Crossing the Line
Published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson 2020
Synopsis
As a society, we are captivated by policing; we watch police procedurals and fly-on-the-wall documentaries and absorb the headlines on the rolling news. Yet how much do we really know about the world that policing inhabits and reveals?
Praise for “Crossing the Line”
Just as fascinating as it is devastating, as it is inspiring as it is depressing.
Nihal Arthanayake, BBC RADIO 5 LIVE
Honest and sensible . . . without being sensationalist or sentimental, Sutherland lifts the lid on that underworld of despair, degradation and needless death. It’s a read that should shame anyone with a conscience.
Richard Morrison, THE TIMES
The most comprehensive insight into policing I have read, each page changing my views on the role of a law enforcement service… well researched and crafted with the deftness of an exceptionally fine writer.
Stuart Winter, THE DAILY EXPRESS
A love letter to police officers and the most vulnerable people they protect and serve.
CHRISTIE WATSON, author of THE LANGUAGE OF KINDNESS
This book will change the way you think about the police. A rich and reflective account, full of anecdote and lessons learned about society from someone who spent his career working at its fringes. Anyone who cares about justice – whether citizen or politician – should read this book.
SARAH LANGFORD, author of IN YOUR DEFENCE
I’ve never heard the job described better by anyone. John Sutherland gives a unique and personal insight into what it really means to be a police officer in modern England. The adrenaline rushes, the dreadful tedium of bureaucracy, walking on eggshells for fear of offending anyone, the moments of stark horror or overwhelming sadness; the indescribable thrill of making a difference to someone’s life and the depths of despair when you fail. The overwhelming workload and the emotional overload, seeing more things daily than most people will ever see in a lifetime. Running towards danger when everyone else is running away. A job that on any given day can send your spirits soaring to the heavens, or leave your soul scarred forever.
PETER JAMES
This is an important book, one that should be read by the Home Secretary and every member of Parliament, as well as every newspaper editor and crime correspondent. John Sutherland is someone who after twenty-five years of police experience has a remarkable story to tell . . . one that we ignore at our peril.
JEFFREY ARCHER
