What do you think?
Rate this book
Bullet for Bullet: My Life as a Police Officer
The riveting memoirs of India's 'Supercop'. Julio Ribeiro's 36 year career in the police force began in the mofussil, where he got to see the quirky underside of small-town life. Thereafter, he tackled organized crime and violence - including, in its worst form, communal riots - with outstanding success in several cities. Bombay, under his charge, was spared the anti-Sikh riots that rocked cities throughout India in 1984. In 1986, Ribeiro was sent to Punjab as Director General of Police, at the height of terrorist violence in the state. His stint there reinforced the hope of a turnaround in what appeared to be a lost situation, and how he accomplished this forms the high point of the book. Along the way, he also puts at rest the image created of him as a kind of Rambo patrolling the mean streets. Supercop he was, but one who never packed a gun. A personal, informed account.
397 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
43 people are currently reading
674 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 17, 2022
After listening to rich appreciation of this book from my friend’s father I’d been constantly looking to get hold of a copy but it was only after coming to LBSNAA that my wish could come true. Written in autobiographical style this book by former super cop Julio Francis Ribeiro largely talks about his distinguished and varied career traversing from being a young IPS probationer to being the Indian ambassador to Romania.
This book is about the life of a super cop who never kept his revolver loaded. This is about an officer who in the line of duty survived two attacks on his life. Julio Ribeiro is a role model for the policemen across the country and his ideas continue to inspire many. His contributions to the nation were recognised by the government by awarding him Padma Bhushan in 1987.
Mr Ribeiro began his career as an SDPO in a Mofussil in Kolhapur and it was during his posting as SDPO of Nasik that he got his baptism in ground level policing. He is of the opinion that the posting of SDPO and ASP are the most important one and rues the fact that now IPS officers are posted as SDPOs for a very short time. Ribeiro has always been known for his striking ability to understand human psychology and that made him popular both within the department and outside it. Jogging with fellow policemen, attending their sports meets, playing hockey with them were few techniques Ribeiro successfully uses to form good rapport with his colleagues and juniors. His love for human relations and human rights can be traced back to an incident in his teens which had profound impact on him. A neighbour had complained against the kids who had shattered his windowpane while playing in the locality. Police picked up the kids and took them to the police station. Mr Ribeiro happened to be the captain of the team so he feared that now he’d be beaten black and blue. But the police inspector, a white man, behaved in a very friendly manner and rather than admonishing them taught hitting the ball with a straight bat.
Ribeiro has devoted a lot of pages for the strategy to deal with juniors. He recounts many incidents where he had protected his juniors who had unknowingly committed mistakes but at the same time he resisted political pressures even from the highest levels to throw the rogue elements out of the police. He thinks that it is the juniors who can do the best appraisal of their seniors and it’s the duty of the senior officers to resist any kind of political pressures on their juniors.
Ribeiro has held a number of important postings despite his reputation for not succumbing to political pressures. He has provided an extensive piece of advice for dealing with the politicians. He believes that it is through tact and determination rather than hate and alienation that the politicians can be tackled effectively. He minimised the political interference in the postings of the police officers by devising an innovative transfer policy whereby he asked his junior officers to give their transfer requests directly to him rather than to the politicians and then keeping in view of their past performance he transferred the officers suitably. This significantly cut down the undue political patronage enjoyed by some of the police officers and at the same time provided an incentive to the honest officers. Despite his apparent repugnance for the politicians, his theory of dealing with them is firmly rooted in the democratic ideas which put representatives of the people at a higher pedestal and there is amention of many politicians who have earned his rich praise in the book.
During his career Ribeiro dealt with many incidents of communalism and it was his staunchly secular stand that helped avert many tragedies. It was due to his efforts that Mumbai was spared of the heinous anti Sikh riots of 1984. For him “a riot is like a storm and not much can be done once it has started” so the best measures that need to be taken are preventive. The initiative to form Mohalla committees, which have been instrumental in defusing communal tensions in Maharashtra, also goes to him. He thinks that a riot (communal or otherwise) is an organised activity that can’t be carried out without express support of the political class, so the police alone can’t root out the menace of riots. Due to Ribeiro’s expertise in dealing with riots he became Government’s handyman to deal with them both within and outside his state. During his tenure as DGP of Gujarat(1985-86) he proved his mettle by putting an end to wide spread riots in the state.
