Crítics Matiners

In his new book, Chris McNab (co-author of Tools of Violence) tackles the history of law enforcement in America, with particular focus on gun violence. According to McNab, 39 police officers were killed by gunfire in 2008, a 75% reduction from 1973 when 156 officers were shot. McNab shows how increasing professionalism combined with the adaptation of military tactics has helped reduce the police mortality rate. Deadly Force begins with the colorful history of the Wild West, where law enforcers and outlaws were often indistinguishable. McNab then describes the era of mass immigration during the late 19th and early 20th centuries where the mortality rate for police officers was even higher than that of the 1970s. He next tackles the era of gangland violence brought on by prohibition and the Great Depression. From there he moves into the era of protests and psychopaths that terrorized urban areas in the 60s and 70s. He then describes the era of turf and drugs marked by the infamous drive-by shootings of the 80s. In a closing chapter, he gives a fair and sane assessment of the Sean Bell shooting, balancing the public outrage at the officers’ use of force against ineffectualness of handguns in deadly force engagements.