NCJ Number
162707
Date Published
1996
Length
277 pages
Annotation
Following a historical review of municipal police in the United States, this book examines the role of municipal police, community policing, police discretion and ethics, police administration and operations, police training and education, women and minorities in municipal police forces, and the future of municipal policing.
Abstract
An effort is made to present a realistic view of municipal police as they interact with other citizens. Only when a partnership exists can municipal police forces perform their tasks as service providers. This partnership must be based on open communication between the police and the community. Although topics such as police discretion, functions, organization, recruitment, and training are discussed separately, these topics are interrelated and are part of the policing network. Stresses and strains in one area have repercussions in other areas. Book chapters specifically look at the history of municipal police, contemporary police functions and styles, problematic issues for municipal police, police leadership, police unions, and police professionalism and accreditation. Other chapters deal with entry-level and supervisory police recruitment and selection, police training and education, female police officers, minority police officers, the police subculture, police misconduct, and municipal policing in a multicultural setting. The future of municipal policing in the United States is assessed in relation to the changing image of police patrol officers, community- oriented and problem-oriented policing, private and contract police, and technological changes in policing. An appendix contains job descriptions for police officers in the Quincy, Illinois, Police Department. References, tables, figures, and photographs