YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS SH#T UP: POLICING THROUGH STORIES

by Randy Ward

Forty-three short stories- A man soaks himself in gasoline and starts to light himself on fire; A bank robber and future murderer runs at you with two large military knifes; you fight for your life at a traffic stop with three criminals; a suicidal man sits on a ledge 150 meters above the ground. What would you do? Find out what happened! Randy Ward’s true police stories take you into the heart-pounding world of policing. The stories captivate you, allow you to experience the terror, violence, heartbreak, humour and sadness of policing. His accounts will inspire you, and make you laugh, cry, and shake your head in disbelief at what cops experience. These true-life events tell of shootings, stabbings, assaults, tragedies and the thrilling and funny experiences of a beat cop. His stories admit you into the unique sub-culture of policing and will allow you to understand why cops around the world say, “YOU CAN’T MAKE THIS SH#T UP!”

120 pages, Paperback

First published March 27, 2018

Reviews

[Bianca Rowena · Rating 5 out of 5]

With chapter titles like "Drunks Make Bad Decisions" and "Don't Let Naked People Into Your House," Randy Ward's book will have you turning the pages! His real-life accounts of events on the job as a police officer are sad, scary, emotional and even funny. Not to mention, I never realized how useful a K9 unit is, for more than just sniffing out drugs.

"Waking up in the middle of the night, seeing the scene in your head... being reminded of it every time you come to the bridge again... the counselling, the talks with other cops, and the pain..." Ward reminds us that cops are people too. Taking us into their troubled world of suicidal people, jealous partners, angry teens with guns and drunks making really bad choices, Randy's book will immerse you in an action packed read that will have your adrenaline pumping. "'Dispatch, the youth [with a gun] is heading to his previous school... put it into lockdown!' I yell into the radio."

I found myself crying while flying through the short chapters, the real-life account of a man's life who served his community for many years to help in the darkest hours of civilians' lives. Here is a short excerpt from the chapter 'Not Today,' where a suicidal man is found accidentally by Randy and his partner on the bridge: 'My partner says, "Someone doesn't want you to die. Look, we didn't know you were here... It's obvious someone is looking out for you. We are here to help you, the big guy brought us here, and we don't want you to die, that's the only explanation."

These stories are more than just stories, they're the reality of the darker side of Southern Alberta, accounts of lives saved and officers doing their best to protect citizens, while fighting for their own lives. 'You Can't Make This Sh#t Up' is a must read.

[Linda Heggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

A local hero retelling stories of his career in law enforcement makes for a quick, engaging read. I laughed, I cried, and even remember when some of the events happened.
As a graduate of the same Lethbridge College program as him but unable to fulfill that career, I read these with my college self eyes. I have never had that experience reading other true crime stories. Thank you.