The author describes how she went from a gang member, married to an abusive husband, and on welfare to becoming a member of the Santa Ana police force.

From the Cold War through today, the U.S. has quietly assisted dozens of regimes around the world in suppressing civil unrest and securing the conditions for the smooth operation of capitalism. Casting a new light on American empire, Badges Without Borders shows, for the first time, that the very same people charged with global counterinsurgency also militarized American policing at home. In this groundbreaking exposé, Stuart Schrader shows how the United States projected imperial power overseas through police training and technical assistance—and how this effort reverberated to shape the policing of city streets at home. Examining diverse records, from recently declassified national security and intelligence materials to police textbooks and professional magazines, Schrader reveals how U.S. police leaders envisioned the beat to be as wide as the globe and worked to put everyday policing at the core of the Cold War project of counterinsurgency. A “smoking gun” book, Badges without Borders offers a new account of the War on Crime, “law and order” politics, and global counterinsurgency, revealing the connections between foreign and domestic racial control.

A comprehensive study of collectable military badges awarded to the German armed forces during the Second World War. This master reference captures and describes in vivid detail German badges. This volume features the badges of Germany's Army and Naval forces.

Mass produced of tin-lead alloys and cheap to purchase, medieval badges were brooch-like objects displaying familiar images. Sumptuously illustrated, Medieval Badges considers all badges, whether they originated in religious or secular contexts, and highlights the ways in which badges could confer meaning and identity on their wearers.

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Sleepers and The Wolf, hailed as “simply the best” (Steve Berry) and “one of the most intriguing writers around” (Newsweek). . . . A top NYPD detective is pulled out of retirement to take down a notorious drug dealer. But will he risk the only family he’s ever had to crack the case? As one of the NYPD’s most trusted “tin badges”—retired detectives brought in to solve cases that are beyond the reach of the everyday force—Tank Rizzo has faced off against some of the city’s toughest criminals without breaking a sweat. To tackle a case involving a dangerous kingpin known as Gonzo, Tank turns to his best friend and ex-partner, Pearl; a former mobster living out a seemingly quiet retirement as the owner of Tank’s favorite Italian restaurant; and a team of expert misfits he would trust with his life. But Gonzo will stop at nothing to defend the empire he's built, and won't hesitate to make it personal. Then Tank gets a call telling him that his brother and sister-in-law, estranged from him for many years, have been killed in a horrific car accident. Tank is the only family left for his orphaned teenage nephew, Chris, although he knows his lifestyle is ill-suited to win him father of the year. Chris moves in with Tank, and the two circle each other warily. It’s only when Chris reveals an interest in true crime and a genius-level skill with computers that they begin to bond. Chris’s skills may be exactly what Tank’s team needs to take Gonzo down—but getting him involved could put his life at risk. Advance praise for Tin Badges “Carcaterra capably combines his trademark adrenaline-fueled action with the emotion involved in Tank taking on a parental role for a sometimes surly teen. All this needs, after a cliff-hanger close, is a sequel, and, fortunately, one is promised.” —Booklist “Another gem from a writer who has earned his spot at the top echelon of suspense masters . . . Everything here leaps from the page, never stinting on the harsh reality, delivering a spicy, smart, and entertaining adventure.”—Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author of the Cotton Malone series

I jumped out of the car and pulled off my pager, threw it onto the ground, and stomped on it several times. I then pulled my 9MM Glock from my waistband and began to wave it around my head. I was ordered to drop the gun. Evidently I didn't point the gun at the officers because I was unable to unload it. I yelled, "SHOOT ME, KILL ME, LET ME DIE! I was then shot two times in the left leg. I dropped to one knee but would not go down. I once again stood up. Again the police shouted, "Drop the gun! Again I refused, waved the gun above my head, and screamed, "I want to die! Kill me!" I began waving the gun once again. It was at that point that both Baltimore County officers shot at me an additional eleven to thirteen times. In all, approximately fifteen rounds were fired at me. I hit the sidewalk. I remember voices, people tugging and pulling on me and most vividly I recall the overwhelming peace of mind that settled over me when my head hit the sidewalk. I can recall nuzzling the sidewalk as if hugging it and feeling as though the entire weight of the world and all my problems were lifting off of me. I didn't have to take care of anyone's problems anymore and I didn't have to care about my shortcomings and past actions. I was dying. It was a soft, serene, comfortable, warm, peaceful feeling. I can recall saying to myself as I lay there bleeding to death, you did good Danny, you did good. You're dying, now close your eyes and go to sleep, it's over. I couldn't move. I was in a state of serenity. That moment on the sidewalk at the corner of Eaton and Gough Sts. was the most comfortable, calm, relaxed, and fulfilling moment I had since I was a baby in my mother's arms. I was at peace with the world and myself; I felt no guilt, shame, embarrassment or regrets, for the first time since I was twenty years old. I was forty. I always felt as though death was a horrible experience. I had seen so much death I assumed it was horrible, painful, and unsettling. Not so. I was finally at ease.