Former Quincy court clerk tells story of local policing through the decades —The Patriot Ledger, June 6, 2023 Issue: "… A Blue Life includes stories of policing in a different time and the realities of policing in the "Defund the Police" era. There are chapters focusing on specific officers, other sections on detectives and how they do their job, a breakdown of a few unsolved murder cases and looks at interview tactics, dealing with informants and how racism affects the job…." Why do people become police officers? How do police deal with the dangers of their job and the tragedies they encounter? In A Blue Life, author James J. Foley provides his firsthand account of what daily life is like for the Massachusetts police departments that he served alongside for more than forty years as an attorney and assistant clerk-magistrate. The men and women presented in his narrative face armed assailants, investigate murder cases, deal with drug addicts, the mentally ill, and crooked cops, while navigating through a legacy of racism and sexism. Are the right people being chosen as police officers? Are they receiving the proper training? Foley explores these questions and more, providing clear and fascinating insights for anyone curious about the police and the important job they do.