Riding with the Blues

From Ferguson to Baltimore to Hattiesburg, police officers face an unprecedented challenge—how to keep the law while maintaining public trust, as well as their own safety. Theirs is a balancing act that largely goes on behind closed doors.

With its Citizens Academy, the Sarasota Police Department has opened those doors. Through a twelve-week program of hands-on instruction, the SPD allows residents to see what it’s like to work in law enforcement, to understand the skills officers need and the challenges they face.

From investigating homicides to deciding when to use deadly force, those who enroll in the academy quickly learn that the people behind the badge are just that—people, with all of their strengths and faults.

Based on a journal Jeff Widmer kept in class and in the field, Riding with the Blues explores the often hidden world behind the badge, taking readers beyond the front lines of law enforcement to see how officers work and hear how they feel about their jobs and the people they protect.

It’s a ride you won’t want to miss.