NYPD Commissioner
Ray Kelly comments
on officers profiled in
Brave Hearts
I have just had the pleasure of reading Brave Hearts, a book by Cynthia Brown, that stalwart and perennial friend of the nation’s law enforcement officers. Brave Hearts is about some of the people whose lives and causes she has been depicting and defending for many years in her monthly publication, American Police Beat. Although this book is about New York City police officers, they represent the values and commitment of law enforcement officers everywhere.
Cynthia is certainly well equipped to write about the service police perform every day. From experiences early in her career in a Boston police station to her ongoing work as publisher of American Police Beat, she knows firsthand the triumphs and tragedies of our profession not just here in New York City but across the country as well.
In the pages of Brave Hearts, which is a sort of Profiles in Courage set in the police precincts of New York, the author tells the stories of fifteen officers of various ranks and specialties who repeatedly risk their lives, and in some cases their physical and mental health, to serve and protect the citizens of this city, often doing so, in that time-worn and time-honored phrase, above and beyond the call of duty. These officers are all members of a larger team who work together to save lives, drive down crime, and strengthen our communities.
Prior to becoming Police Commissioner, I had the privilege of serving alongside the men and women of the NYPD for almost thirty years in many different commands. Over the course of my career, I continually witnessed the quiet professionalism, compassion, and heroism practiced day in and day out by our law enforcement officers. That commitment, courage, and self-sacrifice have been superbly captured in the profiles of the extraordinary people you are about to meet in the pages of Brave Hearts.
Ray Kelly
July 2010