**** * The Outsider: My Quest for Justice. By Adam Delgado; published by Adam Delgado, Inc., www.adamdelgado.com [2] (Web); 119 pages; $10.

The obstacles faced by applicants to any law enforcement agency are many. To some extent, they can be overcome through individual preparatory efforts. It should be apparent, however, that not everyone has the necessary qualifications, regardless of how well they may have prepared themselves for the challenge.

The book, The Outsider: My Quest for Justice, details one man’s attempt to become an FBI agent and the legal battle that ensued, stemming from his claim of hiring discrimination within the agency. Author Adam Delgado spends much of the book discussing his extensive experience as a city police officer and Air Force officer, which lends his story credibility. He then delves into the application process to become a special agent in the FBI.

Delgado, who is Hispanic, depicts the FBI as an agency with historical problems both establishing diversity and retaining minority personnel. Delgado states that he ultimately won his lawsuit filed against the FBI. Whether that led to institutional changes at the agency, he does not say.

Delgado became a special agent in the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, but he left the agency in 2006. He now runs his own private security firm in Chicago.

Stories abound like those described in The Outsider about problems in the law enforcement community. For that reason, the book merits attention. The issues raised by Delgado’s account are important not only for individuals but also for the law enforcement agencies as well. This self-published book is, however, directed toward the novice reader. Thus, it may best serve as an informative guide for individuals who are contemplating a career in law enforcement. 

Reviewer: Brian L. Royster, Ed.D., is a detective sergeant with the Organized Crime Bureau of the New Jersey State Police. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association (LEEDA) Command Institute for Law Enforcement Executives. He is a member of ASIS.

Detail Image: 

Thumbnail: