A hero for our times.
Carmen Best is an impressive leader with vast and varied experience. Read this book, then reshape your thinking about policing.
BrianVerified purchase, Hardcover, 2022
The book
Black in Blue.
Lessons on Leadership, Breaking Barriers, and Racial Reconciliation
A 28-year career. One of America’s hardest jobs. The honest truth about leading through it.
About the book
More than a memoir. A leadership text.
Black in Blue is the story of how Carmen Best rose from police officer to the first Black woman to lead the Seattle Police Department, and what she learned about leadership, identity, and integrity along the way. She is candid about the doubt, the barriers, and the microaggressions she navigated, and clear-eyed about what it takes to lead an institution through change.
More than a memoir, Black in Blue has become a leadership text, read by executives, public-sector leaders, and teams who want an honest account of leading under pressure.
What you’ll take from it
Four things readers don’t forget.
- 01
A real, unvarnished picture of leading through crisis and scrutiny
- 02
How to lead with integrity when the easy path and the right path diverge
- 03
What it takes to build, and protect, a team that reflects its community
- 04
Hard-won perspective on resilience, identity, and staying grounded
For teams
Reading it as a team?
Black in Blue is available for bulk and corporate orders, and pairs naturally with a keynote or leadership session from Carmen. A discussion guide is available for leadership programs and book clubs.
From readers
What readers are saying.
A small selection of five-star reviews from Amazon readers.
A frank and comprehensive account.
A frank, comprehensive, and very well-written account of Carmen Best’s childhood, army service, and rise to become and serve as Seattle’s police chief.
Harvey FergusonAmazon review, Kindle, 2022
The person we need.
Best served the Seattle PD for thirty years, making her way up the ranks. An extremely well-spoken person, with great insights into her life given openly.
Old WardenAmazon review, Kindle, 2021
Inspirational.
Inspiring and motivating me towards my next step in leadership.
A. LucasVerified purchase, Hardcover, 2021
Public reviews from Amazon.com. Five-star reviews shown. Full review history available on the book’s Amazon listing.
Endorsements
Praise for Black in Blue.
Attributed testimonials in production.
Carmen’s team is collecting quotes from past hosts. Each testimonial will include a verified name, title, organization, and event year before it ships here.