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Understanding Today's Police

NCJ Number
178389
Author(s)
Mark L. Dantzker; Michael P. Mitchell
Date Published
1998
Length
255 pages
Annotation
Designed for students considering careers in law enforcement, this introduction to Canadian policing is designed to help students understand many facets of today's policing.
Abstract
Chapter 1 focuses on the change in the police role, both historically and currently, followed by a chapter that offers a view of policing as a tiered system; this chapter also addresses the interaction and relationships of police with the courts, probation and parole, and corrections. The function, services and delivery, dominant features, and effectiveness of police patrol are the major issues discussed in Chapter 3. Chapter 4 looks at the myth and reality of criminal investigations, why police officers want to be detectives, the investigative process, investigative units, and techniques for conducting an investigation. Chapter 5 focuses on the general organization and management of police agencies; in addition, the definition, measurement application, and control mechanisms of police accountability are examined. Chapter 6 defines police discretion and examines its sources, the results of improper use, and suggestions for controlling it. The perceptions, problems, attitudes, and solutions related to police-community relations are discussed in Chapter 7, followed by chapters on recruitment and the personality of police officers. The concluding chapter, which addresses police issues of today and tomorrow, focuses on such issues as the use of force, AIDS, technology, and police professionalism, as well as the future for police personnel, administration, and police-community relations. Chapter summaries and review questions, 189 references, a subject index, and computer diskettes of the text

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