Cops have it tough; Lady Cops have it tougher. From a childhood of baby dolls and helping mom, the women who join America's police force have to teach themselves the skills and reactions most men take for granted. What makes these women take a "man's job" and tolerate the sexism of the pub- lic and their peers for the privilege of putting their lives on the line? What is it that drives them to be come a part of the elite force of America's police- women?

Lady Cop shows you what motivates these real- life Cagney and Lacey's. You'll learn how their Academy training prepares them or fails to pre- pare them to keep the peace on the meanest streets in America. You'll understand how they han- dle the pressures, the danger, and the violence of undercover work; what it is like to be a detective; and what sacrifices they must make to wear the badge they must earn every day.

In this riveting exposé, journalist Bryna Taubman opens the door of a "typical" urban police precinct to reveal for the first time-the private lives and professional struggles of the courageous, commit- ted, women who have sworn to give their all-and even their lives in the line of duty. Women like: Geri-the detective and veteran of depart ment politics who must balance the stress of working the Sex Crimes Unit with the de mands of her pers personal life Mary Frances-the streetwise patrol cop who is torn between the job that fulfills her and the family who needs her Sophia-the undercover policewoman whose survival depends on her ability to hide her identity as well as her feelings Sally-whose Academy training did not prepare her for the realities of life on the streets or the degradation of precinct politics.