From the time he was a child, Ron Bertrand wanted to be a private investigator. He had never given much thought to becoming a cop until he got the chance to work part-time as a K-9 officer with the Northboro Police Department. Then the dream changed, becoming more immediate and specific: He wanted to be a full-time member of the force. That opportunity revealed itself, and Bertrand began a career that would last nearly a decade.

 Northboro is a far cry from the urban nightmare of drugs and violence; rather it is a peaceful little community whose police officers are sworn to keep it that way. Still, Bertrand was exposed to the seamier side of life, including investigations into lewd and lascivious sexual activity at a highway rest stop and the vicious beating of a woman left for dead at the hands of a relative. And he encountered less colorful lawbreakers, such as speeders and burglars, on a daily basis.

 Police work was something Bertrand enjoyed and at which he worked hard - something he might have continued doing until retirement.

 Then he became involved in local politics and the police union, campaigning against an incumbent town selectman and bringing grievances against the police department. Those activities, Bertrand feels, shortened his career. When he came up for reappointment to the force, he was let go.

 Bertrand didn't walk away meekly. He chose to fight his dismissal - a battle that would last several years and cost thousands of dollars.

 What he was fighting, literally, was city hall and the justice system. It was an uphill battle against what Bertrand believes were trumped­up charges and contradictory testimonies by people in power - ultimately a conspiracy involving town officials.

 In this book, Bertrand recounts his side of the story, backing up his claims with testimony from hearings, and ultimately leaving the reader to decide if and why justice failed.

 About the Author

 Ron Bertrand is a private investigator at his family-operated investigations company. He wrote Conspiracy? You Decide!, his first book, as a way to attempt to clear his name and to expose those public officials whose actions led to his dismissal from the police department.

 He continues to live in Northboro, Massachusetts, with his wife, Linda.