The most common law and order situation that troubled him was related to mob control but over the time he had devised a strategy for effectively handling the mob. He advises restraint to the maximum extent but in the time of need he doesn’t rule out use of fire either. He believes that a mob is violent because of the anonymity it enjoys, so it can be controlled by making its members think as individuals. He has condemned the go-slow approach of the political class to deal with such situations due to politically expedient reasons because people have to unnecessarily suffer when things go out of hands and it is the police which bear all criticism. He has cited the riots during Gnaesh Utsav as a point in the case where due to home minister’s political expediency a lot of loss of life and property was caused.
One very disturbing aspect of police department highlighted in the book is about the tussle with seniors who are very strong by the virtue of their positions. At one point of time Ribeiro himself was targeted by the IGP of the Maharashtra and the situation became so bad that he seriously thought of quitting the service. There are many more incidents which depict the intense rivalry between colleagues too and there’s is a mention of an incident when another officer replaced Ribeiro as Commissioner of Delhi Police even before he could reach Delhi to join. This shows the extent to which police officers approach the politicians for “important” postings consequently putting themselves under obligation. During his tenure in Maharashtra there’s a mention of two SIs who got so powerful that they had started managing the transfers of other officers too.
One of Ribeiro’s many important assignments was that of Commissioner of Mumbai police where he amply showed his personal and professional skills to deal with the Shiva Sena and the problem of labour unrest that had almost crippled Bombay’s cotton industry. It was during the 80s that Mumbai’s underworld was also making its presence felt and gang wars had become order of the day. A very tough task as Commissioner of Mumbai Police was to curb the menace of Police Unions which had started to hold the state to ransom for their demands. It was achieved deftly with only one firing incident. Ribeiro dealt with different situations differently, sometimes by application of force and sometimes by negotiation. Although Datta Samant,the legendary labour union leader, was giving a lot of troubles to Ribeiro yet at many times he convinced the former by the dint of logic and rationality. Despite all apprehensions to the contrary Julio Ribeiro turned out to be among the longest serving Police Commissioners of Mumbai and successful too.
Ribeiro has been a maverick of sorts and the book cites many examples to that point. So at times he keeps his DCPs in his house to ensure better coordination and at other times he alone is chasing the mob of Shiva Sainiks with nothing but a baton in his hand. He very happily takes up the odd jobs whether it is helping another officer deal with the railway strike or taking over as DGP of Punjab police at the height of insurgency. He used to attend the monthly review meeting called by the Collector even when he was the Commissioner of Thane, a post of DIG rank. In another incident he even went to attend the funeral of a rickshaw puller who got accidentally killed by the police.
The most important position that Ribeiro ever occupied was perhaps that of DGP of Punjab. He never believed in use of raw force against the people so in Punjab also he authorised use of force only for surgical operations. He maintained contacts with the local people and his approach aimed to form a good rapport with them. Probably that’s why the “Operation Black Thunder” didn’t attract the protests from Sikhs as seen after “Operation Blue Star”. Ribeiro and KPS Gill were two most important officers during the insurgency but their approaches were in stark contrast to each other’s. Whereas Ribeiro relied upon “change of heart” strategy to end terrorism in Punjab Gill advocated ruthless suppression of it even if human rights are violated in the process. Despite staunch opposition to Gill’s views Ribeiro gives him the credit as the best operations man he had ever seen. He also confesses that he never led the men from the front like Gill.
Post retirement he became adviser to the governor of Punjab and later on Ambassador to Romania. Ribeiro rues government’s lack of appreciation of his hard work as he was almost sidelined after his retirement. Romania during those days was an inconsequential country for India so Julio didn’t consider it to be a befitting reward for him. It was during this diplomatic assignment that taking advantage of the political turmoil in Romania, a few Sikh extremists made an attempt on the lives of Ribeiro and his wife injuring the former. After this assignment when an offer was made to him for Governor’s post in J&K, he rejected it despite urging of Vajpayee and Farooq Abdullah. As of now his association has largely been restricted to social organisations and the private sector notably the Indian music industry.
