Richard B. Whitaker is a retired Detective III from the Los Angeles Police Department.  During his many years working in law enforcement, he successfully fulfilled a wide range of roles, including uniformed patrol, plain-clothed special operations, administrative staff, and detective. In that last capacity, he worked on many assignments, including those involving robbery, homicide, burglary, juvenile crimes, and auto theft. Mr. Whitaker holds a Bachelor of Independent Studies (BIS) from Brigham Young University, and a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Southern California.

According to the book description of his Richard Whitaker’s first novel, Conflict In Blue Behind the Badge, is a “fast-paced and thrilling police story, set in 1968, that focuses upon Nicholas Hunter McLean, who begins his career with the Los Angeles Police Department as a raw recruit who initially views the world through rose-colored lenses, truly believing that all men are created equal. But his naïveté is quickly shattered when he experiences firsthand the random violence of South-Central Los Angeles. Any remnants of such unrealistic thinking are torn away when his seasoned partner falls victim to a brutal cop killer.

McLean soon finds himself in a deadly cat and mouse game, when it becomes clear that he is now at the top of the brutal killer's hit list. McLean also learns that the only men that he can trust are those in a hand-picked Special Problems Unit, and if he wants justice, he's going to have to mete it out himself. The unforgettable details of Conflict In Blue Behind the Badge ring true with the experience of its author, a veteran LAPD street cop. Pick up a copy today, and you will be quickly caught up in the deadly game of murder, intrigue, and ultimate courage and justice, as young McLean battles for his life.”