L.A.'s LAST STREET COP
SURVIVING HOLLYWOOD FREAKS, THE ARYAN BROTHERHOOD,
AND THE L.A.P.D.'S HOMICIDAL VENDETTA AGAINST ME
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"Probably the most entertaining and chilling police tale you’ll read this year."
- John C. Dvorak, co-host of the No Agenda Podcast
This gripping memoir vividly recounts Al Moreno’s rise as a gifted and fearless Los Angeles police officer, surviving gangs and homicidal situations in gritty 1970s urban war zones as he strove to achieve his personal and professional dreams. Packed with unforgettable scenes of both beauty and despair, it culminates in his vocal stand against corruption within the L.A.P.D. and the political retribution that ensued—a dirty internal investigation that unleashed the murderous vendetta of a violent ex-con from the Aryan Brotherhood. The book includes these gripping first-person accounts:
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Living on the edge to protect the public, in the line of fire each and every day.
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Confronting upper police management, who cooked the books on crime stats and got away with it.
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Observing gang violence from the inside out.
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Avoiding the use of lethal force in life-and-death situations.
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Becoming the hunted in the cross-hairs of a White Aryan murderer.
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Seeking to clear his name after getting fired from a corrupt police investigation
“Moreno is a born storyteller...His prose is tense and engrossing, whether it’s the tale of a drunken, all-cop brawl in a Hermosa Beach apartment building or an encounter with a man on PCP chasing people down Hollywood Boulevard with an ax.” – Kirkus Reviews

ABOUT AL MORENO
Author Al Moreno’s natural prowess for police work resulted in an unprecedented 70 commendations as he dealt with scores of gangs and violent criminals during his tenure with the Los Angeles Police Department. Moreno was one of 36 police officers chosen from the ranks of the entire L.A.P.D. to launch what became the nation’s premiere specialized anti-gang unit, Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums (C.R.A.S.H.). He not only led his colleagues in arrests, but exhibited a rare ability often noted in his L.A.P.D field commendations: “Officer Moreno displays particular skill when handling armed suspects, as he recovers more weapons in the field than any other C.R.A.S.H. officer yet has avoided involvement in an officer-involved shooting.”
Moreno overcame tremendous odds to achieve his dream of becoming an L.A.P.D. officer. He was one of 12 children raised in a 874-square-foot, three-bedroom home in the gang-infested streets of L.A.'s Florenai-13/Watts neighborhood, with a neglectful ex-con father who didn’t even attend his graduation from the police academy. As a child, he suffered from a rare childhood disease, Legg Calves Perthes, which required the use of crutches and metal braces for four years. If that wasn’t enough, he was a poor student in grade and high school due to an undiagnosed case of dyslexia and dyscalculia (learning disabilities in processing language and math). He dropped out of high school his senior year and was arrested three times, drifting from one meaningless job to another until he enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1968 at the height of the Vietnam War. He served with honor and received a commendation for outstanding performance of duty.
MEDIA / REVIEWS
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Extended interview on "Changing the Culture" Podcast
Extended interview on WMST's "Mornings on Main"
(Interview begins at 41 minutes in.)
Comments on police reform for The Center Square (7/8/20)
Appearance on The Author Show (7/7/20)
Review in VVA Veteran (6/20/20)
Law Enforcement Today Show (5/13/20)
“Moreno is a born storyteller. ..His prose is tense and engrossing, whether it’s the tale of a drunken, all-cop brawl in a Hermosa Beach apartment building or an encounter with a man on PCP chasing people down Hollywood Boulevard with an ax.” – Kirkus Reviews
“Probably the most entertaining and chilling police tale you’ll read this year. An incredible romp, surprisingly well-written, fast paced, a serious page turner leading to an eventual tale of woe that anyone who ever worked within any bureaucracy will find disconcerting. A must read.” – John C. Dvorak, co-host of the No Agenda Podcast
“If you love a street-gritty crime drama set amidst one man’s heroic rise and fall, this is the book for you. Cinematic in its sweep and tragedy, it also happens to be true – told by police officer who was in the middle of all these events. Sometimes life itself is more compelling that fiction. Read it now before the movie comes out!” – Paul David Walker, Fortune 500 leadership coach and author
“Al Moreno's commitment and dedication to the citizens of Los Angeles were always at the forefront of his service. He also had a compassionate side for the victims of gang violence, and at times for the criminals he encountered. When one mentally ill suspect came at him wildly swinging an axe, Al made a split-second decision to shoot him in the legs instead of fatally to the torso. The suspect’s father later thanked Al in court for not killing his son. It’s all here in this book!” – Frank R. Flores, retired L.A.P.D. sergeant
L.A.'s LAST STREET COP
SURVIVING HOLLYWOOD FREAKS, THE ARYAN BROTHERHOOD, AND THE L.A.P.D.'s HOMICIDAL VENDETTA AGAINST ME
Rights Licensing
Michael Roney
201.703.1020
Media Inquiries
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