Behind the Badge

A dedicated police officer for the city of Philadelphia for twenty-four years, Gary Capuano received many awards and commendations throughout his career. After starting his career as a uniformed patrolman, he worked as a tactical team member (and, later, as a plainclothes burglary detail officer) before he was eventually promoted to detective. Then, for six years, he headed the department's Southwest Detectives Fugitive Task Force until his promotion to sergeant.Born and raised in Philadelphia, Gary became a police officer because he wanted to serve his native city and make a difference in the lives of his community. Many other men and women join the police force for much the same reasons. That idealism, however, can be hard to hold onto once certain realities set in. Our criminal justice system often seems like a revolving door where criminals are arrested again and again, only to be released back into society. Then there's the various politics that many officers must navigate every day as they try to do their jobs. In most instances, those politics originate in their own department. No wonder why so many cops suffer burnout. Behind the Badge recounts some of the most notable cases in Gary's career, including the many dangerous situations he often encountered every day serving arrest warrants when he led the Fugitive Task Force, plus some of the more offbeat and humorous moments on the job. His book provides a window into the psyche of a cop, while also shedding light into the various obstacles that most officers face every day-and how hard it can be to do their job in a day and age when the police are often perceived as the enemy. Everything isn't always cut and dry, while things aren't always what they appear to be.