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Single Handed
Drug addiction has been a growing problem in America for decades, yet the U.S. boasts one of the most successful drug awareness programs ever developed. How can the crisis be this dire? What retired lieutenant and police detective Joseph M. Kress discovered over the course of his career will leave you stunned. After his brother was killed, Joseph was compelled to action and wanted to join the police force to help solve America's drug problem. What he witnessed was anything but a battle. Instead, he saw mismanagement and apathy from elected officials purporting to be waging war on drugs. Joseph resolved to take the matter into his own hands. Single Handed is a harrowing and deeply moving account of one man's fight against drug abuse.
162 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 18, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 9, 2024
Single Handed by Joseph M. Kress is a book adapted from a screenplay. On Valentine's Day in 1975, Gregory Kress and Janet Robie take their vows in front of their friends in family. Sadly, only a short time later, the path of their lives changes after Gregory is murdered and Janet undergoes reconstructive surgery. The author covers the trial and the effects it has on the victims' families. After the trial, haunted by his brother's murder, Joe Kress begins a career in law enforcement. He spends years chasing after criminals and is accepted into a special unit. Mr. Kress tours schools with substance misusers and past drug dealers in an attempt to keep children off drugs, but the number of drug-related crimes drives him to do something no one in his life suspected he would do.
Most of Joseph M. Kress's book is nonfiction, and it will break your heart to read it. Mr. Kress's brother, Gregory, seemed to be a kind and trusting man, and a brutal murderer ended his life. The way the judge spoke to Gregory's family before the trial shocked me, but it was heartwarming to read about babies who were uncannily born on a significant date. The author has detailed his law enforcement career and outlined his effort to reach students about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. The tragic events in his past motivated Mr. Kress, and his book could inspire many individuals. The name of the book is ironic, and I almost wished the justice he wrote about at the end could be true. Readers who enjoy true crime with a twist of fiction will enjoy Single Handed.
Most of Joseph M. Kress's book is nonfiction, and it will break your heart to read it. Mr. Kress's brother, Gregory, seemed to be a kind and trusting man, and a brutal murderer ended his life. The way the judge spoke to Gregory's family before the trial shocked me, but it was heartwarming to read about babies who were uncannily born on a significant date. The author has detailed his law enforcement career and outlined his effort to reach students about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. The tragic events in his past motivated Mr. Kress, and his book could inspire many individuals. The name of the book is ironic, and I almost wished the justice he wrote about at the end could be true. Readers who enjoy true crime with a twist of fiction will enjoy Single Handed.
January 25, 2025
One Man's War on Drugs...
Joseph M. Kress's gripping memoir "Single Handed" offers a raw and unflinching exploration of law enforcement's battle against drug addiction in America. Driven by personal tragedy—the murder of his brother—Kress transforms his grief into a powerful mission, sharing his journey from police detective to vigilante crusader against drug-related crime. His narrative weaves together harrowing personal experiences, challenging readers to confront the systemic failures in drug prevention and law enforcement.
The book's strength lies in Kress's unvarnished account of his law enforcement career, which spans multiple federal agencies and includes a remarkable thirty-one commendations. While blending true events with fictional elements, "Single Handed" provides a provocative look at one man's determination to combat drug proliferation, offering readers both a personal memoir and a stark commentary on America's ongoing drug crisis. Kress's story is part investigation, part personal vendetta, and entirely compelling. Highly recommended.
Joseph M. Kress's gripping memoir "Single Handed" offers a raw and unflinching exploration of law enforcement's battle against drug addiction in America. Driven by personal tragedy—the murder of his brother—Kress transforms his grief into a powerful mission, sharing his journey from police detective to vigilante crusader against drug-related crime. His narrative weaves together harrowing personal experiences, challenging readers to confront the systemic failures in drug prevention and law enforcement.
The book's strength lies in Kress's unvarnished account of his law enforcement career, which spans multiple federal agencies and includes a remarkable thirty-one commendations. While blending true events with fictional elements, "Single Handed" provides a provocative look at one man's determination to combat drug proliferation, offering readers both a personal memoir and a stark commentary on America's ongoing drug crisis. Kress's story is part investigation, part personal vendetta, and entirely compelling. Highly recommended.
March 11, 2022
Justice, with a Hand Job
I liked how he set the tone with a true story about his older brother, Greg then advanced the emotion with excerpts about real life calls that show the day in and day out actions in which officers become involved, drawing the reader into the the action, allowing them to experience some of the trauma that those officers, see, deal with, and often expedience themselves. It moves the reader into wanting to be the officer and do something to stop the chaos created by drugs in our society. Then once engaged through a program to fight the use of drugs, the reader feels the frustration of dealing with a totally inept and unwilling government at all levels. At this point decisions are made that show one mans take on turning the problem around by using Drug Dealer own tool, intimidation, against them, and it just happens to catch on. Excellent write, and a good read Sgt Kress. - T. Nelson
I liked how he set the tone with a true story about his older brother, Greg then advanced the emotion with excerpts about real life calls that show the day in and day out actions in which officers become involved, drawing the reader into the the action, allowing them to experience some of the trauma that those officers, see, deal with, and often expedience themselves. It moves the reader into wanting to be the officer and do something to stop the chaos created by drugs in our society. Then once engaged through a program to fight the use of drugs, the reader feels the frustration of dealing with a totally inept and unwilling government at all levels. At this point decisions are made that show one mans take on turning the problem around by using Drug Dealer own tool, intimidation, against them, and it just happens to catch on. Excellent write, and a good read Sgt Kress. - T. Nelson
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January 11, 2024The author is a retired police officer from the department where I am currently employed. I enjoyed reading Kress' war stories and accounts of different calls. Everyone at EPD knows the details of the murder of Patrolman Burchick. However, the fictional ending was...different.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews