Tucson 9-1-1: Do The Right Thing! is a deeply personal, sometimes fiery, and always passionate insider account of the rise and fall of Tucson’s emergency communications center. Michael LaFond, a former 9-1-1 operator, brings readers behind the curtain of public safety communications to reveal the unsung heroes, complex personalities, bureaucratic missteps, and systemic flaws that shape how emergency calls are handled. The book recounts both the triumph—like the heroic response during the 2011 Tucson shooting—and the unraveling of a once-proud institution due to budget cuts, managerial changes, and disregard for public safety culture.

What struck me most about LaFond’s writing is the raw, unfiltered honesty. He writes like a man who has nothing left to lose, and that lends a gravity to every page. His admiration for figures like Louie Gonzales is touching—almost reverent. But when he turns his pen against those he sees as betraying the mission of public safety, it’s blistering. His style swings wildly from reflective to sarcastic to downright angry. That makes it a bit uneven, sure—but it also makes it real. This isn’t corporate PR. It’s a whistleblower’s war story written with both heart and bite.

At times, the story slows down to dive deep into the minutiae—office politics, scheduling policies, bureaucratic turf wars. There are long tangents that might lose readers unfamiliar with the workings of a 9-1-1 center. But maybe the tedium is part of the tragedy. Because LaFond’s central message is clear: it’s not flashy heroics but small, smart decisions made by dedicated people that save lives. When leadership forgets that, things fall apart fast.

Tucson 9-1-1: Do The Right Thing! is a stirring read. I’d recommend it to anyone interested in public service, emergency response, or organizational leadership. It’s not a thriller, but it sure feels like one when you realize what’s at stake in every call. If you want a book that will challenge your assumptions and make you care about the people behind the phones, give this a read.

Pages: 542 | ASIN : B0F2M3PG1L