The Police in America: An Introduction

The Police in America provides a comprehensive introduction to the foundations of policing in the United States today. Descriptive and analytical, the text is designed to offer undergraduate students a balanced and up-to-date overview of who the police are and what they do, the problems they face, and the many reforms and innovations that have taken place in policing. Using timely articles and excerpts, the authors take readers beyond the headlines and statistics to present a comprehensive and contemporary overview of what it means to be a police officer.

Dr. Samuel Walker is Professor Emeritus at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, where he taught for 31 years before retiring in 2005. He is the author of 14 books on policing, criminal justice policy, and civil liberties. He continues to write and consult in the area of police accountability, with a special interest in police early intervention systems and federal litigation against police misconduct.

Dr. Charles Katz is the Watts Family Director of the Center for Violence Prevention and Community safety and is an Associate Professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Arizona State University. Dr. Katz earned his Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 1997. He is coauthor of Policing Gangs in America by Cambridge University Press and numerous articles on policing and gangs. He is currently working with several large metropolitan police agencies evaluating programs and practices.