The Other Side of Policing by Maxwell Pereira

Forgotten and buried deep behind the uniform is a common man. As The Other Side of Policing attempts to break the stereotype of policing as an obsession with guns, crime and criminals, it insists that even the cops have a penchant for humour. At times, for people like Maxwell, it is the humour that makes them survive in a system that kills initiatives. The book is based on the author’s own experiences as a policeman for nearly 35 years where he provides an insider’s account of someone who has experienced everything at close quarters and can afford to be critical of the system as a whole. He recounts gripping stories about how policeman learn to survive under the axe of the media, politicians, common people and their own seniors. In his anecdotal account, the author talks of various incidents and projects, the men behind uniform as human beings who could succumb to the trials and tribulations of power. He talks about the inability of cops to do anything when high profile politicians enact stage dramas to stay in the limelight, how the cops take liberties to kill at will, how a South Indian to whom all Sikhs looked the same learnt to differentiate between them and how an April Fool’s prank resulted in a senior officer waiting at the airport to receive a VIP when none was scheduled to arrive. His narration laced with humour provides a fresh look at unexplored alleys and brings home the point that at the end of the day we all need our daily dose of banter and policing provides ample opportunities for that. The author hopes that this book will connect easily with the man on the street and help bridge the gap between police and people.