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NEW ON THE BEAT by Alice Fleming

NEW ON THE BEAT

By

Pub Date: Oct. 24th, 1975
Publisher: Coward, McCann & Geoghegan

A survey of a new and extraordinarily diverse species--the lady cop. The subject of much male rancor and cute newspaper copy only a decade ago, women on the force seem to be an accepted fact of police life these days, though prejudice against them has been hard to eradicate in certain areas (street patrol, emergency services). Fleming focuses on the New York City Police Department, following typical daffy routines with emphasis on the specialties where women seem to be working out most promisingly: sex crimes, decoy assignments, narcotics. Her low-keyed anecdotal approach turns up few surprises or big issues. Don't expect feminist analysis (Fleming is perfectly content with ""off duty, Police Officer Salzano becomes Mrs. Salzano"") or any theorizing about crime and the law; this is to be read for swift-paced stories of risk, detection, rescue.