Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

$0.00 for first 30 days

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.
Forced Out cover art

Forced Out

By: Kevin Maxwell
Narrated by: Ben Onwukwe
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £13.99

Buy Now for £13.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Listeners also enjoyed...

Young Offender cover art
Black British Lives Matter cover art
Nothing Like the Truth cover art
A Bit of a Stretch cover art
Firearms and Fatals cover art
Look What You Made Me Do cover art
...And What Do You Do? cover art
Chasing Wrongs and Rights cover art
Life Means Life cover art
Baby X cover art
Lawyer X cover art
Jealous Justice cover art
The Profession cover art
The Long Game cover art
The Altar Boys cover art
The Skin We're In cover art

Summary

Kevin Maxwell was a dream candidate for the police force: he had a long-held desire to serve his community, a strong moral compass and a clear aptitude for both the strategic and practical aspects of policing. And, as a gay black man from a working-class family, he could easily have been a poster boy for the force's stated commitment to equal opportunities. Joining just after the 9/11 attacks, Kevin entered policing determined to keep communities safe in the face of a changing world. But instead he came up against entrenched prejudice, open racism and homophobia.

For more than 10 years, Kevin strove against the odds, until he took the force to an employment tribunal with devastating results. Forced Out is a revelatory exposé combining deeply affecting memoir with sharp analysis and a fascinating insider perspective on day-to-day life in the force. It is a touchstone for the silent many who have either tried to ignore abuse for the sake of their career or who have been bullied out of their jobs. It paints a sobering portrait of an institution that has not yet learned the lessons of the past and whose prejudice is informing the cases it chooses to investigate and the way it investigates them. And it asks the important question: what needs to change?

©2020 Kevin Maxwell (P)2020 W. F. Howes Ltd

Love Books? You'll Love Audible.

Transform your day

Transform your day

Replace endless scrolling with endless listening. Chores can be fun.

Listen everywhere

Listen everywhere

You can’t turn pages while you drive—but you can press play.

Carry your entire Library

Carry your entire Library

Your stories go where you go. Audiobooks don’t weigh a thing.

Listen and learn

Listen and learn

Discover stories that can change your mind, your well-being, and your life.

Reach your reading goals

Reach your reading goals

Download titles to listen offline, wherever you are in the world.

Find your niche

Find your niche

WIth thousands of titles to explore, there’s something for everyone.

Try for £0.00 £7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

What listeners say about Forced Out

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    47
  • 4 Stars
    17
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    37
  • 4 Stars
    14
  • 3 Stars
    12
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    2
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    45
  • 4 Stars
    12
  • 3 Stars
    7
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant

Such a brilliant listen. What Kevin went through was disgusting. He was and still is exemplary

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • DT
  • 09-09-23

Unbelievable Strength

I wish I could say that I found this account completely unbelievable. It's abominable that this behaviour and protracted cover-up is still happening in todays society, not least within an organisation that should demonstrate the highest of standards.

Kevin Maxwell is an exceptionally strong person, who clearly demonstrates principles that should have made him a successful police officer, and I would imagine an inspirational gaffer too, if he'd have been granted the same opportunities as others.

I just hope that this story changes the behaviour of others in the future and provides support to others who may feel utterly broken, having experienced similar problems. Likewise, I hope Kevin finds peace in knowing that he stood up for what's right.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Thought provoking stuff....

With everything that suddenly happened in the USA my timing could not have been better to help understand both sides, this is a very moving 'Real life' story......it goes from informative ,emotional, hard hitting to deeply saddening.....I found it very well written and up to date with the running and control that the British police have,use,take advantage of.....my heart goes out to Kevin Maxwell on having his lifes dream of being a cooper being taking away by the British police ......and yet he has been so loyal and did everything that was asked of him....THIS IS A MUST READ x

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Excellent subject, disappointing delivery

The substance of this book is necessary and important, but it is often a frustrating read and occasionally would benefit from a firm editorial hand as detail sometimes overshadows the significant.

Audio: I felt the narrator lacked nuance so do listen to a sample first. I did, but it is read in a style that is rather monotonous with intonations repeated for a variety of beats, which left me feeling detached.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

An amazing book

I learned so much from this tragic tale. Well done to Kevin Maxwell for having the courage to tell it!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

ACAB!

Absolutely shocking testimonial of the systemic corruption and ineptitude of the police. My heart goes out to the author who really tried to be a good cop, but ultimately gets shafted over time because the British police forces cannot have one good apple criticising policy among the many bad apples. It's maddening but essential listening.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

horror story

I can't help but feel shame following this story. Kevin told the story in great detail and with great precision. Here was a man ground down by racism and homophobia and ground out of the police force. In addition to all of the questions relating to the prejudice and racism, we have to ask why the police hierarchy put so much effort into the ruination of the life of one man.

Things will not change so quickly, I am sorry to say but for all of those officers struggling in this way, the best of luck to you.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Eye opener 100%

Every cop should know what Kevin went through. This should be essential reading material for any current or aspiring cop if any change to the institutional discrimination and racism is ever going to happen. Thoroughly enjoyed the book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Institutional racism still exists.

Kevin Maxwell explains throughly and clearly the homophobic attitudes and institutional racism that sit at the very core of policing in England. His strength and determination to shine a light on corruption and wrongdoing in policing is brave and an example of the change that needs to be discussed and actioned. A worth while listen for anyone in policing, or any one interested in police culture.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A fantastic book

This is a fantastic book, compelling, well written and reflective.

The narrator's accents were a little off, but overall a good performance.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful