K. Arnold Beck is a lifelong educator who has spent decades teaching mathematics and civics. He is a past editorialist for a major newspaper in Colorado. He has been involved in political actions ever since the debacle of the Vietnam War. His passion has been to seek alternatives to the violence that continues to pervade America.

Officer Hanson grew out from the author’s interaction with Threat Management Center of Detroit and Jack and Margy Flynn. The former has trained law enforcement personnel in the art of disarming violent situations by the use of compassion and psychology. The latter have been teaching Americans civics for over six decades, emphasizing the power of the right to petition for redress of grievances to sustain the true boundaries of the common law.

“Officer Hanson” is a narrative that is based upon many actual happenings that the author has had with law enforcement and the courts. It provides a blueprint for better training for police and demonstrates how citizens can be responsible for peace and justice in our communities. An apathetic and ill-informed populace is the primary reason for the growing lack of respect for our men and women in blue.

If James Bryce is correct when he says, “The worth of a book is to be measured by what you can carry away from it,” then K. Arnold Beck’s “Officer Hanson, Compassion in Blue” is worthy indeed. His tale of Officer Hanson’s life as he stands by his beliefs in the face of many challenges has many teaching moments that readers will enjoy reading.