Paperback
$13.99

Learn more

Read for Free

OR

$7.99

Promotions apply when you purchase

Sold by Amazon.com Services LLC.

Read with our free app

You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.

Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions

There was an error. We were unable to process your subscription due to an error. Please refresh and try again.

Image Unavailable

Image not available for
Color:

To view this video download Flash Player

Follow the author

Jeff Shaw

Follow

Who I Am: The Man Behind the Badge Kindle Edition

by Jeff Shaw (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

237 ratings

See all formats and editions

Award-Winning Finalist in the Autobiography/Memoir category of the 2021 International Book Awards

Think you know what a police officer does every day? You think Hollywood gets it right?
Unless you’ve been out there, you don’t know. Nothing you see on the big screen or on television in the safety of your home can prepare you for what we do every day.
Night after night, we deal with the worst society can throw at us, then we go home, sit with our loved ones and pretend we’re okay. But sometimes…we are not okay.
In Who I Am: The Man Behind the Badge, I’m going to describe all the gore, all the horrors and all the emotions I felt, not to gross you out but to let you know what I experienced.
If you find any of these stories disturbing or uncomfortable, then I have accomplished my goal—because I was equally disturbed and uncomfortable. And I live with these memories every day.

"You will not be able to put this book down as you follow the author through his career, call by call, experiencing in raw, graphic, and gut wrenching language what would become a normal day for him and members of the Hialeah Police Department during the turbulent 1980’s and 90’s. You will never look at a law enforcement officer the same again…. So slide into his patrol car, buckle up, and prepare yourself for the realities of law enforcement and the ride of your life." —Retired Deputy Chief Edward L. Beyer, Jr. Hialeah Police Department

"Written by a seasoned veteran of a major police department, it doesn’t get more real than this. Gritty, brutally honest and intensely personal, this is a must read for anyone in law enforcement, contemplating a career in law enforcement, or has a loved one in law enforcement. This book shines a glaring spotlight on some of the many reasons every citizen should back the blue." —Patricia L. Diaz Retired U.S. Federal Prosecutor and wife of a retired homicide detective

Editorial Reviews

Review

You will not be able to put this book down as you follow the author through his career, call by call, experiencing in raw, graphic, and gut wrenching language what would become a normal day for him and members of the Hialeah Police Department during the turbulent 1980's and 90's. You will never look at a law enforcement officer the same again....
So slide into his patrol car, buckle up, and prepare yourself for the realities of law enforcement and the ride of your life.
--Retired Deputy Chief Edward L. Beyer, Jr.
Hialeah Police Department

Written by a seasoned veteran of a major police department, it doesn't get more real than this. Gritty, brutally honest and intensely personal, this is a must read for anyone in law enforcement, contemplating a career in law enforcement, or has a loved one in law enforcement. This book shines a glaring spotlight on some of the many reasons every citizen should back the blue.
--Patricia L. Diaz
Retired U.S. Federal Prosecutor
and wife of a retired homicide detective

About the Author

Jeff was born and raised in the Miami area of South Florida.He joined the Hialeah Police Department in 1979 when he was twenty-six and worked for twenty-four years retiring in 2003.He served in various capacities after graduating from the Miami-Dade Criminal Justice Institute; including road patrol, training advisor, classroom instructor, firearms instructor, special weapons and tactics (SWAT), field training officer, communications sergeant, patrol sergeant, hostage negotiator and homicide supervisor.He now lives in the North Georgia mountains with his wife Susan.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0857HVBLH
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Mountain Arbor Press
Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 3, 2020
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1.8 MB
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 253 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1631837494
Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled

Best Sellers Rank: #1,848,226 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #750 in Biographies of Law Enforcement
- #1,595 in Law Enforcement Biographies

Customer Reviews:
237 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Videos

Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!

Upload your video

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Jeff Shaw

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Jeff Shaw is an award-winning, best-selling author of The Bloodline series: Lieutenant Trufant, LeAnn and the Clean Man, and Broken. Jeff served twenty-four years in law enforcement and after retiring, wrote his memoir, Who I Am: The Man Behind the Badge. He has written several short stories and continues to write today. When not writing he spends his time relaxing with his wife Susan on the porch of their North Georgia home.

Customer reviews

237 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Review this product

Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find this book to be a great first read with a well-written narrative that puts readers right at the scene. Moreover, the book provides insight into law enforcement work, with one customer noting how it documents day-to-day encounters. Additionally, customers appreciate its authenticity as a factual account, and they are captivated by the inside stories that bring emotions to the surface and are hard to put down.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

Readability Writing style Insight Authenticity Storytelling Emotion Ease of reading

25 customers mention "Readability"25 positive0 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, describing it as a great first book and outstanding true story, with one customer noting how it walks the reader through regular events.

