A fresh and intelligent perspective told with the steady voice of insight and reason.
Raised in Detroit and then working for just over three decades as a Compton cop and detective, Frederick Douglass Reynolds has spent time on both sides of the tracks. He leaves nothing off the table in his debut memoir, Black, White, and Gray All Over; a Black Man’s Odyssey in Life and Law Enforcement. Growing up in a city whose name evokes images of race riots and economic disparities, Reynolds recalls with great clarity the race-related agitation and fervor crippling Detroit, particularly in the 60s and 70s. His troubled home life leads to a bitter and problematic transition into adulthood, while several run-ins with the law leave Reynolds angry and on a path of self-destruction. Exposure to blatant racism does nothing to improve his viewpoint, so a stint in the military becomes his new game plan. Unexpected family obligations soon pull him in a different direction, urging him toward an unlikely career in law enforcement. Never one to play the victim or abuse his own authority, Reynolds throws himself into his work and devotes his best years to fighting for a people who have historically been overlooked and underserved in his community.
If you’ve ever thought of becoming a cop, this unambiguous autobiography will shine a flood light into the darkest corners of law enforcement. From police hazing and political corruption to gang violence and the ravages of addiction plaguing the streets, the author offers you the opportunity to walk in the shoes of an officer, no matter how dirty, scary or disheartening. At first, the extensive set of names and descriptions that Reynolds includes can be tough to absorb, but this abundant amount of detail adds authority and veracity to the author’s storied career. In fact, many of the crimes and scandals are so outrageous that a less credible storyteller might not be believed. But Reynolds is completely on the level; he is forthright with his successes and his failings as a young man on the streets of Detroit, as a father, and on the job. So when he recounts the time when a burger joint’s owner terminates a potential robber and continues to sling burgers over the would-be criminal’s dead body, you just have to believe the story. Reynolds’ recollections from his time as a cop make for some tough stories to read, but there is a soothing balance as the author’s life and career come full circle. If you’re looking for a fresh and intelligent perspective told with the steady voice of insight and reason, you’ll find Black, White, and Gray All Over to be immensely heartening.
