Every day, thousands of police officers willingly put their lives in danger to uphold their pledge to protect and serve the public. Once respected for their dedication and professionalism, police officers are now used as scapegoats--the victims of second guessing and racial issues. Allegations of excessive force and police brutality are rampant. Cases involving cops are more political, more scrutinized, and more explosive than ever before. Written in the years following the infamous O.J. Simpson and Rodney King trials, Cops Under Fire is veteran Associated Press writer Larry McShane's probe into a series of high--profile cases involving police officers whose actions in the line of duty led to the questioning of their motives and ruining of their reputations.