Public interest in policing has recently increased, and this heightened interest is at least partially reflected in the number of television programs dealing with police work and in the news media focus on police activities and crime. Law enforcement is at the center of government activities, especially at the local level, and many misconceptions about police work exist that inhibit police officers from being fully responsive. The textbook provides historical perspectives on policing in the United States and also examines police personnel systems, police organization and management, and police operations. In addition, the textbook covers police discretion, police culture and behavior, police ethics and deviance, civil liability, the role of police officers in contemporary communities, policing the drug problem, and the future of policing. References, tables, and figures