Norm Stamper, former chief of the Seattle police force, has written a story like no other. Part memoir, part polemic, Stamper's tale exposes the disturbing and inspiring truth about policing in American today. Stamper introduces us to the violent secret world of domestic abuse that cops must not only navigate, but which some also perpetrate. He exposes a troubling culture of racism, sexism, and homophobia, and explores how such prejudices can be addressed. He offers penetrating insights into the "blue wall of silence," police undercover work, and what it means to kill a man. And, for the first time, Stamper gives his personal account of the World Trade Organization debacle of 1999, when protests he was in charge of controlling turned violent in the streets of Seattle. Breaking Rank reveals Norm Stamper as a brave man, a pioneering public servant whose extraordinary life has been dedicated to the service of his community.