Jim Cirillo's Tales Of The Stakeout Squad

Strong stuff. If you can handle it, Mr Cirillo tells his side of his time on the New York City Stakeout Squad. This unit was tasked with catching robbers in the act, hopefully to arrest them and put them through the full process of the law. Frequently this didn't happen. As Cirillo says, " I didn't hear them surrender in all the gunfire". This is a tale of a man more suited to the open plains of the Wild West, which naturally put him in conflict with the emerging forces of the liberal pantywaist left. Clint Eastwood portrayed Dirty Harry - this man lived it. He did the dirty work, but did not receive the praise or recompense for being a soldier in the war on crime. He is not a trained writer, but has a storyteller's natural gift for allowing glimpses into his incredible life and deeds. He is one of the last true gunfighters. We may just need his kind in times to come - this book shows what it takes to put yourself in harm's way in defense of the public good. A hero? You decide.

This isn't poetry, but in terms of real world accounts of dynamic split second events this deserves 5 stars. The story was well worth the effort to capture. The man was a special type of human, a sheepdog in a world of wolves and sheep. It is evident he cared deeply for the victims and protecting the public. He understood very well how the Zen of subconscious shooting can take over in split second events. Nothing he writes here is going to turn you into a gunfighter, but it does tell you the basics for things for the recipe that tend to make you a survivor (no guarantee you will be so lucky). The hard training and practice work he put in is mentioned but don't underestimate those accomplishments. With those under his belt, he was able to survive when combined with that special something that only some folks have in their blood. Some forms of competition and hunting are good and others are better at this sort of need. The book is a must read in many ways.

A guy I know suggested this book. I'm glad he did. You will meet a humble man that did some extraordinary things, and yet it was all to be a better police officer. Politics rears it's ugly head and life goes on. It does not diminish his contributions. As it tuns out, Jim's digs in 'upstate New York' weren't that far away... I wish I'd known this while I was there and he was still alive - it would been cool to meet him and pick his brain. Jim should be better known for his contributions, but since he likely won't be except in specific circles, read it here for yourself. Thank you Jim for your service.

This book, written posthumously by an associate of Cirillo's; is a collection of stories as told by his closest colleagues and friends. It has lots of photos and takes you from his childhood right up to his unfortunate demise. There is plenty of humor and irony, all told with what would be a 'New Yawk' accent if it were an audiobook. You will almost feel as though you knew him yourself. I found this book both entertaining and informative. I could not put it down. Highly recommended.

This book was begun by the author along with Cirillo before he died. It is an excellent account of Cirillo's life and a fast and easy read. I wish it was longer. I could have read another 300+ pages if it was all like what Kirchner put together. The insight into Cirillo's mindset still applies today even if his weapons and tactics have become politically incorrect. It the politics ever turn to a more realistic approach to law enforcement, the NYCPD's Stakeout Unit would most certainly work again. One can only wonder what would have happened to NY's robbery rate if Cirillo and his fellow SOU members had continued for another five years. Kirchner really gave me a quality insight into Cirillo that not many authors could probably have provided. Kirchner's respect for the man comes through in his writing. I highly recommend this book to any law enforcement officer with an interest in such things. It's also a great companion to Cirillo's own book.

I was a police officer and firearms training officer in the 1980s and one high light of Police Firearms training was what we were hearing about the New York City Police Department and their Stake Out Squads and the experiences of officers like Jim Cirillo. It seemed to me that we needed to learn to shoot from cover, shoot fast and accurate, reload fast, consider all aspects of the dangers of being a police officer. Standing out in the open while someone was trying to take your life was not going to cut it. This book was written long after Jim Cirillo was retired but there is very important information on its pages.

After reading "Guns, Bullets, and Gunfights: Lessons and Tales from a Modern-Day Gunfighter," I wanted to read more about Jim Cirillo and the NY Stakeout Squad. This book definitely gave me more. The author provides more details by including interviews with partners and witnesses. Only wish the book could have been longer.

This a great read, and there is more here than just gun fights. Jim Cirillo was a Hell of a man, and I wish I could have met him. This book relates a very interesting period in the NYPD, and gives a little insight into the mind and personality of a real modern day gunfighter. A real addition to the library of any person interested in personal defense or deadly encounters.

