Gangsters and Cops - Prohibition, Corruption, and LAPD's Scandalous Coming of Age

It was a battle to control an emerging Los Angeles, fought by gangsters, pimps, vice lords, crooked politicians, and cops. As in a war-ravaged city, bodies dotted the town like discarded trash.

For five decades, Los Angeles was a city overtaken by greed, ranging from the mayor's office to the gangster's and vice lord's passion for adding to their empires. Standing in their way was LAPD. While some chiefs went for the easy money, others stood their ground and fought back.

Fueling the situation was Prohibition, that made criminals out of half the population. Underlying this was the Great Depression, which stole the soles of Americans. Struggling against these conditions were a handful of chiefs that would make a difference. Read about these confrontations and how they transformed the LAPD from a corrupt department into one of the premier law enforcement agencies in the world.

From the best-selling author of Guardians of Angles: A History of the Los Angeles Police Department. His skillful blend of first-hand accounts makes this comprehensive non-fiction book read like a top-tier novel while staying true to his sources.