Terror Cop: The NYPD Jewish Cop Who Traveled the World to Stop Terrorists

A policeman from 1982, a time when "only two Orthodox Jews were members of the NYPD," until 2008, Dzikansky, in his first book, outlines his 25 years on the force. Despite wearing a yarmulke on the job and not being able to work from Friday afternoon to Sunday morning, Dzikansky never let his religion hamper his position on the force. Instead, thanks to his knowledge of Hebrew and dedicated work on the well-publicized Torah theft cases in the early '90s, Dzikansky quickly moved up the NYPD's ranks and earned the complimentary nickname the "Jewish Detective" from his peers. It isn't till almost 100 pages into the book that readers get a true glimpse at the officer as he describes his reaction to 9/11 as a cop. And it is this tragic event that leads to Dzikansky's most dramatic role, learning firsthand about terror attacks and how to prevent them as an NYPD operative working and living in Israel. While Dzikansky's storytelling skills don't live up to the danger and importance of his mission, his time abroad, which included trips to investigate terror attacks in Spain, Egypt, Russia, and Turkey, certainly paid dues for New York City. The last two chapters—in which Dzikansky outlines lessons he hopes will "help curb terror," explaining how to identify and handle a terrorist attack—are compelling reading and a testament to Dzikansky's skill as a terrorist cop. (Jan.)