opportunities and joined the NYPD. Despite a successful career with one of the most formidable and revered police forces in the world, Waters's reality as a cop in New York was a far cry from his fantasy of serving and protecting his community. Over the course of a career spanning more than twenty years—from rookie to lead investigator, during which time he saw New York transform from the crack epidemic of the nineties to the low crime stats of today—Waters discovered that both sides of the law were entrenched in crooked culture. Balanced with wit and humor, NYPD Green features colorful characters Waters has met along the way as well as a "surprisingly frank" ( Kirkus Reviews ) and critical look at the darker side of police work. A multifaceted and engaging narrative about the immigrant experience in America, Waters's story is also one of personal growth, success, and disillusionment—a rollicking journey through the day-to-day in the New York Police Department. "In the tradition of bestsellers like Blue Blood comes a book that takes us inside the New York City police department and offers a glimpse at the grit, the glory, and often the absurdity of police work in the Big Apple -- this time, through the eyes of an Irish immigrant who spent more than 20 years as one of New York's Finest, in an account that "will make you sit up, stay up, and keep reading" (Ed Conlon)"-- Provided by publisher