I wasn't going to post because I generally don't read fiction (although that might change in retirement). One book that made a tremendous impact on the family life of this cop was "Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement" by Kevin Gilmartin. I read it as part of an FBI program and the information helped identify patterns that were unhealthy for me, and my family. My wife read it, and I gave a copy to my son when he graduated the LE academy. I've given away many, many copies to officers who worked for me since, and it may be the best $20 I invested in their future. If you know someone who is in law enforcement, this book is a gift they will not forget receiving.
Another was a study called "On Killing" by Dave Grossman. It's a treatise on the psychology of killing, and the consequences of the act on those who may be required to do so in the commission of their duties. The impacts are more wide-ranging than you might think, and as a Chief I had to deal with the crippling repercussions to officers, their families, the department,
and the families and friends of the deceased. It's nothing like the media paints it, and no one walks away the same as they were the day before. I was thankful to have some of the insights in this book to understand how things that occurred in the tragedies of life losses might impact all, even those completely "uninvolved." Combined with Gilmartin's book above, it was a big help in dealing with the hardest parts of my position.
Sorry if all that was a downer for anyone. I'm reminded, at times, of how far outside the norm my life has been. Retirement has been peaceful.
