Debut Book By Howell Sergeant Inspired By Life On Patrol

HOWELL, NJ — Retired Howell police Sgt. Chris Hill has found a new creative outlet - writing.

Hill, a 26-year veteran of the force, had already been dedicated to his work with the Howell Police Athletic League and its many programs for young people.

Now he reflects on his own career and experiences in his debut book "8 Lessons From the Road: A Police Officer's Firsthand Debriefing."

Writing a book "was never on my radar" Hill said in an interview Friday.

But he said he felt he needed to respond to the scrutiny police came under after several high-profile fatal interactions, such as George Floyd's death and its aftermath, he said.

He said he felt "the law was being given a bad name. We're not robots. We live with the decisions we make."

So the book came into being to share what a police officer's experience is like, he said.

According to a news release about the book, Hill invites readers into the "everyday life of a police officer, encountering some of the most harrowing and difficult decisions he has had to make in his profession. . . and as a human."

He reveals "an officer’s trained thought process during critical incidents, the lessons learned, and the emotional impacts they experience afterward."

Now, Hill is sharing the lessons he learned after each critical incident, "so that we may all become better ourselves."

Hill will be available to sign copies of his book at an event Sunday, Aug. 7, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Seasons Coal Fired Bistro, 2200 Route 9 South, Howell.

The book signing wasn't his idea, but that of his proud daughter, Cherelle. "It's not about me," he laughed.

At the event Sunday, Hill's book will be available to purchase there. The book is also available to purchase on Amazon, Hill said. The publisher is SPARK Publications, based in Charlotte, N.C.

There will be refreshments available at the book signing, along with a bit of celebrating for the author and his book. To RSVP to the event, visit this site.

Hill trained at the Monmouth County Police Academy in Freehold and was a police officer for 26 years. He is now retired from the Howell Police Department and a part of the Police Athletic League where he works with children to establish a positive relationship between adolescents and police officers early on, his bio says.

During his free time, Hill likes to play and watch sports and is still very much driven to help others in need when the opportunity arises, the bio says.