"...I hope you enjoy this as much as I have. It is well worth the read and will leave you with a different perspective of the police and their job as it..." Read more

"...Such emotion was poured into this book. I could feel it. GREAT read!!" Read more

"...Walks the reader thru regular events that comprised most of his work day. The mundane and at times dangerous work officers do to protect us...." Read more

"...Great read!!" Read more

16 customers mention "Writing style"16 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, describing it as a well-written walk down memory lane, with one customer noting how the author puts readers right at the scene.

"Told from raw experience and from the heart. A man who dedicated over 20 years protecting us." Read more

"...Bottom line: Jeff has great talent at telling stories, and excellent talent at putting them to paper. I could feel the emotions as I read...." Read more

"...once I started reading it was hard to put down, it was a well-written walk down memory lane and brought back many incidents that I vividly..." Read more

"...Jeff explains that in an eloquent and straightforward way. Walks the reader thru regular events that comprised most of his work day...." Read more

15 customers mention "Insight"15 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's insight into police work, with one customer noting how it provides a full recounting of a career on the job, while another mentions how it offers a glimpse into the emotions and thought processes of law enforcement officers.

"...His personal stories touched my heart immensely. Such emotion was poured into this book. I could feel it. GREAT read!!" Read more

"...Jeff has a way to extract and bring you these real life experiences. Thanks Jeff, for not wasting your GOD given talents...." Read more

"...But Jeff gives a lot of very personal insight into himself, where he is coming from, how he has been affected...." Read more

"...In his writing, he provides so much clarity on what happens as you spend your life dealing with the worst aspects of our society while trying to..." Read more

14 customers mention "Authenticity"14 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the authenticity of the book, describing it as a true factual account with no exaggeration.

"...chatting with a cop at a party though, there are no exaggerations to try and impress anyone...." Read more

"...This is the REAL THING when it came to working LE in SO Florida those crazy years...." Read more

"...I could feel the emotions as I read. They were real; they brought tears to the eyes...." Read more

"...The Man Behind the Badge” is the real thing, and once I started reading it was hard to put down, it was a well-written walk down memory lane and..." Read more

12 customers mention "Storytelling"12 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's storytelling compelling and genuinely interesting, being captivated by the inside stories and finding it truly insightful.

"...Each of these stories, which really happened, are so intriguing that you want to read the next and can easily find yourself reading most of the..." Read more

"...However, it gave me such detailed insight into things police officers see and do each and every day to protect our communities...." Read more

"...It is more of a documentary that captures you because it is genuinely interesting and you have no idea where the next chapter is going to take you,..." Read more

"...These stories within are real and some are downright gruesome but that's all part of the job...." Read more

11 customers mention "Emotion"11 positive0 negative

Customers find the book emotionally engaging, with one customer noting it includes real-life stories of calls and experiences, while another mentions it brings back many incidents.

"...and chatting with an off-duty cop at a party, you go through stories of real calls and experiences...." Read more

"...His personal stories touched my heart immensely. Such emotion was poured into this book. I could feel it. GREAT read!!" Read more

"...I could feel the emotions as I read. They were real; they brought tears to the eyes...." Read more

"...put down, it was a well-written walk down memory lane and brought back many incidents that I vividly remembered...." Read more

4 customers mention "Ease of reading"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and hard to put down.

"...Jeff explains that in an eloquent and straightforward way. Walks the reader thru regular events that comprised most of his work day...." Read more

"...put into words what I suppose most Cops experience daily in an easy and fluid manner...." Read more

"Nothing to dislike.. Well written and hard to put down. Very professional. This is not about cases he solved with out fellow officers help...." Read more

"Easy to read and hard to put down..." Read more

Reviews with images

See all photos

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.

Michael R Rosengaus
Easy to read and hard to put down
Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2020
Verified Purchase

This book is a collection of experiences throughout a career as a law enforcement officer. Almost like sitting and chatting with an off-duty cop at a party, you go through stories of real calls and experiences. This is what makes it so easy to read; you can stop at any time and not really lose your place because they're independent stories. Each of these stories, which really happened, are so intriguing that you want to read the next and can easily find yourself reading most of the book in one sitting.

Unlike chatting with a cop at a party though, there are no exaggerations to try and impress anyone. On the contrary, the true emotion portrayed in the book are such that few people could ever vocalize them to anyone, let alone in a group setting. This intimacy leaves you peeking behind the badge and seeing the vulnerabilities of not only the officer, but the man.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I have. It is well worth the read and will leave you with a different perspective of the police and their job as it's not only what you see on YouTube.

Read more

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report
Becky A.
Loved this Insight into a Police Officer's Life!
Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2024
Verified Purchase
Having a son who was in law enforcement in the City of Chicago, I will admit, I was a bit hesitant to read Jeff's book. However, it gave me such detailed insight into things police officers see and do each and every day to protect our communities. His personal stories touched my heart immensely. Such emotion was poured into this book. I could feel it. GREAT read!!

Read more

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report
Floyd Hensley
Good Read
Reviewed in the United States on August 1, 2020
Verified Purchase
Told from raw experience and from the heart. A man who dedicated over 20 years protecting us.

