Cops do a lot of writing these days. There are reports for traffic stops, reports for using force, incident reports and reports about how many reports an officer writes. It’s understandable, then, that so few cops turn to writing as a hobby. Of the ones who do, it’s fairly unusual to find one who’s able to make a career of it. Edward Conlon famously published Blue Blood in 2005, a memoir about his career to date. But even the incredibly talented, Harvard-trained NYPD detective hasn’t enjoyed the level of popular success attained by Joseph Wambaugh, the bestselling crime novelist who died on February 28 at age 88.

Born in 1937, Wambaugh went through college on the GI Bill after a stint in the Marine Corps. He joined the LAPD in 1960 and stayed there for 14 years, eventually resigning while serving as a detective sergeant. While at the LAPD, he published his first novel in 1971. The New Centurions examined the lives of police officers and the stress they faced while patrolling the streets. He’d eventually go on to write numerous books, including some that were made into movies and television shows. The New Centurions, The Blue Knight, The Onion Field, The Black Marble, The Choirboys and The Glitter Dome were adapted for the screen, and he also had a hand in developing the NBC series Police Story. 

Ironically, it was Wambaugh’s success that led to his significantly shortened law enforcement career. According to AP News, the young author/lawman initially intended to continue wearing both hats. His authorial success, though, began interfering with his police work. According to his website bio, “people would call the station with bogus crimes and ask for Sgt. Wambaugh to solve them. Suspects he arrested asked for acting roles in film adaptations.”

The proverbial nail in the coffin of his police career was when, in true cop fashion, his partner added fuel to the fire by ritualistically opening the door of their patrol car for him.

While many officers on the street today won’t recognize any of Wambaugh’s work, his influence on the profession they practice is undeniable. Art influences life, and Wambaugh’s art had a great deal of influence on how a generation of Americans viewed the law enforcement profession. While Wambaugh didn’t shy away from the gritty nature of the job, he remained loyal to the badge, refusing to buy into the notion that most cops were bad. In the mid-1970s, Wambaugh co-wrote the screenplay that transformed his book The Choirboys into a big-screen feature. During the process, director Robert Aldrich insisted on a rewrite that showed “L.A. cops as brutal as they really are.” Obviously not a fan of law enforcement, Aldrich wanted to rewrite the zany, outrageous story to portray officers less sympathetically. Despite having left his days at the precinct behind him, Wambaugh staunchly opposed the move. He sued to have his name removed from the credits and called it a “dreadful, slimy, vile film … an insult to … every self-respecting cop in America.”

Wambaugh is survived by his wife, Dee Allsup. They were married since 1955.