A great story about a former law enforcement officer that was part of an infamous squad in NYC that effectively slowed a huge number of alarmed robberies that were occurring. A true " back in the day" story of policing. An easy read. If you don't understand what things were like 50 years ago, you'll probably be offended.

The late Jim Cirillo was a hero in his own right, and added wonderful author to it!

Strong stuff. If you can handle it, Mr Cirillo tells his side of his time on the New York City Stakeout Squad. This unit was tasked with catching robbers in the act, hopefully to arrest them and put them through the full process of the law. Frequently this didn't happen. As Cirillo says, " I didn't hear them surrender in all the gunfire". This is a tale of a man more suited to the open plains of the Wild West, which naturally put him in conflict with the emerging forces of the liberal pantywaist left. Clint Eastwood portrayed Dirty Harry - this man lived it. He did the dirty work, but did not receive the praise or recompense for being a soldier in the war on crime. He is not a trained writer, but has a storyteller's natural gift for allowing glimpses into his incredible life and deeds. He is one of the last true gunfighters. We may just need his kind in times to come - this book shows what it takes to put yourself in harm's way in defense of the public good. A hero? You decide.

This isn't poetry, but in terms of real world accounts of dynamic split second events this deserves 5 stars. The story was well worth the effort to capture. The man was a special type of human, a sheepdog in a world of wolves and sheep. It is evident he cared deeply for the victims and protecting the public. He understood very well how the Zen of subconscious shooting can take over in split second events. Nothing he writes here is going to turn you into a gunfighter, but it does tell you the basics for things for the recipe that tend to make you a survivor (no guarantee you will be so lucky). The hard training and practice work he put in is mentioned but don't underestimate those accomplishments. With those under his belt, he was able to survive when combined with that special something that only some folks have in their blood. Some forms of competition and hunting are good and others are better at this sort of need. The book is a must read in many ways.

A guy I know suggested this book. I'm glad he did. You will meet a humble man that did some extraordinary things, and yet it was all to be a better police officer. Politics rears it's ugly head and life goes on. It does not diminish his contributions. As it tuns out, Jim's digs in 'upstate New York' weren't that far away... I wish I'd known this while I was there and he was still alive - it would been cool to meet him and pick his brain. Jim should be better known for his contributions, but since he likely won't be except in specific circles, read it here for yourself. Thank you Jim for your service.

This book, written posthumously by an associate of Cirillo's; is a collection of stories as told by his closest colleagues and friends. It has lots of photos and takes you from his childhood right up to his unfortunate demise. There is plenty of humor and irony, all told with what would be a 'New Yawk' accent if it were an audiobook. You will almost feel as though you knew him yourself. I found this book both entertaining and informative. I could not put it down. Highly recommended.

This book was begun by the author along with Cirillo before he died. It is an excellent account of Cirillo's life and a fast and easy read. I wish it was longer. I could have read another 300+ pages if it was all like what Kirchner put together. The insight into Cirillo's mindset still applies today even if his weapons and tactics have become politically incorrect. It the politics ever turn to a more realistic approach to law enforcement, the NYCPD's Stakeout Unit would most certainly work again. One can only wonder what would have happened to NY's robbery rate if Cirillo and his fellow SOU members had continued for another five years. Kirchner really gave me a quality insight into Cirillo that not many authors could probably have provided. Kirchner's respect for the man comes through in his writing. I highly recommend this book to any law enforcement officer with an interest in such things. It's also a great companion to Cirillo's own book.

I was a police officer and firearms training officer in the 1980s and one high light of Police Firearms training was what we were hearing about the New York City Police Department and their Stake Out Squads and the experiences of officers like Jim Cirillo. It seemed to me that we needed to learn to shoot from cover, shoot fast and accurate, reload fast, consider all aspects of the dangers of being a police officer. Standing out in the open while someone was trying to take your life was not going to cut it. This book was written long after Jim Cirillo was retired but there is very important information on its pages.

After reading "Guns, Bullets, and Gunfights: Lessons and Tales from a Modern-Day Gunfighter," I wanted to read more about Jim Cirillo and the NY Stakeout Squad. This book definitely gave me more. The author provides more details by including interviews with partners and witnesses. Only wish the book could have been longer.