Ribeiro’s account is replete with the frankness and honesty unknown of a former government officer who decides to pen down his memoirs. He openly calls Shiva Sena as an anti Muslim organisation and that it derives a lot of its cadres from anti social elements of the society. He has not shied away from mentioning the areas in which he failed miserably like eradication of alcoholism and adult illiteracy. He strongly recommends stricter accountability of the police and need to maintain a lean and mean force.
Another striking feature of the book has been the humble and unassuming manner in which the author mentions his achievements. At no point of time did I get the feeling that I’m reading story of a super cop. To me it appeared as if he’s a usual cop just doing his job with sincerity. Maybe that’s what is needed to be an outstanding officer and it’s just that we’re often led by mental images that make us want to see something out of the world.
This book is slightly bulky but the lucid manner in which it’s been written makes it an easy read. Author’s language is metaphorical at times adding literary value to this book. Although It has been written in autobiographical style but it covers mostly the professional life of the author and there are just a few glimpses of his personal life. This book presents a ringside view of policing as witnessed by Julio Ribeiro. Chiefly, this book has been written in chronological manner though there are occasional jumps in the time line which cause a bit of confusion.
One thing I didn’t like about the book is its title which seeks to project an image contrary to that of the author. Ribeiro himself mentions in the book that he never uttered this phrase and it was ascribed to him by a journalist and Ribeiro had to face a lot of flak for apparently saying so. But then why did he keep this as the title of his book, confuses me. The only explanation I can think of is that this phrase is quite catchy so maybe it is due to marketing considerations.
For me, the book was not just about reading and appreciating the author’s life and style of work but also a lot about learning as I’m going to be a police officer for the most significant part of my life. Before reading the book my opinion about policing was that of a deprivational job which even the author subscribes to. But after reading it I’m of the view that there’s definitely much more to the job of a police officer. The erudition imbibed from this book is going to illuminate my career path for the time to come. I’d strongly recommend this book to not just the budding or aspiring police officers but to everyone as it presents a candid an objective account of policing in a rapidly changing society of India.
This book is about the life of a super cop who never kept his revolver loaded. This is about an officer who in the line of duty survived two attacks on his life. Julio Ribeiro is a role model for the policemen across the country and his ideas continue to inspire many. His contributions to the nation were recognised by the government by awarding him Padma Bhushan in 1987.
Mr Ribeiro began his career as an SDPO in a Mofussil in Kolhapur and it was during his posting as SDPO of Nasik that he got his baptism in ground level policing. He is of the opinion that the posting of SDPO and ASP are the most important one and rues the fact that now IPS officers are posted as SDPOs for a very short time. Ribeiro has always been known for his striking ability to understand human psychology and that made him popular both within the department and outside it. Jogging with fellow policemen, attending their sports meets, playing hockey with them were few techniques Ribeiro successfully uses to form good rapport with his colleagues and juniors. His love for human relations and human rights can be traced back to an incident in his teens which had profound impact on him. A neighbour had complained against the kids who had shattered his windowpane while playing in the locality. Police picked up the kids and took them to the police station. Mr Ribeiro happened to be the captain of the team so he feared that now he’d be beaten black and blue. But the police inspector, a white man, behaved in a very friendly manner and rather than admonishing them taught hitting the ball with a straight bat.
Ribeiro has devoted a lot of pages for the strategy to deal with juniors. He recounts many incidents where he had protected his juniors who had unknowingly committed mistakes but at the same time he resisted political pressures even from the highest levels to throw the rogue elements out of the police. He thinks that it is the juniors who can do the best appraisal of their seniors and it’s the duty of the senior officers to resist any kind of political pressures on their juniors.
Ribeiro has held a number of important postings despite his reputation for not succumbing to political pressures. He has provided an extensive piece of advice for dealing with the politicians. He believes that it is through tact and determination rather than hate and alienation that the politicians can be tackled effectively. He minimised the political interference in the postings of the police officers by devising an innovative transfer policy whereby he asked his junior officers to give their transfer requests directly to him rather than to the politicians and then keeping in view of their past performance he transferred the officers suitably. This significantly cut down the undue political patronage enjoyed by some of the police officers and at the same time provided an incentive to the honest officers. Despite his apparent repugnance for the politicians, his theory of dealing with them is firmly rooted in the democratic ideas which put representatives of the people at a higher pedestal and there is amention of many politicians who have earned his rich praise in the book.
