An Introduction to Policing,
10th Edition

John S. Dempsey, Linda S. Forst, Steven B. Carter

ISBN-13: 9780357763162
Copyright 2025 | Published
608 pages | List Price: USD $287.95

Discover the challenges, excitement, and rewards of law enforcement today with Dempsey/Forst/Carter's AN INTRODUCTION TO POLICING, 10th Edition. Written by law enforcement veterans with extensive first-hand experience in all areas of policing, this book is an essential read for you or anyone you know who is considering a career in law enforcement. You'll get insight into the Black Lives Matter movement, questionable police shootings of civilians and ambush shootings of police officers, strained police-community relations, the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing, recent terrorism incidents, Specialized Policing Responses to homeless individuals, advances in policing technology and other current issues.

Purchase Enquiry INSTRUCTOR’S eREVIEW COPY

Part I: POLICE HISTORY AND ORGANIZATION.
1. Police History.
2. Organizing Public Security in the United States.
3. Organizing the Police Department.
Part II: THE PERSONAL SIDE OF POLICING.
4. Becoming a Police Officer.
5. The Police Role and Police Discretion.
6. Police Culture, Personality, and Police Stress.
7. Minorities in Policing.
8. Police Ethics and Police Deviance.
Part III: POLICE OPERATIONS.
9. Patrol Operations.
10. Investigations.
11. Police and Their Clients.
12. Community Policing.
13. Police and the Law.
Part IV: CRITICAL ISSUES IN POLICING.
14. Computers, Technology, and Criminalistics in Policing.
15. Homeland Security.

  • John S. Dempsey

    John S. Dempsey is Professor Emeritus of Criminal Justice at State University of New York (SUNY), Suffolk County Community College. He also teaches criminal justice and public administration courses at SUNY, Empire State College, where he serves as a mentor for ranking members of law enforcement and criminal justice agencies. Mr. Dempsey was a member of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) from 1964 until 1988, serving as a police officer, detective, sergeant, lieutenant and captain. He focused on both patrol and investigations. Mr. Dempsey received seven citations for meritorious and excellent police duty. After retiring from the NYPD, he served as Professor of Criminal Justice at Suffolk County Community College on Eastern Long Island, where he received the college's prestigious "Who Made a Difference Award" for his teaching and work with students. Mr. Dempsey lectures throughout the country on policing and criminal justice issues and is a member of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS), the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), ASIS International, the Northeastern Association of Criminal Justice Sciences (NEACJS), and the Criminal Justice Educators Association of New York State (CJEANYS). He has received the Outstanding Contributor Award from the ACJS Community College Section and the Fellows Award from the NEAJS. Mr. Dempsey has written several books on policing and security. He received his Associate of Arts Degree and his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Behavioral Science from the City University of New York, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, his Masters Degree in Criminal Justice from Long Island University and his Master's Degree in Public Administration from Harvard University, the John F. Kennedy School of Government.

  • Linda S. Forst

    Linda S. Forst is a professor of criminal justice at Shoreline Community College in Seattle, Washington, where she also serves on the Board of Law Enforcement Training Standards and Education for the State of Washington. Ms. Forst is a retired police captain from the Boca Raton (Florida) Police Services Department, where she served as a patrol officer, investigator, sergeant, lieutenant, and captain. She spent most of her career in patrol, but also worked in investigations, professional standards, training, hiring, and support services. Ms. Forst was the department's first female field training officer, sergeant, lieutenant, and captain. Ms. Forst has extensive training in accident investigation, domestic violence, sexual violence, community policing, and police management. She received numerous commendations during her career and earned numerous gold medals from the state and International Police Olympics. She also served on the board of directors for a local battered women's shelter for many years. An author of numerous magazine, journal, and newspaper publications, