POLICE BOOKS - Daniel Schrager

About the Chicago Police Department

On January 31, 1835, the State of Illinois authorized the Town of Chicago to establish its own police force. On August 15, Orsemus Morrison is elected Chicago's first constable, assisted by Constables Luther Nichols and John Shrigley. The three-man police force serves and protects a population of about 3,200. The Police Department pre-dates Chicago as a city.

Today, the Chicago Police Department is the second largest in the United States, serving approximately 2.9 million residents within the 228 square miles that constitutes the City of Chicago. The Chicago Police Department had, at the end of 2005, 13,323 sworn police officers and over 2,000 civilian personnel.

The Chicago Police Department is divided into 25 police districts. Each district has between 9 and 15 police beats, with a total 281 beats throughout the city of Chicago. Each of the 25 police districts is led by a district commander who, in addition to uniformed police officers, has teams of undercover tactical and gang police officers at his or her disposal. The Chicago Police Department Districts are organized into five larger organization entities called Areas. These area commanders report to the Bureau of Patrol.

In addition to the Bureau of Patrol, the Chicago Police Department has four other bureaus: Bureau of Investigative Services; Bureau of Strategic Deployment; Bureau of Crime Strategy and Accountability; and, the Bureau of Administrative services. Instead of a Chief of Police, the Chicago Police Department has a Superintendent of Police; and, the Bureau commanders hold the rank of Deputy Superintendent.

During his career, Daniel Schrager worked as a patrol officer in the Cabrini-Green housing project, spent eight years as a vice officer in the Rush Street entertainment area, three years as a sergeant in a special unit created by then-mayor Jane Byrne to investigate misconduct in the Chicago Transit Authority, and several years as a patrol sergeant. During his last five years on the Department, he was the Acting Watch Commander in the 24th Patrol District.

For eighteen months, in an unofficial capacity, he assisted as a bodyguard and driver for a mayoral candidate during a re-election bid.

Prior to joining the Chicago Police Department, he served fourteen months in Vietnam assigned to the First Infantry Division, including the period of the Tet offensive in 1968.

The Code is the story of a Chicago cop, Jake Harmon, who stumbles across an unidentified man carrying $250,000. While struggling to adhere to the "Cop Code of Behavior," he attempts to uncover the source of the money. Aided by his girlfriend and fellow officer, Aranda Gonzalez, he makes a shocking discovery that pushes him to the limits of the Code. On The Edge is the story of two Chicago cops, the investigative reporter they've teamed up with, and their investigation into the seamy world of drugs, politics and corruption.