There is a certain crude cadence in the language of the street. Officer Morrissey uses it, wisely but unvarnished, to illuminate his stories drawn from his more than 30 years as a street cop. Morrissey’s stories are a collection of studies in human nature — sometimes funny, periodically nearly unbelievable, tragic and even touching, but the underlying message is one of learning to cope. While today’s popular police TV programs and movies whirl around fast chases and slick, rich crooks, Morrissey’s straightforward storytelling style convinces the reader that these stories reflect the coarse reality of police work. As with his first collection of Humorous Beat stories, these anecdotes demonstrate how reality sometimes seems too farfetched to make good fiction. You Gotta Laugh is his fourth book.

Officer Bob Morrissey is a veteran of thirty-three years on the Toledo Police Department. A graduate of the University of Toledo. His assignments were in the meanest parts of the city. Was cited numerous times for heroism and outstanding work. Played football for the University of Toledo, United States Army and the Toledo Tornado professional team. Taught Police Science at Owens Tech Community College and the University of Toledo. Bob digs into his memory and writes from experiences he had as a police officer. Most of his books and stories concern the humorous side of police work. He tells it how it is as only a knowledgeable harden police veteran can. Bob’s outlook is, I judge my life by how many times I laugh.