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Book Reviews and what they are saying about "Spirit of the Badge" Oddities, "gotchas", tears, and inspiration: Ingrid Dean has captured them all in this great collection for those of us who care about the dedicated folks living their lives on the street in law enforcement. A great read! Lynn Marcy, Polygraph Examiner, Marcy Consulting Services __________ The men and women in blue rely on more than the letter of the law and the facts of the case when they protect and serve. They receive aid from God, dreams, signs, and symbols. But like the rest of us, officers can also experience paranormal encounters in everyday life. A nearly twenty-year veteran of the Michigan State Police, Detective Ingrid P. Dean collects some of these odd and strange police narratives in her debut book, Spirit of the Badge. Dean combines her experience in uniform with her master's degree in transpersonal psychology. As she explains in the introduction, transpersonal psychology "impl[ies] a greater force or intelligence within or beyond ourselves, which we have....not explored enough." She divides Badge into chapters, each exploring a different type of transpersonal encounter. These chapters include "Angels and Apparitions"; "Dreams and Intuition"; "Signs, Symbols, and Synchronicity"; and "Unexplainable Phenomena." Detailed black and white drawings by the author and photos from contributors enhance the volume. In one piece, an anonymous officer from Sault Saint Marie, Canada, writes about how he lost his badge in the woods. Before he has a chance to file a report on the lost item, he is called to investigate storm damage in a forest 100 miles away. When he arrives, he sees a toppled eagle's nest on the ground and decides to see if the birds inside are hurt. The birds have abandoned the nest, but inside he finds his badge. Every officer's contribution to this compilation convincingly demonstrates how "we are all interconnected" and how police work involves "highly developed...awareness, attention to detail, and in noticing things out of place." Although the storytelling ability of the contributors varies widely, there is sincerity in all of the officers' accounts; these men and women truly believe in the truth of what happened to them; indeed, some were skeptics themselves until their own transpersonal experiences. Believers and non-believers alike will be shaken after reading many of these anecdotes. Indeed, Dean's aim is to shake readers out of complancency, which she does by showing the human aspects and the transpersonal facts behind the badge. She reminds readers that uniformed personnel have fears and foibles and an officer's reaction often comes down to personal discretion. Badge also celebrates the honesty and decency of its contributors in the face of a culture that often views cops as corrupt. Dean intends for this installment of Badge to be the first in a series, and anyone with an interest in law enforcement or the paranormal will eagerly await the author's next book. Jill Allen, ForeWord Clarion Book Review __________ I am reading this book and loving it. I enjoy how the author put it together. Some of the stories give me chills, some make me cry for the policemen/women and for the victims. It is truly an important message Ms. Dean is bringing to the world. One that we do not get from the media. When I heard all the reportage about the Cambridge, MA policeman and the Harvard Prof, I kept wishing that this book could be held side by side with all that was being discussed. There is definitely a need for the whole story to come to consciousness. As humans we are in relationship with each other to learn from the dramas we create together. In writing this book, Ms Dean is opening a new understanding of all the dimensions of police work and the many levels of awareness police officers bring to the sometimes dangerous, sometimes tragic, sometimes artful and scientific and sometimes boring work they must do. This book is an important gift to the world. Andama - Cincinnati, OH __________ These sixty short contributions from various types of Michigan law enforcement officials are not just inspirational, which they are. The entries provide a deep look at what goes through the minds of police officers as they risk their lives. The compilation is further divided into a variety of topics to include: angels and apparitions; dreams and intuition; healing with humor, signs, symbols, and synchronicity; lessons of the heart; and unexplainable phenomena. However, that is irrelevant as the audience will appreciate each true life short story as they all are well written and seem to come from the heart and soul of the police officer. This is a strong engaging collection whether it is the sergeant looking back at his late mom's vision of his uniform, the bird pecking at a McDonald's bag that has the bomb squad fearing an explosion, the officer finding the teenage suicide victim before the wild animals run off with the corpse and take away parental closure, herding a drunken bear, or the premonition not to peak through the last window. Aptly titled, an appreciative audience will agree that Ingrid P Dean and her contributors figuratively and literally live up to the SPIRIT OF THE BADGE. Harriet Klausner, Midwest Book Review __________ Spirit of the Badge" is an undistorted kaleidoscope of the police officer's true thoughts, events, and emotions associated with law enforcement. If one is looking for 1-Adam-12, Kojack, Andy Griffin, Hawaii-5-0, Barnaby Jones, or Charlie's Angels, they're looking in the wrong direction. This book is truly a heartfelt piece of literature that portrays the officer's everyday life--the good, the bad, the ugly, the beautiful, the tragic, the mundane, and sometimes hilarious experience of the "anything but" normal routine. "Spirit of the Badge" also touches upon the everyday miracles that most officers do not take for granted. So many have come within a breath of great loss, which gives them a very unique perspective of what a "divine miracle" really is--no matter how big or small. Ms. Dean, it has been a privilege to have glimpsed the depths of our unsung heroes. In the spirit of service and protection, hats off to you! Ellen C. Driesbaugh, Singer __________ Spirit of the Badge brings a new awareness to work of the angels on earth. Ingrid shares real life encounters, which touch your heart. The compilation provides a powerful reminder that just as the police protect the community they are divinely protected and guided. Judith Lukomski, Intuitive Co-Author of Crystal Therapy: How to Heal and Empower Your Life With Crystal Energy written by Judith Lukomski and co-author, Doreen Virtue. __________ As a person active within the polygraph profession since 1948 and as the director of the Backster School of Lie Detection, now training its 179th class, I have had a unique opportunity to detect the attitudes of police officers, often positive but hidden, regarding on-the-job paranormal events. My own Primary Perception research since 1966 has centered upon presenting a scientific basis for such events. This recently published book, Spirit of the Badge, provides an opportunity for the subject to be more openly presented to other police officers and the public at large. ________ A humanizing portrayal of police officers who relate in their own words their experiences of mysterious or unexplained phenomena, amazing coincidences, or cases where their sixth sense of intuition saved them [and others] from harm __________ Alan L. White, author of Alaska Behind Blue Eyes and Promise Not to Tell __________
Mark Thurston, Ph.D., co-founder of the Personal Transformation and Courage Institute, and author of Willing to Change: The Journey of Personal Transformation __________ "Law and order works at many levels. To read of these police officers' experiences __________ Hello Miss Dean. I don't know if you'll remember me, my name is Oscar Cortez Jr I work part time at the Michigan Police Equipment Co. in the town of Charlotte here in Michigan, I finely had a chance to read your book Spirit of the Badge, after reading the first few storys I thought this could happen to anybody not just cops but the more I read the more I enjoyed the book, some of it really makes you realize how cops can be so unappreciated, People just don't realize the things they see and go through in the line of duty, your book made me smile made me think and made me cry (The little boy) my hats off to the Trooper for what she said to the little boy, I shared that story to quite a few of my friends, anyway if I had to scale your book from one to ten I'd give it a twelve+, thanks again for the book and look forward to your next one." O. Cortez, Michigan Police Equipment Co. __________ |