Behind and Beyond the Badge - Volume II

by Donna Brown

There is so much more to a police officer's badge, to any badge that all first responders wear. But that's what the world sees--a badge. What's behind and beyond that badge is what people need to know--the person.

In BEHIND AND BEYOND THE BADGE, Volume 2, award-winning author Donna Brown takes you to those places that few see. First responders have opened their hearts and shared what it's truly like to do their jobs, their favorite parts of the job and their toughest, career defining moments and the impact it has on their families. They are human just like you, and each faces all that life has to offer, good and bad.

Included are law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMS personnel, 911 dispatchers, crime scene/forensic technicians and victim advocates. All what Donna Brown calls her Village of First Responders.

This book and Volume I, are perfect for those who are thinking about becoming a first responder, those who have family or friends who are first responders, those who want to know more and for those who are suspect of the law enforcement profession.

This book offers a unique and thought provoking perspective from those who do the job.

Author Donna Brown was awarded gold medals in two non-fiction categories in the 2018 Florida Authors and Publishers National President's Book Awards at the August 2018 awards banquet in Orlando, Florida and is an International Book Awards Finalist in Nonfiction:True Crime announced June 2019.

227 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 15, 2018

About the author

Donna Brown began her twenty- six-year career in law enforcement when women were still relatively new to the profession. Like most new police officers, Donna began her career working the streets answering calls for service. She then started training new recruits and turned that passion into teaching department wide, at the academy, and to community groups.
When she was promoted to sergeant, she remained on the streets and continued training new recruits. Career progression moved Donna to the Criminal Investigation Division where she spent fifteen years, ten years supervising the Homicide Unit.
Donna received the Tallahassee Police Department’s award for bravery and the inaugural Commander and Chief’s Award for Excellence, which at that time was the department’s award for Officer of the Year. She was also recognized for her part with the Tallahassee Police Department’s team that responded to South Florida days after Hurricane Andrew devastated that area.
Donna knows that there is so much more behind the badge that people don’t realize or understand. She had spent much of her career speaking to citizen groups in hope of educating and broadening minds about law enforcement.
She grew up in Titusville, Florida, when the space industry was flourishing. Return trips are not as frequent as she’d like, but it’s a place that she will always consider home. After graduating from Astronaut High School, she moved to Tallahassee, Florida, obtaining her bachelor of science degree from Florida State University in 1979. She’s a proud Seminole!
Donna is married, and together, they enjoy spending time with their four-legged fur babies, friends, and family, as well as playing golf.
Volume 1 was awarded two gold medals in non-fiction in the Florida Authors and Publisher's Association 2018 President's Book Awards, a national competition. Volume II is a finalist in the International Book Awards and has won two medals in the 2019 Florida Authors and Publishers President's Book Awards.

Reviews

[Ramses Coly · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Vol. 2, Donna Brown expands testimonies from first responders beyond Leon County

As with the first book, Donna Brown put together a good project with compelling stories from first responders, many she knew personally during her time as a police officer in Tallahassee, Florida. Behind and Beyond the Badge Volume 2 has more pages with longer stories, and is equally well written than its preceding project. One welcome change was the inclusion of a couple of current first responders, still serving, although the majority interviewed are retired. Brown also diversified the career paths involved by including former corrections officers.

First responders want readers of the book to know that they are humans too with families and kids. Some deal with gruesome scenes that stay stamped in their memory for years, if not forever. While some manage to maintain their personal relationships past their career, some struggle. Andrew McClenahan is one example. A former Tallahassee Police Department (TPD) officer, he puts his wife first, not letting the job affect his marriage. “I refused to be the guy who referred to her as ‘my first wife’ or ‘my current wife,’” he states in the book. Despite all his efforts, struggle ensues.

As stated earlier, Behind and Beyond the Badge Volume 2 features first responders beyond TPD and Leon County, unlike the first book. Members from the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, the DEA and from Wake County (North Carolina) are all featured with interesting stories about their careers.

Hopefully, Volume 3, which Brown said she’s working on, includes much more personnel from other jurisdictions outside of Florida.

[Merry Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book is like going to a Cop bar and talking to officers. This is no Joe Friday " just the facts Ma'm." Reading this reveals the workings of the beat Cop, the Detective, K-9, undercover drug operatives, Dispatchers and the players that make up a law enforcement team.

Unlike television shows, this book peels back the safety, boggling swiftness, and emotional aftershocks of the real police. The real police are frankly, quite frank with the author.

Divided into twenty individual stories, it is easy to read a chapter at a time, but I'll bet you won't. A rousing good look at a job no one started out wanting, but a job all seemed to love in the end. An often sweet tale of ordinary people who want to help others.

[A.E. Howe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume of Behind and Beyond the Badge takes the premise of the first book and expands it in a way that is even more compelling. Brown includes stories from police officers, sheriff's deputies, highway patrol troopers, dispatchers and even family members. The stories they tell are memorable, engaging and, at times, utterly heart-wrenching. I can't recommend this book enough for anyone who is in the law enforcement family, is considering law enforcement, or who just wants to understand what these men and women go through on a daily basis.

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. It contains true stories of the lives of first responders outside of their jobs. It really sheds light on who they are and allows us to see their human sides that we often forget about. I'm retired law enforcement and it was nice to read positive stories for a change. I'm so glad the author chose to help them write their stories. The world needs this book.

[Ron L]

I am enjoying reading "Behind and Beyond The Badge" Volume two. As a law enforcement chaplain Donn's book is easy to read and understand!:)