JOHN BENTON, ROOKIE POLICEMAN

As a career book this is marked by descriptions of the various aspects of becoming a policeman plus the introspection and realizations that make young John Benton into a better than average cop. It is also smoothly written, a factor in a specifically purposeful book of this sort. Going through the first rigors of rookie training- in the drill room, on beats and in class- John is assailed by doubts and conflicting emotions that make him scorn the ""schoolboy stuff"" yet wish he had gone to college. He also wonders whether he will ever have the ability or the real desire to become a detective like his Uncle Leo and narrow his policeman's duties to a single vein. John makes a sensible adjustment and learns by the end of his training to take full advantage of all the police force has to offer. In the process he wins his first recognition with the discovery of a teen age gang stabbing.