I have had the opportunity to review & read THE THIN BLUE LIFELINE: Verbal De-escalation of Mentally Ill and Emotionally Disturbed People - For Law Enforcement Officers. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It is relevant, well-written, operationally-based, and goes to the heart of the matter in dealing with people who are in crisis - not just for dealing with "mentally ill" folks - but virtually everyone with whom police officers come into contact. This moves policing communication so far beyond "Verbal Judo" and "Tac Com" that those systems cannot even compare (though, to be sure, there are some similar techniques that they utilise in those systems). In an age where police officers are under increasing pressure to move from call-to-call, there can be accompanying pressure to resolve situations more quickly than they should be resolved - which, when time is compressed, usually leads to the application of physical force. This book offers perspective, is incredibly insightful and will help officers recognize specific issues and conditions. It provides real-world, usable tools, tactics and techniques to help resolve situations at the preferred threshold of "Officer Presence" and "Communication." If you own books such as: "The Art of War"; "Sharpening the Warrior's Edge"; "On Killing"; "Training at the Speed of Life"; "Police Pistolcraft"; "Warfighting"; "Terror at Beslan"; "On Combat"; "The Green Beret in You" - you MUST add this extremely relevant text to your library. I wish I had read this book 25 years ago. Joel A. Johnston Staff Sergeant 1314 Use of Force & Municipal ERT Coordinator Province of British Columbia About the Author: Edgework founder Ellis Amdur received his B.A. in psychology from Yale University in 1974, and his M.A. in psychology from Seattle University in 1990. He is both a National Certified Counselor and a State Certified Child Mental Health Specialist. Since the late 1960s, Ellis has trained in various martial arts systems, spending thirteen of these years studying in Japan. He is a recognized expert in classical and modern Japanese martial traditions, and has authored two iconoclastic books, Dueling with O-sensei: Grappling with the Myth of the Warrior Sage and Old School: Essays on Japanese Martial Traditions, as well as one instructional DVD, Ukemi From the Ground Up. Since his return to America in 1988, Ellis has worked in the field of crisis intervention. He has developed a range of training and consultation services, as well as a unique style of assessment and psychotherapy. These are based on a combination of phenomenological psychology and the underlying philosophical premises of classical Japanese martial traditions. Ellis's professional philosophy can best be summed up in this idea: the development of an individual's integrity and dignity is the paramount virtue. This can only occur when people live courageously, regardless of the circumstances, and take responsibility for their roles in making the changes they desire. Ellis Amdur is a dynamic public speaker and trainer who presents his work throughout the U.S. and internationally. He is noted for his sometimes outrageous humor as well as his profound breadth of knowledge. Ellis's vivid descriptions of aggressive and mentally ill people and his true-to-life role-playing of the behaviors in question give participants an almost first-hand experience of facing the real individuals in question. To learn more about Ellis Amdur, please go to www.edgework.info
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