RARELY HAS THE PUBLIC BEEN EXPOSED TO THE WORKINGS OF A LARGE CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT THROUGH THE EYES OF A HIGHLEVEL EMPLOYEE. TARGET BLUE GIVES AN INSIDE PICTURE OF THE NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT (N.Y.P.D.) AND THE CONFLICTS AND PROBLEMS WHICH ACCOMPANIED ITS FIGHT AGAINST CRIME AND POLICE CORRUPTION. THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IS THE FIRST-HAND ACCOUNT OF FORMER DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF THE N.Y.P.D., ROBERT DALEY. THE CRISES DESCRIBED INCLUDE THE KNAPP COMMISSION'S INVESTIGATION AND SUBSEQUENT REPORT WHICH UNCOVERED CORRUPTION IN THE FORCE AND LED TO THE SUSPENSION AND DISMISSAL OF A NUMBER OF POLICEMEN. DETAILS ARE GIVEN OF INVESTIGATIONS INTO RAPES, MURDERS, ROBBERIES, AND DRUG-RELATED CRIMES. THE AUTHOR GIVES DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF SHOOTINGS OF HIGHRANKING ORGANIZED CRIME FIGURES, THE CAPTURE OF H. RAP BROWN, AND THE EVENTS SURROUNDING THE ATTEMPT TO DISCREDIT DETECTIVE EDDIE EGAN, WHO WAS THE MODEL FOR THE MAIN CHARACTER IN THE MOVIE 'THE FRENCH CONNECTION'. THE ACCOUNTS GIVEN CONSTANTLY REFLECT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF PUBLIC OPINION REGARDING THE EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE EVER-PRESENT NEED FOR POLICE OFFICERS TO MAINTAIN A POSITIVE PUBLIC IMAGE. THIS BOOK SHOWS THE READER THE PROBLEMS AND DANGERS A POLICEMAN FACES, THE DEDICATION OFTEN FOUND IN SPITE OF THESE DANGERS, AND THE POLICE NEED FOR MORE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING AND MORAL SUPPORT. (SNI ABSTRACT)