This a great read, and there is more here than just gun fights. Jim Cirillo was a Hell of a man, and I wish I could have met him. This book relates a very interesting period in the NYPD, and gives a little insight into the mind and personality of a real modern day gunfighter. A real addition to the library of any person interested in personal defense or deadly encounters.

A great story about a former law enforcement officer that was part of an infamous squad in NYC that effectively slowed a huge number of alarmed robberies that were occurring. A true " back in the day" story of policing. An easy read. If you don't understand what things were like 50 years ago, you'll probably be offended.

The late Jim Cirillo was a hero in his own right, and added wonderful author to it!

Story of a real gun fighter in the NYPD Stake out Squad. Police can't fight crime this way anymore, too bad.

Some people are truly amazing. It can't be denied that he could kill another human being without any pang of guilt. Yet, he still seemed to be such a likable fellow.

VERY good book, a real modern classic to be sure about one of the greatest and most interesting gun fighters to have ever lived. Packed with priceless knowledge and incredible stories of survival and courage, while all at the same time being fantastically fun and easy to read. Good information, good reading, GOOD BOOK!

If you like reading about gun fights then this book is for you. Cirillo was a modern day Wyatt Earp.

Excellent way to get to know how our pioneers learned both survival and tecnical aspects of "streetfighting". Hearing how they learned the hard way in stakeout situations will help any officer, but can even give ccw carriers the expectations that they are going to need to survive in tight situations. Some of the anecdotes would be nearly unbelievable if they weren't used to show why new bullets were needed and developed by Mr. Cirillo. The shootout stories are a must read for anyone who carries a gun.

I used to shoot a yearly pistol match in Canton, OH, which Jimmy and his NYPD team liked to attend. The best part of the match was sitting around in the evenings listening to Jimmy and his teammates relating their exploits. He wrote it like he told it. This type of activity is probably frowned upon nowadays, but was really effective at crime control.

Goodd book.

It was very interesting and enjoyable to read. I would have liked to have met the man. I also read his book Guns, Bullets and Gunfights. That was very good too. A real eye opener on ammo.

I seldom rate an item as five stars, but this one deserves it. The language is a bit "salty", but in perspective, seems appropriate for the situations being described. One item that I find unusual, but VERY nice is that in many segments you end up laughing. These are from once a page to as many as three times per page. When you think about the subject(s) being discussed, that's amazing. I strongly recommend that any wild-eyed liberals, that do not want to learn the truth, should avoid this book. So many, with their twenty-twenty hind sight and hours to evaluate a situation, want to know why a bad guy was not simply wounded, or had his gun "shot from his hand". This book provides many examples of why an armed assailant, attempting to shoot you, needs to be stopped (note the specific word there), and not just at some time in the future. [/soap-box] EXCELLENT book, I recommend it, and will do so to my friends.

I met Jim Cirillo years ago during an instructor course at FLETC. I enjoyed the few conversations that we had and have always wanted to know more about his stake out squad experiences. I ran across this book quite by accident and am glad I purchased it. I read to learn, but I also read a great deal for enjoyment. This book, while not a volume on gunfighting techniques is certainly an enjoyable read. The format of the book lends itself to leisurely reads for just a couple moments relaxation. If you are looking for a how to book you probably won't enjoy this, but it certainly lives up to it's title 'Tales of the Stakeout Squad.'

Great read if you like action that is non-fiction, a dry and witty sense f humor this book is for you. What Jim did with the SOU in NY was 60% brains and 40% sheer brass b^||s. This is a great book. Once you start reading you will not put it down.

Couldn't put it down! Recommend this to anyone, specially those with an interest in the true dynamics, psychology, ballistics, and forensics of a real-life gunfight.

Really good reading

wonderful reading

'Guns, bullets, and gunfights' is a much better book, and tells the same stories. The best thing about this book was the "plane crash" story, that was funny.

Very interesting and informative book by a former police officer that survived not one, but several shoot-outs with criminals. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who carries a handgun for self-defense.

If you want to appreciate the humor and skill of one of the greatest gunfighters and teachers of our time, this book is for you.

Great advice from someone who has been there and done that.

Excellent book. If you are into shooting, law enforcement, personal protection, or a fan of New York history, this book is worth reading. It is a fast easy read that keeps you into it. Enjoy!!!!

