Each chapter in the text attempts to describe what real police work is like and includes realistic examples of the operations of specific police departments in both big cities and small towns. The author describes crime scenes, arrests, rescues, and police officers on their beats. Chapters cover the history of policing, community-oriented and problem-oriented policing, police-community relations, police ethics and deviance, police career choices and policing as a profession, issues faced by women and minorities as police officers, professional growth using the Internet, police technology, and legal issues related to policing. Chapters also deal with the the organization of public and private security in the United States, police discretion, police operational styles, police culture (personality and stress), police operations, and specific police problems and issues (use of deadly force, vehicle pursuits, domestic violence, hate crime, and civil and criminal liability). Additional information is appended on employment in law enforcement, police ethics, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, and police-related associations and organizations. References, tables, figures, and photographs