During his career Ribeiro dealt with many incidents of communalism and it was his staunchly secular stand that helped avert many tragedies. It was due to his efforts that Mumbai was spared of the heinous anti Sikh riots of 1984. For him “a riot is like a storm and not much can be done once it has started” so the best measures that need to be taken are preventive. The initiative to form Mohalla committees, which have been instrumental in defusing communal tensions in Maharashtra, also goes to him. He thinks that a riot (communal or otherwise) is an organised activity that can’t be carried out without express support of the political class, so the police alone can’t root out the menace of riots. Due to Ribeiro’s expertise in dealing with riots he became Government’s handyman to deal with them both within and outside his state. During his tenure as DGP of Gujarat(1985-86) he proved his mettle by putting an end to wide spread riots in the state.
The most common law and order situation that troubled him was related to mob control but over the time he had devised a strategy for effectively handling the mob. He advises restraint to the maximum extent but in the time of need he doesn’t rule out use of fire either. He believes that a mob is violent because of the anonymity it enjoys, so it can be controlled by making its members think as individuals. He has condemned the go-slow approach of the political class to deal with such situations due to politically expedient reasons because people have to unnecessarily suffer when things go out of hands and it is the police which bear all criticism. He has cited the riots during Gnaesh Utsav as a point in the case where due to home minister’s political expediency a lot of loss of life and property was caused.
One very disturbing aspect of police department highlighted in the book is about the tussle with seniors who are very strong by the virtue of their positions. At one point of time Ribeiro himself was targeted by the IGP of the Maharashtra and the situation became so bad that he seriously thought of quitting the service. There are many more incidents which depict the intense rivalry between colleagues too and there’s is a mention of an incident when another officer replaced Ribeiro as Commissioner of Delhi Police even before he could reach Delhi to join. This shows the extent to which police officers approach the politicians for “important” postings consequently putting themselves under obligation. During his tenure in Maharashtra there’s a mention of two SIs who got so powerful that they had started managing the transfers of other officers too.
One of Ribeiro’s many important assignments was that of Commissioner of Mumbai police where he amply showed his personal and professional skills to deal with the Shiva Sena and the problem of labour unrest that had almost crippled Bombay’s cotton industry. It was during the 80s that Mumbai’s underworld was also making its presence felt and gang wars had become order of the day. A very tough task as Commissioner of Mumbai Police was to curb the menace of Police Unions which had started to hold the state to ransom for their demands. It was achieved deftly with only one firing incident. Ribeiro dealt with different situations differently, sometimes by application of force and sometimes by negotiation. Although Datta Samant,the legendary labour union leader, was giving a lot of troubles to Ribeiro yet at many times he convinced the former by the dint of logic and rationality. Despite all apprehensions to the contrary Julio Ribeiro turned out to be among the longest serving Police Commissioners of Mumbai and successful too.
Ribeiro has been a maverick of sorts and the book cites many examples to that point. So at times he keeps his DCPs in his house to ensure better coordination and at other times he alone is chasing the mob of Shiva Sainiks with nothing but a baton in his hand. He very happily takes up the odd jobs whether it is helping another officer deal with the railway strike or taking over as DGP of Punjab police at the height of insurgency. He used to attend the monthly review meeting called by the Collector even when he was the Commissioner of Thane, a post of DIG rank. In another incident he even went to attend the funeral of a rickshaw puller who got accidentally killed by the police.
The most important position that Ribeiro ever occupied was perhaps that of DGP of Punjab. He never believed in use of raw force against the people so in Punjab also he authorised use of force only for surgical operations. He maintained contacts with the local people and his approach aimed to form a good rapport with them. Probably that’s why the “Operation Black Thunder” didn’t attract the protests from Sikhs as seen after “Operation Blue Star”. Ribeiro and KPS Gill were two most important officers during the insurgency but their approaches were in stark contrast to each other’s. Whereas Ribeiro relied upon “change of heart” strategy to end terrorism in Punjab Gill advocated ruthless suppression of it even if human rights are violated in the process. Despite staunch opposition to Gill’s views Ribeiro gives him the credit as the best operations man he had ever seen. He also confesses that he never led the men from the front like Gill.
