Out Of The Darkness And Into The Blue

Ever been in a riot? Probably not. The media portrays "Cops in riot gear" as some type of "show of force" and "inciting". Well, they could not be anymore wrong. Crimes of public disorder range from peaceful demonstrations of citizens exercising their freedom of speech, but in some cases these large gatherings turn into a violent and destructive mechanism that rips apart the very fabric of a community. Who has to stop the violence? "Cops in riot gear." Would the American Soldier go into battle without a ballistic vest?, a weapon?, protective gear? Hardly ever! Would the American Cop go into harms way without a ballistic vest?, a weapon?, protective gear? I would hope not... This chapter, Party Patrol will explain in detail the events that lead up to and what it was like as a cop being on the front lines of the 2001 Lafayette Street Riot in Kalamazoo, Michigan. A car burning, bottle and rock throwing melee where innocent people were randomly attacked, homes destroyed, police assaulted, and a city's neighbor