This book is hard to put down. With the authors excellent story telling, Mr. Cirillo's life jumps off of the page, and reads more like a block buster movie than an average NYPD officers life.

one of the best books I've ever read about gunfighting, period. An absolute eye opener. Dispels some of the myths and bs about ballistics and so called stopping power. There is no such thing as a magic bullet or a substitute for accuracy under pressure.

A quick and fun read. Good stuff for any gun person or lover of history, guns, law enforcement, or the way things were and should be

Kirchner provides an excellent compilation of stories surrounding Jim Cirillo's life, including his time with the Stakeout Squad. The additional biographical information regarding Cirillo; his early life, joining the NYPD, competing, etc...added much to the overall story. Also, providing multiple viewpoints of several events made the stories feel more real and honest. Hopefully there is more material forthcoming.

This man was a modern day Wyatt Earp and his life was truly a gunfight in its own right. It has a bit of dark humor but of you can stand an old cops way of thinking this will be a good read that youll read again and again.

Educational and entertaining. A good read for anyone interested in NYPD history or law enforcement in general. Some good tips for anyone who legally carries.

Great read and interesting stories from a guy that was there and lived through it. I love to learn about peoples experience through the stories of the episodes in their life.

This book is stories of gunfights in New York City. A squad of the best shots were formed to stop crime in the city. They were good at what they did and told great stories as seen from the men of the Stake Out Unit. (SOU)

I enjoyed the candid writing.

fast delivery, item as described

Couldn't put it down. Read it at one sitting. Entertaining and easy to read.

Received book damage free and when I expected delivery date. Very pleased.

Jim is a legend and Paul Kirchner does a great job of telling his story. I highly recommend this book to anyone who carries a handgun for defense purposes (law enforcement or personal protection).

A very informative and enjoyable book.

Quite an interesting, detailed, informational book on the police dept and how it works behind the scenes, and how they took out many bad guys.

One of my heroes

Great just what i ordered

very good book with lots of informative storys. It makes you stop and think about what they deal with daily

An easy read. Some of the stories are a little implausible but I wasn't there!

Outstanding book.

Written as an outline. Was looking for a story form.

Very well written. Jim Cirillo's story should be made into a movie.

Awsome

This really gives you an insight to a piece of history many never knew existed! Jim was a true american hero and a damn good shooter.

Interesting book, lots of details you wouldn't normally know about the Stakeout Squad gunfights--especially the way Cirillo and his guys handled things.

the guru

If you like the real deal buy this book. Great information and experience. Highly recommended!

This book was written and published after Cirillo's death, and you can see it was a response to reader demand. Nonetheless it is a thrilling read, and provides both sides of the argument - should you fight armed robbers on their own terms, and blast them as soon as they twitch an eyelid, or should they be taken alive, counselled, educated, found jobs, and generally turned around somehow into good citizens? Many shooting scenes are described, where we find that armed offenders are in fact more ready to shoot someone than the police are, any day. Many citizens expect the cops to protect THEM and not the offender, and this is no doubt how the store-owners and customers feel. Others think that the cops should fire warning shots galore, shoot the weapon out of the robber's hand, etc etc. You are given the chance to choose. The truth lies somewhere between. Having shot so many armed robbers, the inevitable happens - Cirillo's team is disbanded for political reasons. Yet the author does mention that the great majority of the gunmen and robbers shot are black. Does it point to something? Who knows?

A great read about a larger than life man.

I found this book to be a really good read. It held my attention and was excellently put together by the author.

great

I loved this book.

Great Book!! All you pro cop, anti crime people should really red this.

good story

Excellent story of his life.

loved the book

Great book ! Real modern gunfighter.must read for any student of combat shooting

As a retired LEO and now a civilian Fire Arms trainer I found the book to be very accurate. It brought back a lot of memories. It's too bad Jim Cirrillo left us so soon. I'm sure he had many other stories to tell. He is an American Hero.

Great book!

