To Serve and Struggle

A gripping journey through 5,000 years of policing—told with the grit of a cop and the insight of a historian.

From ancient Mesopotamian watchmen to modern-day patrol cars, To Serve and Struggle uncovers the messy, complicated history of law enforcement around the world. Author and former officer Chris Watson doesn’t pull punches. With boots-on-the-ground realism and a scholar’s eye, he traces how power, fear, and justice have collided on the streets of empires, kingdoms, and democracies alike.

Walk through the shadowy alleys of medieval Europe, the chaos of colonial revolts, and the civil unrest of modern America. See how policing rose from tribal guardianship to global institutions—and why the badge still bears the weight of both honor and controversy.

This isn’t a sanitized textbook. It’s a deeply human, sometimes uncomfortable, always illuminating portrait of those called to stand between order and chaos.