A police sergeant from the Bronx has written a novel that details the life of an NYPD officer.

Jordan Castro's book 'Smoke and Mirrors: Police Dreams' tells the story of fictional character Brandon Rose, a rookie cop in the Bronx who has dreams of earning his gold shield to honor his father who was a detective first grade slain in the line of duty.

Castro says he was motivated to write the book after the deaths of fellow NYPD officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu in 2003.

He says the novel is intended to educate the public on the day-to-day operations of a police officer.

The reader follows Brandon from his foot post to his first arrest, and read as he encounters certain racial tensions that exist on the job.

"I would encourage people not just to read this book, but to take the exam to be a police officer. This is your neighborhood, this is your community. It's your responsibility to keep it clean and keep it safe," he says.