Police Heroes honors and celebrates those members of America's police force who take the oath to protect and serve seriously. These men, women, and K-9 officers are asked to put their personal safety aside for a greater good on a daily basis, but sometimes the call of duty is above and beyond even their expectations. You're about to meet some remarkably courageous individuals, all of whom acted bravely in the most trying, life-threatening situations. Who among us can truly second guess the life-or-death decisions that police officers may be forced to make on any given day, despite the demands and frustrations of the job? The criminals want to put the officers out of action, while law-abiding people are fearful of receiving a traffic ticket. The politicians often exploit law enforcement issues for personal and professional gain, and everyone--including the media--Monday-morning quarterbacks the lightning-fast decisions that must be madein the field. But it's easy to be critical when you're not the one forced to react in seconds. What would you do if you came face-to-face with a kidnapper who's holding a twelve-year-old girl at gunpoint? Alone in the Alaska wilderness, could you arrest five armed men? Would you risk your own life to save a methamphetamine manufacturer from dying in a fire he intentionally set to avoid being served a warrant? These are just a few of the heroic acts you'll read about in Police Heroes. Following the destruction of the World Trade Center, Ron Shiftan, who served as deputy executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey from 1998 to 2002, wrote this to the author: "To those who have not come home, we say with conviction that you continue to live on in our hearts and memories." And that is the very essence of Police Heroes -it will inspire you to appreciate the everyday heroes in the law enforcement community and the amazing work they do to keep us from harm and protect our way of life.