Book Review: ‘Street Warrior’ Is An Awesome Look At One Of NYPD’s Finest Detectives Ralph Friedman

The life of a cop isn’t an easy one. You have long hours, dealing with the public, having to arrest people and having your life in danger most of the time. Ralph Friedman loved every minute of it. When he was growing up he didn’t know what he wanted to do when he graduated. He was a good kid never drank, smoked or did drugs. He worked out a lot and was close to his family and friends in the South Bronx. He took the test on a whim when once of friends suggested it. He passed it but was too young in those days to be an actual cop. You had to be 21. So he was a trainee.

At age 21 he became a cop and went on a beat. His first arrest was a naked man who was high on something. It was an interesting beginning to his career which was cut short years later while on a chase. In the years that he did work he became a detective and one of the most decorated of them all over the years. According to the press notes: 2,000 arrests. 100 off-duty arrests. 6,000 assists. 15 shootings. 8 shot. 4 kills. That is some serious collars. Ralph goes into full details on his job worked, being out on the streets and cases (and these are some great stories), his partners and what life on the streets was like. And this was the time before computers, advanced DNA, cell phones and the technology that’s available today.

There’s so many great stories you won’t want to put the book down. Ralph doesn’t hold back on anything in his stories and in his personal life. He’s brutally honest about things go down. Love the police or hate them, you have to respect them and if you want a great behind the scenes look at how cops did their jobs in the late 60s-early 80’s this is the book for you.

It’s available in paperback Tuesday, October 30.