The writer, who died Feb. 28, graduated from Chaffey High and Chaffey College. A military stint in between made him take school seriously, he once told columnist.

Joseph Wambaugh, the former LAPD officer who brought realism to the "Police Story" TV series and books like "The Onion Field," died Friday.

The author, who previously lived in Newport Beach, died in Rancho Mirage after having esophageal cancer, a friend said.

Former Los Angeles police officer turned best- selling author Joseph Wambaugh, known for books such as "The Onion Field" and "The New Centurions," has died at the age of 88.

Before the release of Joseph Wambaugh’s first novel, “The New Centurions,” he received an unusual offer from the star of the strait-laced TV police drama “Dragnet” to look over the pages.

He wrote 'The Onion Field,' 'The New Centurions' and 'The Blue Knight' and created the realistic anthology series 'Police Story.'

A post made on Friday afternoon to Wambaugh's Facebook page confirmed his death and said "Heaven has gained a new choir boy, friends."

In 1971, eleven years after joining the LAPD, Wambaugh saw his first novel, The New Centurions, published by Little, Brown and Co. The story of rookie LAPD cops in the early 1960s became his first bestseller and, the following year, the first movie based on his work. The film adaptation starred George C. Scott and Stacy Keach.

Joseph Wambaugh, who wrote the gripping ... author of the bestselling cop novels featuring LAPD Detective Harry Bosch, told The Associated Press in 2007. As popular as Wambaugh’s first two ...