“The cops pulled their weapons and ordered him to drop the gun. The suspect was incoherent. The police could tell he could not hear them. One of the officers, Joe Zallo, tackled the man and got him face down on the street. Steve said despite the fact he was riddled with bullets, but the man put up a fight to keep hold of his gun. “A few seconds passed before Joe was able to get hold of the weapon and put the cuffs on,” Steve recalled. “When Joe stood up, he was covered with blood.”
When someone who’s had little or no contact with criminals witnesses a police officer acting aggressively toward someone on the street, they often get the impression that cops are violent people who enjoy preying on victims. But the reality is just the opposite. Bystanders at the scene, unaware the man was armed, must have wondered why it was necessary for a police officer to tackle someone who was so badly wounded.”
A Sneak Peek of Chapter Eight — Steve Bonano
After the interview with Steve Bonano:
Steve has risen up to the rank of one star chief and is the second ranking officer at the Brooklyn South Patrol Borough where he oversees thirteen precincts. Brooklyn South, one of the most diverse communities in New York City if not the world, has one of the largest Haitian, Hasidic and Muslim communities in the city.
Steve Bonano was assigned to the city’s toughest beats including the 42nd, 44th and 46th Precincts. As he faced down gangs, drug dealers, petty thieves and armed assailants, he learned the nuances of what it takes to be an effective cop – a complicated process of knowing when to negotiate, when to sympathize, when to protect and when to exert authority. Steve learned the hard way that enforcing the law is a power struggle; a battle of sorts that always has to be won by the officer, hopefully without using force. The first time Steve witnessed one of his fellow officers critically wounded, he came to the startling realization that he’s taken a solemn oath to run towards a threat, no matter what the risk, and do whatever he can to stop it.