Night Stick

Night Stick, first published in 1947, is Lewis Valentine’s no-holds barred autobiography of his career as a tough, honest policeman, who rose from New York beat-cop to commissioner (1934-1945) of the nation’s largest police force. Valentine served under Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia during the notorious Murder, Inc. era of organized crime, and is credited with eliminating a significant amount of the corruption that had plagued the NYPD up to that time. Night Stick covers his rise in the force, as well as presenting numerous examples of major New York criminal cases in the first part of the 20th century. Valentine concludes with his vision of policing needs, and ends with his visit to Japan following the Second World War (upon the invitation of General Douglas MacArthur) to advise the Tokyo police department. Valentine passed away on December 16, 1946.