3 , ▁in ▁Buff alo , ▁New ▁York . ▁He ▁joined ▁the ▁Chicago ▁Police ▁Department ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 1 , ▁and ▁remained ▁with ▁the ▁force ▁for ▁ 2 3 ▁years ; ▁the ▁last ▁ 1 8 ▁were ▁spent ▁assigned ▁to ▁hom ic ide ▁and ▁violent ▁cr imes . ▁ ▁He ▁is ▁considered ▁to ▁be ▁an ▁expert ▁on ▁violent ▁cr imes ▁and ▁t ours ▁the ▁country , ▁speaking ▁to ▁aud ien ces ▁about ▁the ▁topic . ▁His ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁book ▁T ough ▁Target : ▁A ▁Street - Sm art ▁Guide ▁to ▁St ay ing ▁Sa fe ▁was ▁crit ically ▁and ▁finan cially ▁successful . ▁ ▁In ▁popular ▁culture ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁J .   J . ▁B itten b inder ▁became ▁the ▁host ▁of ▁the ▁television ▁program ▁T ough ▁Target , ▁which ▁focused ▁on ▁cr imes ▁and ▁their ▁prevent ion . ▁He ▁also ▁wrote ▁for ▁the ▁show . ▁It ▁was ▁cancel led ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁He ▁also ▁has ▁two ▁of ▁his ▁own ▁television ▁spe ci als ▁on ▁P BS , ▁Street ▁Sm arts : ▁How ▁to ▁A void ▁Being ▁a ▁Vict im ▁and ▁Street ▁Sm arts : ▁Stra ight ▁T alk ▁for ▁K ids , ▁Te ens ▁& ▁Par ents . ▁He ▁has ▁made ▁guest ▁appearances ▁on ▁many ▁television ▁shows , ▁including ▁The ▁Op rah ▁W inf rey ▁Show ▁and ▁Prim etime ▁Live . ▁He ▁has ▁also ▁appeared ▁on ▁CNN ▁and ▁been ▁the ▁subject ▁of ▁national ▁P BS ▁television ▁spe ci