OPENING CHAPTERS DEAL WITH THE HISTORY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE NATURE AND IMPORTANCE OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES, AND THE STATUS OF CRIME IN THE UNITED STATES (INCLUDING JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AND ORGANIZED CRIME). THE ROLES OF VARIOUS FEDERAL, STATE, AND COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ARE OUTLINED, AND THE GOALS AND ORGANIZATION OF LOCAL POLICE AGENCIES ARE DISCUSSED. THE BASIC ROLES OF THE POLICE OFFICER (LAW ENFORCEMENT/CRIME REPRESSION, PRESERVING THE PEACE, CRIME PREVENTION, PROTECTION OF CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS, PROVISION OF SERVICES) ARE CONSIDERED, AS ARE FACTORS INFLUENCING THE PUBLIC IMAGE OF THE POLICE AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COMMUNITIES AND THEIR POLICE AGENCIES. POLICE FUNCTIONS--PATROL, TRAFFIC LAW ENFORCEMENT, COMMUNITY SERVICE, INVESTIGATION--ARE EXAMINED IN DEPTH. THE POLICE OFFICERS'S ROLE WITHIN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, INCLUDING THE LEGAL ASPECTS OF ARRESTS AND SEARCHES, IS DISCUSSED, TOGETHER WITH THE COMPONENTS AND STAGES OF THE JUDICIAL PROCESS. CLOSING CHAPTERS DEAL WITH EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS, RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING PROCEDURES, OPPORTUNITIES FOR MINORITIES AND WOMEN, AND THE CHALLENGES AND REWARDS OF A CAREER IN POLICING. EACH CHAPTER OPENS WITH A LIST OF QUESTIONS REFLECTING THE OBJECTIVES OF THE CHAPTER AND CLOSES WITH LISTS OF DISCUSSION QUESTIONS AND REFERENCES. INTERSPERSED THROUGHOUT THE TEXT ARE QUESTION-AND-ANSWER 'CHECK POINTS,' REFERENCES TO IMPORTANT COURSE CASES AND TO INNOVATIONS IN POLICING, AND HIGHLIGHTED CONCEPTS. A GLOSSARY AND AN INDEX ARE PROVIDED. (LKM)