Post retirement he became adviser to the governor of Punjab and later on Ambassador to Romania. Ribeiro rues government’s lack of appreciation of his hard work as he was almost sidelined after his retirement. Romania during those days was an inconsequential country for India so Julio didn’t consider it to be a befitting reward for him. It was during this diplomatic assignment that taking advantage of the political turmoil in Romania, a few Sikh extremists made an attempt on the lives of Ribeiro and his wife injuring the former. After this assignment when an offer was made to him for Governor’s post in J&K, he rejected it despite urging of Vajpayee and Farooq Abdullah. As of now his association has largely been restricted to social organisations and the private sector notably the Indian music industry.
Ribeiro’s account is replete with the frankness and honesty unknown of a former government officer who decides to pen down his memoirs. He openly calls Shiva Sena as an anti Muslim organisation and that it derives a lot of its cadres from anti social elements of the society. He has not shied away from mentioning the areas in which he failed miserably like eradication of alcoholism and adult illiteracy. He strongly recommends stricter accountability of the police and need to maintain a lean and mean force.
Another striking feature of the book has been the humble and unassuming manner in which the author mentions his achievements. At no point of time did I get the feeling that I’m reading story of a super cop. To me it appeared as if he’s a usual cop just doing his job with sincerity. Maybe that’s what is needed to be an outstanding officer and it’s just that we’re often led by mental images that make us want to see something out of the world.
This book is slightly bulky but the lucid manner in which it’s been written makes it an easy read. Author’s language is metaphorical at times adding literary value to this book. Although It has been written in autobiographical style but it covers mostly the professional life of the author and there are just a few glimpses of his personal life. This book presents a ringside view of policing as witnessed by Julio Ribeiro. Chiefly, this book has been written in chronological manner though there are occasional jumps in the time line which cause a bit of confusion.
One thing I didn’t like about the book is its title which seeks to project an image contrary to that of the author. Ribeiro himself mentions in the book that he never uttered this phrase and it was ascribed to him by a journalist and Ribeiro had to face a lot of flak for apparently saying so. But then why did he keep this as the title of his book, confuses me. The only explanation I can think of is that this phrase is quite catchy so maybe it is due to marketing considerations.
For me, the book was not just about reading and appreciating the author’s life and style of work but also a lot about learning as I’m going to be a police officer for the most significant part of my life. Before reading the book my opinion about policing was that of a deprivational job which even the author subscribes to. But after reading it I’m of the view that there’s definitely much more to the job of a police officer. The erudition imbibed from this book is going to illuminate my career path for the time to come. I’d strongly recommend this book to not just the budding or aspiring police officers but to everyone as it presents a candid an objective account of policing in a rapidly changing society of India.
May 18, 2016
Most valuable read in its description of a principled policing and how it has been debased over the years..
March 28, 2021
Bullet for Bullet- My life as a Police Officer- Julio Ribeiro- Autobiography/ Memior- English- Julio Ribeiro's 36 year career in the police force began in the mofussil, where he got to see the quirky underside of small-town life. In order to know his colleagues better, he played field games with them in the evening. Thereafter, he tackled organized crime and violence - including, in its worst form, communal riots - with outstanding success in several cities. Bombay, under his charge, was spared the anti-Sikh riots that rocked cities throughout India in 1984. In 1986, Ribeiro was sent to Punjab as Director General of Police, at the height of terrorist violence in the state. His stint there reinforced the hope of a turnaround in what appeared to be a lost situation, and how he accomplished this forms the high point of the book. Along the way, he also puts at rest the image created of him as a kind of Rambo patrolling the mean streets. Supercop he was, but one who never packed a gun. Author is a much admired police officer in the country. A person of exceptional physical and moral courage, he never shirked from taking on difficult jobs. But even supercops can suffer from the weaknesses of ordinary mortals. Almost every page of the book is filled with extracts from media reports praising him. This is not to say that he did not deserve all that adulation. Ribeiro's confrontations with the Shiv Sena and corrupt politicians make fascinating reading, though at places he does tend to be a little subjective in his description of what actually happened. While narrating the story of Operation Black Thunder in 1988 - wherein the National Security Guards cleared the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar - he leaves out a major part of the story. The author admits he had little interest and did not fully comprehend the complexities of politics or operational matters. It is a good read book for all.
