I read this story years ago and its impact hasn't diminished one bit since the night I first experienced it. One of the highest in a large field of outstanding Batman and Batman-related arcs DC has published over the years, "Batman: Officer Down" is a razor-tight and simmering-with-suspense arc that brought about lasting changes into the Gotham corner of the DC Universe. If you're a regular DC reader, you probably long since know which changes were and which weren't wrought by this event, but if you're a new or returning reader, perhaps somebody who saw "Batman Begins", this collection is actually not a bad place to jump into the Batman line.
Written by some of comics's best writers (riveting dialogue!) and drawn by some of the best artists, in "Officer Down" the odds finally catch up with one of Gotham City's mainstay protectors as Commisioner Jim Gordon is gunned down in the streets. As Gordon clings to life in the hospital - with very little foreshadowing of whether he'll make it or not - the hunt is on for the assailant, by both the Gotham Police Department and the masked defenders of Gotham. Features one of the most brilliant police room interrogation scenes in any form of storytelling as just one of its deeply absorbing angles. Essential for DC fans.
As a sidenote, Batgirl # 12 is a tie-in to the crossover but not an 'official' part of it, hence its ommission from the book, and Detective Comics # 755 is the outstanding follow-up issue to the whole saga. Fans may want to pick those two issues up along with this Trade Paperback.