Uniform Decisions: My Life in the LAPD and the North Hollywood Shootout by John Caprarelli
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
“February 28, 1997, Los Angeles, California – After a botched robbery at a Bank of America branch in North Hollywood, two robbers, armed with fully automatic assault rifles and wearing full body armor, fired more than 1,100 rounds as they battled police.
Eleven officers and two civilians were wounded. The two robbers, Emil Matasareanu and Larry Eugene Phillips Jr., were killed by gunfire. Officer John Caprarelli was one of the first officers at the scene.
Before a national TV audience, he confronted one of the robbers, provoking a gun fight and exchanging numerous shots before the gunman fell. Officer Caprarelli was awarded the LAPD’s highest honor, the Medal of Valor, as well as a National Top Cop Award.”
I have members of my family that serve as police officers, firemen and first responders. I have always admired them for their dedication to their chosen fields. It takes a certain type of person to do those jobs; they is not for everyone. And after reading this memoir, I now have more admiration for them. These are dangerous and thankless jobs. They are the ones that run towards the trouble, when we are running away from it. The stories and anecdotes written by the Author give us a small, yet rare, glimpse into the life of a 27-year career police officer – both his personal and professional life.
It is the last half of the book, though, that totally captivated me. Without divulging much of the story… It is the detailed minute-by-minute account of the infamous North Hollywood Bank Robbery. I was totally captivated by the retelling of the account and could hardly put the book down. If you are a fan of police crime drama shows, as I am you will enjoy this book.
“It is said that working the streets as a police officer is hours of boredome sprinkled with econds of terror. I can vouch for that. It was quite a ride.” – John Caprarelli
*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book through the “For Readers Only” group at The Book Club Network, in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review.
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