"Friedman . . . chronicles his gritty tenure in the new, action-packed book." —The New York Post
"This book reads like a fast-paced novel that readers will find hard to put down. . . . The narrative provides insight into what is [sic] was like to be a cop [in the '70s]. Readers fascinated by police work will definitely want to read this book." —Library Journal
"Friedman recounts the harrowing trials and tribulations he experienced while wearing his uniform. The memoir is filled with war stories and anecdotes about the bygone era of policing, a time when cops didn’t have to wear body-cams or worry about being politically correct." —Merry Jane
"I've known Ralph Friedman for almost forty years, since the first day he walked into Big Joe's Tattoo Shop. He looked more like a biker than a cop. We were on opposite sides of the fence, but we always respected each other! He's the toughest Jew I know, who has more tattoos than I do." —Chuck Zito, Actor/Stuntman/Bodyguard and former Hells Angel
"Fugeddabutitt! If I knew about Detective Ralph Friedman when I was raising hell in New York during the '70s and '80s I may have dialed back my lifestyle. Friedman's memoir is a rapid-fire page turner, told with compassion and gut-wrenching reality. It's a walk through the South Bronx in an era that some people would like to forget." —Gianni Russo, actor, The Godfather
"Friedman used his fists, guns, and other available weapons to arrest, wound, and sometimes kill suspects, winning a host of medals for valor in the process. . . . His restlessness for action never abated, to the point where he placed himself in personal peril multiple times. A swashbuckling book that is likely to elicit extreme reactions of applause or disapproval depending on the reader's personal opinions about law enforcement." —Kirkus Reviews
"I enjoyed these true-to-life New York experiences. Funny and gritty, this book is a great example of why we respect those honorable men in blue." —Aida Turturro, actress, The Sopranos
"I loved this book. Could not put it down. Mr. Friedman's exploits were an adrenaline rush with many comic moments sprinkled in between. It gives you a newfound respect for the incredibly difficult job police officers face every day, but even more so back in '70s. Cannot wait for the movie!" —James Biberi, actor, Drive, Analyze That
"The toughest crime fighter in the history of NYC didn’t leap tall buildings or drive a Batmobile. He was a real-life, tough as nails detective, the closest thing to a caped crusader New York ever had. Meet Ralph Friedman, Super-Cop." —Steven Jay Griffel, bestselling author of The David Grossman Series
"It was a different job and a turbulent time and Ralph Friedman defined the word Detective. Street Warrior should be required reading for anyone who wants to understand the real world of street policing. Read this book and be awed. An amazing story told by a legendary NYPD detective." —Joseph D. Pistone, author of Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia
"The explosive, riveting, and incredible street action of a legendary crimefighter - who is also the most highly decorated NYPD detective in New York City history." —Ret. Captain Tom Walker, author of Fort Apache
“All the violence, crime and chaos of 1970s New York City instantly come to life in this gripping detective story. Street Warrior is a true crime rarity. This gritty firsthand account of an unstoppable NYPD cop will have you rooting for the good guys the whole time!” —Pat Dixon, host, NYC Crime Report
"This book is as fearless as the cop who wrote it and the cops he worked with. Readers will be grateful such men exist. It should be required reading for judges, mayors, and their police chiefs who handcuff our police." —Charles Brandt, bestselling author of I Heard You Paint Houses
"Detective Friedman took me to a place in New York that I had only heard of, either from the newspapers or television news. He told the real story. Great book, a cop's cop and truly a hero." —Bill Katzing, US Department of Justice, (Retired)
"Street Warrior brings to life the axiom 'truth is stranger than fiction.' If I read this book as a novel I would have put it down as incredulous part way through. But I have known Ralph Friedman for 30 years, and was aware of the legendary status of this superman of a cop longer than that. Any one chapter of this cannot-put-down book would represent the pinnacle of most top cops' careers. A must read, it will change the way you view policing forever." —Captain Douglas Greenwood, NYPD, Retired
"Street Warrior is a must read book. The title definitely fits this unstoppable NYPD Detective. I grew up in the Bronx and have on numerous occasions seen Detective Ralph Friedman in action and believe me it can only be compared to Moses parting the Red Sea. When he exited his unmarked car drug dealers didn't know to run, hide, surrender, or shit their pants. These accounts will show how dangerous our streets were back then, and the dangers police officers faced on a daily basis." —Anthony Rosco Ret. Detective/Executive Security Director Of Personal Protection
"As you're reading Ralph Friedman's life story, it's hard to believe it's all true. I spent two years interviewing Ralph for a television documentary series, and we barely scratched the surface of his dedicated career. It goes against all logic that Ralph is still standing. Street Warrior offers a riveting look into why Ralph Friedman, one of the most decorated and fearless cops ever to wear a badge, ran full speed towards the most dangerous situations the streets of the Bronx had to offer. Ralph's yearning to fight crime was like an obsession, so it's no surprise his story is just as addictive." —Briana Scheibel, Producer, Jupiter Entertainment
06/15/2017
Friedman, a retired and highly decorated NYPD officer, tells the story of his work in the 1970s and early 1980s. After graduating from the police academy in 1970, Friedman was assigned to the 41st Precinct, located in the Bronx, NY. He quickly showed his drive and use of instinct to arrest violent criminals; over his career, he would apprehend more than 2,000 suspected lawbreakers and assist in the capture of thousands more. With coauthor Picciarelli (coauthor, Undercover Cop), Friedman here describes many violent situations, some of which would not be tolerated today. The brutality was overlooked because he made the department look good. Friedman was promoted to detective, but his career was cut short when his car was T-boned by another police car, nearly killing him. This book reads like a fast-paced novel that readers will find hard to put down. However, it lacks many dates of crimes and names of criminals, making it difficult to decipher the time line that Friedman relates. Nevertheless, the narrative provides insight into what is was like to be a cop at that time. VERDICT Readers fascinated by police work will definitely want to read this book.—Michael Sawyer, Daytona Beach, FL
2017-04-17
A retired New York Police Department detective relates the saga of his adolescence in New York City, his chance decision to join the force, his storied career (1970-1984), and the serious injury that forced his retirement.Written with former NYPD officer and Army machine-gunner Picciarelli (co-author: Undercover Cop: How I Brought Down the Real-Life Sopranos, 2013, etc.), this anecdote-driven, loosely organized memoir celebrates what most cops might consider "the good old days" but what some civilians might consider a celebration of excessive force. Friedman used his fists, guns, and other available weapons to arrest, wound, and sometimes kill suspects, winning a host of medals for valor in the process. Although the memoir contains sporadic reflections on whether Friedman needed to use deadly force as often as he did, the book largely consists of unreflective war stories about New York's perpetual criminal element, especially in neighborhoods dominated by nonwhite populations. The author does not worry about political correctness, stereotyping, or reliance on stylistic clichés. His empathy for fellow police officers wounded or killed on the job is boundless—not so for most others in the narrative. Much of Friedman's commentary involves his desired assignment in the city's 41st Precinct, a small area of the South Bronx sometimes referred to as "Fort Apache." Readers can only wonder how Friedman would have fared in today's climate of police officers wearing body cameras and vehicle dashboard cameras to document on-the-job conduct and citizens using phone cameras to record law enforcement personnel. When not on the street making arrests, Friedman chafed at completing paperwork and milling around courthouses waiting to testify. His restlessness for action never abated, to the point where he placed himself in personal peril multiple times.A swashbuckling book that is likely to elicit extreme reactions of applause or disapproval depending on the reader's personal opinions about law enforcement.