NYPD Green

In this “inspiring inside tour of the human toll, and the satisfactions of becoming a cop” (The New York Times), Irish immigrant and retired NYPD homicide detective Luke Waters takes us inside the New York City police department and offers a glimpse at the grit, the glory, and the sometimes darker side of the police force. Growing up in the rough outskirts of northern Dublin at a time when joining the guards, the army, or the civil service was the height of most parents’ ambitions for their children, Luke Waters knew he was destined for a career in some sort of law enforcement. Dreaming of becoming a police officer, Waters immigrated to the United States in search of better employment opportunities and joined the NYPD.

Despite a successful career with one of the most formidable and revered police forces in the world, Waters’s reality as a cop in New York was a far cry from his fantasy of serving and protecting his community. Over the course of a career spanning more than twenty years—from rookie to lead investigator, during which time he saw New York transform from the crack epidemic of the nineties to the low crime stats of today—Waters discovered that both sides of the law were entrenched in crooked culture.

Balanced with wit and humor, NYPD Green features colorful characters Waters has met along the way as well as a “surprisingly frank” (Kirkus Reviews) and critical look at the darker side of police work. A multifaceted and engaging narrative about the immigrant experience in America, Waters’s story is also one of personal growth, success, and disillusionment—a rollicking journey through the day-to-day in the New York Police Department.

Author Biography

Luke Waters came from modest beginnings in Finglas on Dublin’s Northside, but nevertheless dreamed of becoming a detective. He initially planned on following in his grandfather’s and brother’s footsteps in joining An Garda Siochana, but in 1985, America beckoned. After some time as a barman, he enrolled in the NYPD, working his way from rookie through Narcotics before becoming a homicide detective. Waters retired from the NYPD in 2011 and now lives in County Cavan with his wife and three children. NYPD Green is his first book.