Although relatively new, most cops have heard of the Black Lives Matter folks. Formed shortly after the 2013 acquittal of George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watchman who fatally shot Trayvon Martin in late February, 2012, in Sanford, Fla., they really came to the forefront after the Ferguson, Mo., incident where Officer Darren Wilson fatally shot Michael Brown when Brown attempted to disarm him. But very few law enforcement officers know the history behind this radical organization and even fewer understand their real motives. In The Truth About the Black Lives Matter Movement and the War on Police Dr. Ron Martinelli outlines that motive in clear terms: it is “to defund law enforcement” and “overthrow our democratic way of life.”

Beginning with the first chapter, the author, a retired San Jose, Calif., police detective and forensic criminologist, identifies the three principal players who formed this dangerous, anti-police group; their backgrounds, their philosophies and their beliefs that law enforcement engages in a “systematic program of police terrorism and police violence and black oppression.“

I was provided with an early draft of the book and could not put it down. Nowhere will our readers find a more complete, thoroughly researched accounting of not only the Trayvon Martin-George Zimmerman shooting, but the Officer Darren Wilson-Michael Brown shooting from August 9, 2014; the July 16, 2009 Cambridge, Mass., incident involving Sgt. James Crowley and Dr. Henry Louis Gates; and the April 12, 2015 Baltimore transport that ended with the death of Freddie Grey.

For the first time, readers will learn how this movement is funded and by whom. In Chapter 6, “Following the Money—Who Funds the BLM Movement?,”  readers will learn the circuitous route that channels money to this group, including well known leftist George Soros. Those pages also contain copies of the actual tweets documenting the roll that celebrities Jay-Z and Beyonce Knowles-Carter played in ponying up bail money for protesters arrested after both the Ferguson and Baltimore riots. While those tweets were quickly taken down when they became known, the author captured them and copies appear in the text.  That same chapter also provides readers with copies of ads recruiting professional protesters with offers of up to $2,000 through a group calling itself the Organization for Black Struggle (OBS) for travel funding to Ferguson.

If for no other reason, the 10-point policing program developed by BLM known as Campaign Zero, calling for the ending of the “militarization” of the police, ending the practice of paid administrative leave after an allegation of excessive force, and ending the “broken windows” philosophy, among others, this book should be required reading for every police officer regardless of rank or position.

In short, this book belongs in every police department library. In fact, in my opinion, it needs to be become a part of all police academy curriculum. In my nearly four decades of police work, I have never seen a more detailed or researched text on this well-organized, well-funded, radical, dangerous, antipolice movement.

While thin in size compared to most reference books, this text is long on resources: No less than 36 footnotes, 26 legal cites and 83 additional documented references are contained within its 171 pages.

In the interest of complete disclosure, I have known Ron Martinelli for a number of years and authored the Foreword for the book. I’ve had him down to my offices in Florida, and we’ve worked together as police defense experts, Ron working the forensic aspect while I concerned myself with the policy and training issues. So there is a bias here. However, in my opinion, this book is destined to become one of the most complete and authoritative texts on what Ron calls the most “dangerous, destructive radical organization” of its kind. After reading this book, I’m convinced you will see it that way too.

Available through Amazon.com or www.DrRonMartinelli.com.