Like its predecessors in the Durvile True Cases series, After the Force features true cases and investigations, this time by police officers who have served in municipal, provincial, and federal police services. Stories in this anthology are by people who have been passionate about their work in law enforcement and who generously explain what it was about their work that led them to choose a career or specific way of life “after the force.” Among the stunning themes in the book are stories dealing with prostitution and sex work, racism and misogyny, an en-counter with a cop killer, police suicides, a child miraculously surviving a fall from a high-rise balcony, an officer dealing with a partner who was experiencing severe PTSD, a suicide from a bridge, and child sexual assaults. Optimistic themes and activities arise in these writers’ lives after retiring from police work, such as writing, painting, assisting Indigenous communities, and facilitating community improvement.
