Armed and dangerous : memoirs of a Chicago policewoman

A nonfiction account of a female police officer's 16 year career odyssey, beginning from day one at the police academy and spanning assignments on Chicago's West Side, one of the most dangerous sections of the city.

The notorious cops' code of silence is broken as the author recounts incidents in the West Side projects, shoot-outs, ambushes and what it feels like to kill a man when you're just four days out of the Academy.

The stories told are sometimes tragic, sometimes funny, and often poignant.

They provide an on-scene feel for life behind the badge.

Domestic violence, murdered spouses, ambushed children and philandering CPD brass all appear in this book.

Drawing on her work with gangs, narcotics, a gun task force and her time spent as a prostitute decoy, Gallo offers a gritty yet objective account of the police, crooks and victims that comprise a cop's world.