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.