About the Book

Forgotten and buried deep behind the uniform is a common man.  As The Other Side of Policing attempts to break the stereotype of policing as an obsession with guns, crime and criminals, it insists that even the cops have a penchant for humour.  At times, for people like Maxwell, it is the humour that makes them survive in a system that kills initiatives.

The book is based on the author’s own experiences as a policeman for nearly 35 years where he provides an insider’s account of someone who has experienced everything at close quarters and can afford to be critical of the system as a whole.  He recounts gripping stories about how policeman learn to survive under the axe of the media, politicians, common people and their own seniors.

In his anecdotal account, the author talks of various incidents and projects, the men behind uniform as human beings who could succumb to the trials and tribulations of power.  He talks about the inability of cops to do anything when high profile politicians enact stage dramas to stay in the limelight, how the cops take liberties to kill at will, how a South Indian to whom all Sikhs looked the same learnt to differentiate between them and how an April Fool’s prank resulted in a senior officer waiting at the airport to receive a VIP when none was scheduled to arrive.

His narration laced with humour provides a fresh look at unexplored alleys and brings home the point that at the end of the day we all need our daily dose of banter and policing provides ample opportunities for that.  The author hopes that this book will connect easily with the man on the street and help bridge the gap between police and people.

About the Author

Maxwell Pereira, a highly decorated former officer of the elite Indian Police Service, was born in Salem on 3 October 1944.  He joined the IPS in 1970 after a brief stint as a successful lawyer. During his 35-year service career, he served in various capacities and territories including Sikkim (as the first Superintendent of Police), Mizoram (as Assistant Inspector General of Police), Pondicherry (as Chief of Police), and Delhi (as Joint Commissioner of Police).

By the time he retired, Maxwell had nine national and four regional awards adorning the lapel of his uniform, making him one of the most highly decorated police officers in India. A thorough-bred field officer with a reputation for taking the bull by the horns, he is the recipient of the Indian Police Medal for Gallantry (1979), the Police Medal for Meritorious Services (1987) and the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Services (1995).

A widely published writer and panelist, he has a firm grip on nation’s political and social issues. Rightly called “The Thinking Cap’, Maxwell is often interviewed by newspapers, magazines and TV/radio channels.  Apart from publishing several articles in major newspapers like the Times, Statesman, Delhi Mid-day, he has the book Road Safety for Schools to his credit.  A man of diverse interests, Maxwell is a well-known visiting faculty at various institutions in India, actively involved in social welfare activities as a Rotarian, and a much-sought-after speaker.