THE TEXT'S THEME OF SOCIOLOGY AS IMAGINATION, METHOD, AND RESOURCE UNDERLIES DISCUSSION OF THE ORIGINS OF THE POLICE IDEA (TYPES OF POLICING, PATTERNS OF SOLIDARITY, LIBERTY VERSUS CIVILITY, THE ROLE OF ELITES IN CREATING THE MODERN POLICE), POLICE ORGANIZATION (THE CONTRADICTORY NORMATIVE ENVIRONMENT OF POLICE ORGANIZATIONS, STYLES OF POLICING AND COMMUNITY CONTEXT, THE POLICE BUREAUCRACY), SOCIAL-PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS OF POLICE SOCIALIZATION, ROUTINE POLICING, POLICE MISCONDUCT, AND CONTROLLING POLICE AND POLICING. THROUGHOUT THE TEXT, ILLUSTRATIONS ARE DRAWN FROM THE AUTHOR'S RESEARCH EXPERIENCE WITH POLICE OFFICERS IN SEVEN CITIES. THE VOLUME IS INTENDED AS A MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESOURCE FOR COURSES THAT FOCUS PRIMARILY OR EXCLUSIVELY ON POLICING, AND AS A COMPREHENSIVE SUPPLEMENT FOR COURSES THAT DEAL WITH POLICING AS ONE OF SEVERAL TOPICS. THE VOLUME IS ALSO INTENDED TO PROVIDE SOCIAL SCIENTISTS WITH A PERSPECTIVE THAT CAN STIMULATE AND GUIDE RESEARCH ON POLICING, AND ADMINISTRATORS WITH AN UNDERSTANDING OF CONTEMPORARY POLICING AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHANGE. CHAPTER SUMMARIES, SUPPORTING DATA, AND AN INDEX ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)