A Cop's Cop

That would have to be Jack Maple. I was first introduced to Jack Maple via a television show that was inspired by his life. The show is entitled "The District" and it is my all time favorite cop show. The main character in the show is Jack Mannion. Jack enjoys opera, old movies, Jiffy Bars, and like his real life counter-part, spectator shoes.

He fights crime with integrity and with the expectation that his subordinates be as honest and hard working as he is. He expects no less of them than he does himself. He always does what's right and refuses to "play the game" of politics, which is next to impossible to do in Washington D.C.

Jack surrounds himself with people who are loyal to him and loyal to the cause. Most of his officers have had a career set back at one time or another and Jack knows this. He puts them on his team as part of a master plan to build them back up and create ideal law enforcement officers out of them. Jack is known for running a "school for broken cops." The key word here is "broken" not "destroyed." Jack knows that there is no place in society for officers who do not meet the standard of which society expects.

Jack has a concept that he uses to keep his department at its best and to fight crime. That concept is accountability. When crime happens he holds his people accountable to explain why. He might ask, "Why was the family on 3rd St. mugged while there were 2 police vehicles parked at the Cafe for 2 hours on 4th St? If it happens again, you're out of here!...I want those cars moving and when they are not moving, I want you out talking to the people in the community."

Jack Maple has authored several books about his life and practical concepts of law enforcement and crime fighting. Jack died on August 4, 2001 of colon cancer. He left behind a legacy.