EBOOK
About
A transparent first-hand account of a Black officer maneuvering through three terrifying yet rewarding decades of policing, all while seeking reform in law enforcement
When 16-year-old Keith Merith finds himself pulled over, berated, and degraded by a white police officer, he's outraged. He's done nothing wrong. But the officer has the power, and he doesn't. From that day on, he vows to join a police service and effect change from within.
Twelve years and a multitude of infuriating applications later, Merith is finally hired by York Regional Police. Subjected to unfair treatment and constant microaggressions, he perseveres and gradually rises through the ranks, his goal of systemic change carrying him through. After a stellar career, Merith retires at the rank of superintendent, but his desire for sustained and equitable reform is stronger than ever.
In A Darker Shade of Blue, Merith shares both his gut-wrenching and heart-warming experiences and advocates for immediate police reform in a balanced and level-headed manner. He praises the people in blue, but he also knows on a visceral level that there are deep issues that need to be rectified - starting with recruitment. He knows that law enforcement agencies should reflect the communities they serve and protect, and that all citizens should be treated equally. Entrusted with the duty to serve, Merith delivers an evocative perspective of policing by providing the opportunity to walk in his shoes, as a Black man, and as a police officer on the front lines. Throughout his career, Police Superintendent Merith ran headfirst into the institutionalized racism of the York Regional Police. Here, he lays out his career, lived experiences, and passion for systemic change and social justice reform and shows the reader what it's like to be a Black man charged with a duty to serve.
Retired police superintendent Keith Merith ended his 31-year tenure in 2017 after holding command positions, including Bureau Commander of Information Services and Court Services and Officer-In-Charge of Investigative Services and the Organized Crime Bureau. Keith volunteers with various organizations mandated to pursue social justice, police reform, and equality. He lives in Newmarket, Ontario.
"A must-read for those interested in policing and the subtle and not-so-subtle effects of racism. Superintendent Merith leaves us with sensible suggestions for improvement and an appreciation of his love of service." - Kent Roach, C.M., author of Canadian Policing: Why and How It Must Change
Sales and Market Bullets
• A NEED FOR SYSTEMIC CHANGE: This book is a hard-hitting, no-nonsense, transparent, and entertaining read that will provide useful insights to educators and champions of social reform.
• A HIGHLY DECORATED OFFICER: Keith Merith is a retired police superintendent with 31 years of service across positions in investigative services, informational management, court services, drugs and vice, provincial weapons enforcement, organized crime, duty inspectors, and professional development. He draws on his many years in the institution of policing to share what it means to be an officer of color in a racist system.
• ADDING TO THE CONVERSATION: A Darker Shade of Blue contributes to the larger conversation about racism and policing and has a spot beside recent publications such as Black Cop (Calvin Lawrence), The Black and the Blue (Matthew Horace), Beaten Black and Blue (Brandon Tatum).
When 16-year-old Keith Merith finds himself pulled over, berated, and degraded by a white police officer, he's outraged. He's done nothing wrong. But the officer has the power, and he doesn't. From that day on, he vows to join a police service and effect change from within.
Twelve years and a multitude of infuriating applications later, Merith is finally hired by York Regional Police. Subjected to unfair treatment and constant microaggressions, he perseveres and gradually rises through the ranks, his goal of systemic change carrying him through. After a stellar career, Merith retires at the rank of superintendent, but his desire for sustained and equitable reform is stronger than ever.
In A Darker Shade of Blue, Merith shares both his gut-wrenching and heart-warming experiences and advocates for immediate police reform in a balanced and level-headed manner. He praises the people in blue, but he also knows on a visceral level that there are deep issues that need to be rectified - starting with recruitment. He knows that law enforcement agencies should reflect the communities they serve and protect, and that all citizens should be treated equally. Entrusted with the duty to serve, Merith delivers an evocative perspective of policing by providing the opportunity to walk in his shoes, as a Black man, and as a police officer on the front lines. Throughout his career, Police Superintendent Merith ran headfirst into the institutionalized racism of the York Regional Police. Here, he lays out his career, lived experiences, and passion for systemic change and social justice reform and shows the reader what it's like to be a Black man charged with a duty to serve.
Retired police superintendent Keith Merith ended his 31-year tenure in 2017 after holding command positions, including Bureau Commander of Information Services and Court Services and Officer-In-Charge of Investigative Services and the Organized Crime Bureau. Keith volunteers with various organizations mandated to pursue social justice, police reform, and equality. He lives in Newmarket, Ontario.
"A must-read for those interested in policing and the subtle and not-so-subtle effects of racism. Superintendent Merith leaves us with sensible suggestions for improvement and an appreciation of his love of service." - Kent Roach, C.M., author of Canadian Policing: Why and How It Must Change
Sales and Market Bullets
• A NEED FOR SYSTEMIC CHANGE: This book is a hard-hitting, no-nonsense, transparent, and entertaining read that will provide useful insights to educators and champions of social reform.
• A HIGHLY DECORATED OFFICER: Keith Merith is a retired police superintendent with 31 years of service across positions in investigative services, informational management, court services, drugs and vice, provincial weapons enforcement, organized crime, duty inspectors, and professional development. He draws on his many years in the institution of policing to share what it means to be an officer of color in a racist system.
• ADDING TO THE CONVERSATION: A Darker Shade of Blue contributes to the larger conversation about racism and policing and has a spot beside recent publications such as Black Cop (Calvin Lawrence), The Black and the Blue (Matthew Horace), Beaten Black and Blue (Brandon Tatum).