Read more

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report
George Fraga
Outstanding True book
Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2023
Verified Purchase
What an outstanding talent Jeff has to put his experiences in words. This is the REAL THING when it came to working LE in SO Florida those crazy years. Jeff has a way to extract and bring you these real life experiences. Thanks Jeff, for not wasting your GOD given talents. Highly recommend you get a copy and get a FEEL for what it was like.

Read more

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report
D G
You won't be able to put it down.
Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2020
Verified Purchase
Officers all have tales to tell, but very few have the ability to put pen to paper and tell those tales in a manner that could hold another’s attention for long. In this book, Jeff achieves that and so much more.
I started reading “The Man Behind The Badge” the day after it arrived in my mailbox. Right off the bat, I realized that the title of the book is quite literal; Jeff is telling his personal tale, he is not attempting to speak for all of us, although, he does interject that his experiences are not necessarily unlike those of others. And some of the stories are those relayed to him by others. But Jeff gives a lot of very personal insight into himself, where he is coming from, how he has been affected. Very few cops will share that with you.
I found out quickly, that I had difficulty putting the book down. It isn’t a thriller novel with plot and sub plots that capture your interest and make you want to read to see what is going to happen to the lead character. It is more of a documentary that captures you because it is genuinely interesting and you have no idea where the next chapter is going to take you, because it isn’t following a plot timeline. Yes, I did put it down once, at the end of chapter 27, and let it set on the counter for a day or two. Not because I had lost interest, but because he touched on a scene that was difficult for me to cope with. But I went back to the book and had to finish it, read it to the end.
Bottom line: Jeff has great talent at telling stories, and excellent talent at putting them to paper. I could feel the emotions as I read. They were real; they brought tears to the eyes. The stories were told in a straightforward manner, no exaggeration, matter-of-factly. This was a very well written book and I would recommend it to cops and non-cops alike. If you have a family member who is, or was a cop, you need to read this book.

Read more

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report
Barry G Krane
Great Read
Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2020
Verified Purchase
Having known the author prior to his becoming an Officer with HPD, I was certainly happy when he chose a career in law enforcement and especially with the Department where I worked.
“The Man Behind the Badge” is the real thing, and once I started reading it was hard to put down, it was a well-written walk down memory lane and brought back many incidents that I vividly remembered.
I highly recommend this book to civilians and law-enforcement members. To the civilian reader, it will certainly be informative as to what it’s like to be the man behind the badge. The good , the bad and the ugly.

Read more

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Report
SamFa
Great Read
Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2020
Verified Purchase
Did not know what to expect when I bought this book. Once I began, found it hard to stop. Most of us do not know what police officers do every day, the chases, shootouts and glory are not the usual. Jeff explains that in an eloquent and straightforward way. Walks the reader thru regular events that comprised most of his work day. The mundane and at times dangerous work officers do to protect us. Keep the peace, serve us. Do what few of us will ever consider doing, comforting the dying, the grieving families, rescuing the injured and protecting the vulnerable. All that and never shooting anyone in 25 years. That's real!
Thank you Sgt Shaw!

Read more

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report
JMB
I was doubtful
Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2020
Verified Purchase
When I read the reviews I noticed that many of the 5 star rating vs were the author s friends or co-workers. To me it was just their way of helping the ratings and not a true review. I just finished the book. While it is not the best book I have read it did hold my interest. I am a big supporter of the blue and military. I hope by the exercise of writing this book the author was able to rid himself of some of his demons. I got this book free from Amazon. Would I recommend spending money on it that would depend if you were looking action and the crimes to be solved. This is not that kind of book. It is more of a diary of the man's service.

Read more

Helpful

Report

Top reviews from other countries

Lorraine Garant
Epic novel
Reviewed in Canada on July 2, 2020
Verified Purchase

I really enjoyed reading Jeff Shaw's book about the trials and tribulations of a police officer. The stories he tells are compelling and awe inspiring. It's a great book to read especially with what is going on in the world today and groups wanting to defund police. We desperately need our brave police officers to protect us and keep our world safe.

Read more
Report
Kindle Customer
So good!
Reviewed in Australia on May 6, 2021
Verified Purchase
One of the best memoirs I have read about policing. It's easy to watch TV series that aren't real, or even the shows that are real, but rarely are they from the first responder point of view. Thoroughly enjoyed the read and the author's style.

Read more
Report

Follow the author

Who I Am: The Man Behind the Badge Kindle Edition

Customers who bought this item also bought

Editorial Reviews

Review

About the Author

Product details

Videos

About the author

Jeff Shaw

Customer reviews

Review this product

Customers say

Select to learn more

Images in this review

Reviews with images

A great read, it's the REAL DEAL !

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.

Top reviews from other countries

5.0 out of 5 stars Epic novel

5.0 out of 5 stars So good!

Report an issue

Epic novel

So good!