SOUTHEND ON SEA, England, Jan. 28, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Bob Craven used to be a jovial police officer in a British coastal town until the violence he had witnessed in his life came back to haunt him. His new book, Tiptoe Through the Snowdrops (now available through AuthorHouse), examines the debilitating effects Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can have on a happy life.
The book chronicles his career in law enforcement, from his rookie days as a constable on the streets of 1960s England to his time as one of the first detectives with the National Criminal Intelligence Service. He begins with his early days as one of the officers known as "Snowdrops" because of their white helmets. It was during this time on the streets of Essex County that he encountered hard crime and endured the violence that would later trouble him. He was beaten, kicked, punched and pummeled to the ground on three separate occasions. One of these instances came as he clung to the hood of a stolen car. From that precarious position, his assailants swung him through busy north London streets slamming into passing vehicles and breaking Craven's leg. Another incident happened on an undercover drug bust in London's East End, where the perpetrators tied a rope around his neck and flung him from a fifth floor balustrade.
The broken bones and bruises healed, but it was not until years later that he realized the other, invisible wounds still bled profusely. He suffered nightmares and became "a sniveling wreck afraid of his own shadow." PTSD took over his life and took him on an emotional roller coaster ride. He began to question his time as a police officer and wondered if he had made a difference in society at all. Tiptoe Through the Snowdrops takes readers inside a suffering mind and depicts how a tough cop became a victim.
A book that sheds light on an often misunderstood disorder, Tiptoe Through the Snowdrops helps people understand the permanent effects it has had on one man's life. Craven hopes that by telling his emotional story, he may help prevent others from suffering the same fate.
Craven earned 12 commendations for bravery and excellent police work while with the Southend on Sea Constabulary. In 1994, he was diagnosed as being chronically disabled by PTSD and was forced to retire prematurely. Struggling with PTSD and financial destruction, he attempted various jobs until he suffered a third mental breakdown, which left him permanently disabled. He lives in Southend on Sea where his wife and family care for him. Tiptoe Through the Snowdrops is his first book.
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