It is hardly a coincidence that Peter Rush has written this story of police brutality and corruption 50 years since the massacre at Kent State University on May 4th 1970 as the story begins with that epic event, and follows the lives of students from Brown University. Rush takes a new look at an event that shook the world.

Steve Logan and his girlfriend Roxy Fisher, share with two others, Cal and Andy – and they are deeply affected by the death of the four Kent State students (nine others were injured) who were protesting President Nixon’s speech on April 3rd 1970 announcing the invasion of Cambodia.  Steve visits the campus and is horrified to find himself being bullied by State police, and Steve can’t believe that one actually held a bayonet to his throat. It is this exposure to police brutality that triggers their various reactions to the draft.

Andy gets his draft notice, Cal joins the Peace Corps to avoid the draft and Steve decides to join the Police Department in Roxy’s home town of Providence after listening to a seminar where one cop said he had chosen to do the ‘right thing’. Steve in his naivety thinks he can follow suit – but can he?

As one of the first college-educated rookies on the Police Force he is given a really hard time. His fellow cops openly gun for him or at best keep their distance. He is given the worst assignments, sent to the roughest locations and even brutally attacked in the locker room. But it is out on patrol he learns the extent of the bribery and corruption taking place. Almost every business in town hands over cash on the quiet and Steve starts keeping records of who bribes who, when and how much.

It doesn’t take long for him to be completely ostracised by his fellow cops – and when he finds himself and his friends in danger he decides to split. He hands over all the accumulated evidence to an fbi contact, tips off a reporter on the local newspaper, and joins the Peace Corps. His efforts are finally vindicated as the story breaks, the crooked cops from the top down are arrested - and he finally gets back to his girlfriend.