Hate cops? This one will change your opinion of the men and women in blue who service us so honorably every day. God bless them.

This is a very honest and transparent account of Officer Merith's life and experience as a black police officer in North America. It is hard reading about the direct racism he encountered in the police force but he was determined to bring about change, which he achieved in a humble manner. A powerful, well written memoir which I would recommend. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Wow! This brilliantly executed memoir is an excellent account of the systemic racism within the police force and the challenges faced as a black officer over 3 decades.
Stick at this book, it’s one of the best books I’ve read this year- as I nearly put it down in the first chapter.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I must say, as I began reading the first chapter of this book, my attention was not caught in the way I originally anticipated. The beginning paragraphs discuss the oppression of POC across history and reminds its readers that no matter how many times you've heard it: racism is deeply engrained in our society, especially in law enforcement. I was expecting all the experiences of racism, in both the author's professional career and personal life, to be outlined in painful detail followed with anger and defeat of trying to defend a legal system that actively oppresses people. I expected this book to solely be comprised of negative experiences that further the narrative of exhaustion, oppression, and overall defeat POC experience in regard to the legal system every day. While this book does acknowledge these experiences, it also expands upon them in an intriguing way.

"A Darker Shade of Blue" encompasses the experiences, the dedication, and the memorialization of Keith Merith's highly accomplished career. Throughout this book, the writer is able to remain humble, all while praising those individuals in his life who stood by him and furthered his career. Superintendent Merith's passion and dedication for changing a system to help future and current generations shines brightly in every chapter. However, one thing the author does not do, is to try and mitigate the oppression and racism he faced every day. Beginning in his opening statements and spanning all the way up until his final remarks, the author reminds his readers that race does matter, whether people are willing to acknowledge it or not.

A fascinating and informative look at policing in Canada. The direct and indirect racism that affected the course of Keith's career and other officers under his command.
Building links and opening communication within the organisation and with communities.

"A Darker Shade of Blue" by Keith Merith is a compelling and eye-opening memoir that provides a candid look at the life and career of a Black police officer in North America. Merith's personal journey from a traumatic encounter with racial profiling to his eventual retirement as a superintendent is a testament to his perseverance and determination to bring about much-needed reform in law enforcement. The book offers valuable insights into the challenges of systemic racism within the police force, advocating for inclusive recruitment and equal treatment of citizens. Merith's storytelling allows readers to walk in his shoes and serves as a powerful call to action for immediate and sustained police reform.

Officer Merith's enthralling, comprehensive memoir recounts his 31 years of service for the York Regional Police as a black male. At the time that he was hired into the department there were very few officers of color. He recounts his perseverance with signficant systemic rascism with elegance and honor.

In addition to sharing about his struggles, Officer Merith shares many stories from his career about situations during his career that shaped him. I enjoy learning through Officer Merith's descriptions what the life of a police officer is like. During his career he worked in several departments and his descriptions of his different assignments were fascinating.

Officer Merith includes historical context about racism in North America citing several well know examples as well as several examples that were new to me. This added a really powerful historical context to Officer Merith's experiences. Additionally, he provided very unique insights on police reform.

I highly recommend this book and hope that this well written memoir will help many appreciate the challenges faced by police officers of color leading to improvements in the system.

Thank you to NetGalley and ECW Press for an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.