An important lesson that his story tells us is that when you have done all that you can in a position and are satisfied with your accomplishments, it is time to move on to the next challenge. This is how we grow and learn to be leaders and Bratton is an excellent example of this. After his accomplishments at the MBTA, he went on to accept the position as superintendent of the Metropolitan Police (Mets). Bratton describes the Mets as one of the worse police departments in America with no direction or vision for the future. One again, Bratton was willing to get his hands dirty and get out on the streets with the cops and find out exactly what they were dealing with as well as get suggestions on how the make the agency better. Again, because of his 'open-door' policy, Bratton was able to come in and transform the Mets within a short period of time. Once he accomplished what he set out to do, he was ready for something else that was more challenging and the New York Transit Police is what he set his sights on. Bratton was strategic in that he studied the New York transit system and the city itself in preparation for his next job. When offered the position of chief of this agency, he did what made him a success in the past. He got out there and pounded the pavement with his cops to actually understand why crime was so rampant on the subway systems.

Through...

What this book seeks to accomplish is the simple notion that people should follow their dreams and that the road may be bumpy along the way, but hard work and dedication pays off. Bratton was smart in that he always took measures to prepare himself for his next opportunity and he made sure that each position he held was a stepping stone to his ultimate goal. He didn't rely on luck, but prepared himself so that when an excellent opportunity presented itself he would be in a position to be chosen.
Since this is the only book read on the topic of criminal justice, there is nothing else to compare it to. Although this book deals with the profession of criminal justice because this was the chosen profession of Bratton, it is more of a lesson on pursuing one's career goal. This book would serve as an excellent example for any type of career path, not just criminal justice because it provides excellent examples of what to do in the face of defeat and how to prepare to reach career goals that may seem unattainable. Bratton's story shows us that setbacks can be overcome if we stick with our plans.

References

Bratton, W.J., & Knobler, P. (1998). Turnaround: how America's top cop reversed the crime epidemic. New York: Random House.