This book explores the principles of policing and introduces readers to the history, administration, and day-to-day practices of the police in the United States. Offering a balanced perspective, it provides readers with the basic framework for understanding contemporary police issues and discusses the myths and preconceptions commonly associated with the profession. This edition includes a new chapter on police culture, a new chapter on police liability, and information on how police work interfaces with forensic science and modern technology. Anyone with an interest in law enforcement or anyone studying to become a police officer.