“A revealing look at what it is like to be let down and victimized by a hypocritical and corrupt bureaucracy in order to protect its own image. A New York City police sergeant’s personal, emotionally revealing saga of family life and a career disrupted by drugs and Playboy fame. A seldom-explored view that cops are human too, experiencing the same problems and headaches yet having less rights than the average citizen.”

—Frank Serpico, legendary NYPD officer,

subject of the Academy Award-winning movie Serpico

  “You won’t find many of New York’s finest in Charlie Castro’s tough story of his life in the NYPD. A Puerto Rican kid from the South Bronx who beat the odds, Castro’s dream was to be a good cop. Instead, he found a place where street smarts and courage mattered less than who you are and where you come from, where those with connections get the medals and the promotions. Castro offers an insider’s tale of the dark side of Rudy Giuliani’s policing triumphs, of ugly racial politics, of brutality and of twisted, bureaucratic intrigue. You may remember Castro’s ex-wife, the beautiful female cop who posed for Playboy. What you didn’t know is that the police brass found that act more offensive to department morale than a pair of drunken, off-duty cops who urinated on, beat and then framed a homeless man. Charlie Castro has a bitter, angry story of life ‘on the job.’ And you can’t blame him.”

—Tom Robbins, The Village Voice

“The shocking story of a heroic Latino cop’s personal battle against corruption and racism inside the NYPD.”

—Juan Gonzalez, New York Daily News

“Charles Castro’s hard-hitting personal account of an officer’s experience within the ‘blue wall of silence’ tell of the NYPD’s impact on one man, one family and an entire community.”

—Councilman Hiram Monserrate, New York City

“NYPD Blue Lies is a shocking and provocative first-hand narrative of how one of NYPD’s trailblazers leveled the playing field for the common beat cop. This is a captivating read that paints a grim picture of factual events and keeps you yearning for more. This is an inside look at the NYPD and its true stories of racism, corruption and cover-ups.”

—Assemblyman Jose Peralta, New York State

“Charlie Castro’s book accomplished something that no journalist or writing was able to pull off. He gave his readers a first-hand view of the dark secrets in the NYPD. His words are like a sledgehammer that shatters the blue wall of silence and reveals the years of systemic racism and cruelty.”

—Senator Eric Adams, New York State

“... a true hero...”

—Judge Robert H. Spergel, Nassau County Supreme Court

“Well-written and a compelling read.”

—Judge Donna M. Mills, New York State Supreme Court

“In NYPD Blue Lies, Sgt. Charles Castro exposes the struggles faced by Hispanics before, during and after they fulfill their dreams of becoming NYPD officers. When you read his riveting account of life as an Hispanic cop in an Anglo-dominated police department you relive each moment and emotion as if you were there. Castro’s keen storytelling ability paints a true picture of what the department was like during the Giuliani Era: corrupt and racist. While Serpico dealt with law enforcement plagued with organized crime and payoffs, Castro deals with the double standard of being a minority in the NYPD. Forget about the blue code of silence — it’s the color of your skin that determines the level of respect you get. I applaud Castro for his exposé on the largest law enforcement agency in the U.S. This story will captivate the public but will serve as an educational text for aspiring police officers.”

—Anthony Miranda, executive chairman,

National Latino Officers Association of America

“I’ve read NYPD Blue Lies. It’s an easy read, and it’s an interesting to see the world from the perspective of a police sergeant who spent seventeen years on the force. The happenstance of unrelated and often unintended actions is brought to bear. The conclusions may or may not be supported by the reader, but it does provoke thought. The book leaves no doubt that the NYPD is the real world. There are personality conflicts among the police. There are unintended consequences between the police force and the public, but it is also evident that, despite all the pain, the people in blue in the NYPD are the best in the world.”

—Assemblyman Ivan C. Lafayette, New York State