Confessions of an American Sheriff

In this powerful expose of the harrowing problem of political intervention upon law enforcement, a once prominent county sheriff presents an eloquent account of what's wrong with law enforcement. Johannes Spreen, sheriff of Oakland County, Michigan, for twelve years, is upset. Based on the information he presents about the obstacles presented by self-interested politicians and the media, the rest of us ought to be, also.

The purpose of this book is to provide to future and present sheriffs and other law enforcement executives information about the pitfalls and pressures of politicians and the media, which make the elected position of a sheriff increasingly difficult. Filled with colorful characters, heroic deeds and despicable acts of crime, the book details the fascinating history of the difficult job sheriffs face.

Sheriff Spreen said that his theme was this: "In our history, when a crime occurred, the sheriff rounded up the able-bodied men of his county and pursued the evildoer and brought him to justice. Today, we need a posse that can be rounded up and assist the sheriff before the crime is committed and before the accident occurs. The hope of tomorrow lies in the youth of today."