Over a decade after retiring from a twenty-year stint leading the Madison Police Department, David C. Couper’s participation in a national Policing forum left him shocked at the state of the nation’s troubled Police. After privately compiling a seven-step plan to improve Police and citizen safety, Couper is finally releasing his notes to the public.
Madison, WI -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/13/2013 -- While David C. Couper has been retired as Chief of the Madison Police Department for nearly two decades years, he has kept a firm watch and grasp on the state of the nation’s Policing. This knowledge and experience has culminated in the launch of ground-breaking new book about why the nation’s law enforcement is in trouble, what can be done to fix it and why American’s deserve steadfast public safety.
‘Arrested Development: A Veteran Police Chief Sounds Off About Protest, Racism, Corruption, and the Seven Steps Necessary to Improve Our Nation's Police’ could be the most important book ever written about U.S. law enforcement.
Synopsis:
Repression of protest. Racial profiling. Excessive force. Misconduct. Corruption. In this hard-hitting book, Chief David Couper talks about his career, the police subculture, and his 20-year transformation of police in Madison, Wisc. The book is autobiography, history, and a police improvement manual in which he outlines the seven steps police must take in order to overcome the four obstacles which have "arrested" their development: anti-intellectualism, violence, corruption, and discourtesy. When these obstacles are dismantled and the seven steps followed, we will have police who are smart, restrained, honest, and courteous. Couper writes with authority, wisdom, and experience.
As the author explains, the book was written as the result of his participation in a national Policing forum.
“One of the professional organizations I belonged to invited me to D.C. to participate in a national forum; after listening to and speaking with Police Chiefs from some of the country’s largest cities, I left even more convinced that the nation’s law enforcement was in dire trouble,” says Couper.
He continues, “On the way home, I jotted down some notes on why I thought Policing had hit a rut and what could be done about it. Those notes became the foundation of this book.”
With Police ultimately serving the public, Couper sides with the everyday citizen and believes their right to keep Police accountable should not infringe their civil liberties.
“We need a plan and a way out of this ‘arrested development’. What is at stake here? Our civil rights; especially our right to protest without experiencing arrest and incarceration. Police exist to protect our rights and the Constitution. When they don't, we all suffer,” he adds.
Since its launch, the book has garnered a consistent string of rave reviews.
“David Couper is a remarkably clear writer, a voice of broad experience in the field of policing who directly and unequivocally lays out what we as caring citizens should expect of our police. The author's phrase that sticks with me is" the police are us, and we are the police." They must be boldly led by chiefs with clear standards, goals and expectations,” says Paul McMahon, who reviewed the book on Amazon.
Another reader, Pierce Murphy, was equally as impressed. He said, “Chief Couper serves up a delightful blend of war stories, step-by-step instructions and aspirational goals in this career memoir. He is an excellent story-teller who uses his anecdotes to drive home a much needed message to American law enforcement: Don't stop improving; get closer to the communities you serve; be respectful and helpful to those you are privileged to serve.”
‘Arrested Development: A Veteran Police Chief Sounds Off About Protest, Racism, Corruption, and the Seven Steps Necessary to Improve Our Nation's Police’, published by CreateSpace, is available now: http://amzn.to/WdMDtJ
More information can be found on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chief-Coupers-New-Book-on-Improving-Police/109430262501619
About the Author: David Couper
David Couper led the Madison Police Department for over twenty years (1972-1993). During this time, the department successfully handled hundreds of public protests without incident, implemented a collaborative leadership style, and brought women and minorities into the department. He holds master’s degrees from the University of Minnesota and Edgewood College. Since his retirement he has been concerned about the militarization of our nation's police and their slow progress which has arrested their development. He served as a police officer in Edina and Minneapolis before being chosen to lead the Burnsville and Madison police departments. This is his third book on policing. For more information visit his blog at: http://improvingpolice.wordpress.com