I was fortunate to have shot against Jim, in several matches. In fact I even beat him in a few in the late 60's and early 70's. I beat him in Ayoob's NH State Undercover Match, I think in 1972. He wasn't happy to have lost to a virtual unknown. I also beat him in several matches held by Jeff Cooper, at Hyde Park, NY, where I came out second to Ray Chapman in the Night Shoot. I was also fortunate to have personally listened as others too gathered around, when Jim spoke of his various encounters some recalled in this book. It was like he was holding "Court" and everyone paid attention, because they knew he was the real McCoy. He believed in training the way you have to fight, and not the way most LEO's are trained. Most LEO's go through an entire career without shooting anyone, Jim was certainly an exception. Every LE Dept of any size should have a "Stake Out Squad" and smaller agencies should designate one or two of their members to form several teams, train together, and do stake outs, in their various jurisdictions. I think there would be less armed robberies if the bad guys never knew if in fact a "Stake Out Team" just might be on the premises. I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants to hear the way it really was, and is, from a guy who was there and did it. Jim's untimely death was unfortunate, because he had a lot left to give. I was also fortunate to have had Gunsmith Austin Behlert living in my town, and he made me some guns like the ones he made for Jim, and others of the era. I'm long "retired" but still carry, instruct, and shoot when I can. Practice like you fight. Best regards to all, Russ Thomas, Roxboro, NC russ@thomaspi.com

Very interesting for people interested in guns and related subjects. He was certainly a man of experience.

Loved his 1st book... This one is great as well.

Smooth Transaction, Excellent quality of the book. Very pleased with my choice to use Amazon to make a purchase on my NYPD Collection.

Highly recommended!

Enjoyed it,

This book is written in plain English. Makes me wish I had known Jim. We need men like him around today.

An excellent read for all shooters. The truth is better than fiction every time. I would definitely recommend this book.

Very interesting read.

Overall I thought this was a great book. It could have been better if it had had more stories of the many gunfights that the squad was involved in. More information on how the locations were picked and how the set up was established.

Good read about an era gone by

Why read other books by blowhards who think they know what it's like to be involved in a shootout, when you can read this one written by a guy who was actually in multiple shootouts?

Good book, it was a quick and interesting read. It also gave a good perspective of who the man really was.

This is a book of cop stories. I am a retired cop of 35 years and I have slough of stories too, just never got anyone to publish them.

Disappointed

The impressive tales from Jim Cirillo's life, from his participation in countless shootouts as a member of the NYPD's short-lived Stakeout Squad, along with his experimentation with various armaments and ammunition configurations, experiences with politics and the media, and the wonderfully unique person he was, are all present in this book. It's a must read for any firearm aficionado, law enforcement or history buff, and anyone that wants to learn of a great man under set after set of pressing circumstances. (Author Paul Kirchner did a great job compiling this book as well, and deserves significant praise as Cirillo's badassery would have been lost to the ages had he not taken it upon himself to write about the man!)

Jim Cirillo has rightfully achieved legendary status as one of the most battle tested gunfighters of the modern era from his service on NYPD's long disbanded Stake Out Unit. Those who've read Cirillo's own book, Guns, Bullets, and Gunfights or who have simply heard stories about him will surely enjoy this volume. Kirchner is a fine writer and a meticulous researcher. There is far more interesting biographical material in Kirchner's book than in Cirillo's own book. Anyone who is a fan of Jim Cirillo or of "deadly men" generally will find this a fascinating book.

I learned of this book through the, 'M1 Carbine by Leroy Thompson' an interesting read, but this was far more pleasurable. It's essentially short tales, hence the name, of Mr. Cirillo's times in the NYPD's Stakeout Squad, a bit of his personal life, the guns he and his partners used and swore by, and his life after. I felt the author did a very fine job relating the these short stories in a manner that I would imagined Cirillo telling them. This 'mini' biography is highly entertaining and definitely worth a read if you're interested in firearms, and law enforcement.

I was very impressed with Paul Kirchner's work on Jim Cirillo. When he wrote "The World's Deadliest Men" I thought about sending him a letter complaining of the omission of Cirillo in his otherwise facinating book. So I was impressed and pleased to see he chose to do an entire book on Cirillo. I learned a lot from Cirillo's "Guns, Bullets and Gunfighting" but getting the Cirillo retelling of some of the gunfights and then other officer's perceptions and memories of the same events was facinating and informative. The work really helps to get a handle on the SOU, why they were succesful and why Allard and Cirillo were some of the most accomplished members of the unit. Great work!