January 15, 2022
This was a very, very wholesome, no nonsense autobiography. Julio Ribeiro was a household name in the 80s and 90s. Known for his stellar stints in Mumbai and Punjab, he was responsible for eradication(?) of Khalistani terrorist movement and mitigation of Sikh extremists. This book is not as entertaining as the other police autobiographies but the information at disposal is invaluable.
This book helped me to connect dots (in my previously read books) about Punjab issue. Overall, I will recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Indian police service and its operations. Also this book will help you with the picturisation of law and order of the country in 70s, 80s and 90s.
This book helped me to connect dots (in my previously read books) about Punjab issue. Overall, I will recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Indian police service and its operations. Also this book will help you with the picturisation of law and order of the country in 70s, 80s and 90s.
October 20, 2019
Interesting read. You get glued to the book wanting to know what will happen next. Provides insight into policing life and the nuances they face. Also provides some revealing information related to Emergency, Punjab insurgency and the Rise of Shiva Sena from the very hands of legendary Police officer.
A must read for current or aspiring Police officers or even common man wanting to know the working of police department in India. His methods of tackling difficult situations was amazing. Some instances will make you laugh, while others will leave you in awe.
A must read for current or aspiring Police officers or even common man wanting to know the working of police department in India. His methods of tackling difficult situations was amazing. Some instances will make you laugh, while others will leave you in awe.
June 26, 2022
An interesting read by the best of Indian cop into his life details. Though the solutions to many problems like rioting, terrorism are simple but could be effective.
He narrates his failures openly like his successes. His admission to being honest and improving the system in his limited ways without disrupting the whole cycle. May be the only way to change Indian policing.
He narrates his failures openly like his successes. His admission to being honest and improving the system in his limited ways without disrupting the whole cycle. May be the only way to change Indian policing.
July 28, 2019
Straight from the horse's mouth! A must-read for all those interested in the valour of 'Khaki'. A prime example of SMART policing. Opinions are as blunt as the man himself. No non-sense. An interesting account of Punjab insurgency. Happy reading.
June 17, 2019
Amazing
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 25, 2020
Riveting & thrilling. A must read as he shows adept handling of various dilemmatic situations one might face in its career.
Read
March 29, 2020Interesting read, especially the Punjab part.
March 31, 2021
gems i picked up from this book
1. policing is an acquired skill.
2. kaizen is a real formula.
3. integrity towards your job and most importantly towards yourself is very important for sucess.
1. policing is an acquired skill.
2. kaizen is a real formula.
3. integrity towards your job and most importantly towards yourself is very important for sucess.
October 19, 2022
Excellent description of everything a police officer desires to read and follow
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2018
Its amazing. great to read. Author not just explains the policing in a enjoyable way, but has made a great emphasis on showing the human side of the police, the challenges, the tough outlook, soft heart of cops. Good cops and bad cops. Gives a great picture of the people side in the Indian police service. Don't go by the title, its not only to do with action, but more a sense behind the action and reaction.
April 12, 2020
DGP Julio Ribeiro is a highly decorated officer of Indian Police Service (IPS). He served at Mumbai during the peak of mafia wars, and lead the war against terrorism in post Blue Star wave in Punjab. Reading his experiences, in anyway, is highly recommended!
This book gives a insight into the police structure- its strength, vulnerabilities, transformation with age and a lot more. Recommended for those intrested in learning about Police.
Low rating because finishing the book requires efforts!
This book gives a insight into the police structure- its strength, vulnerabilities, transformation with age and a lot more. Recommended for those intrested in learning about Police.
Low rating because finishing the book requires efforts!
May 11, 2021
The book vividly presents the rich experience of Julio Ribeiro as a top cop in India.His narration gives a deep insight into the functioning of the Indian Police,polity,and society at large.It is a must read for police administrators.
November 1, 2014
The best biography i have ever read
Very Motivating
Very Motivating
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews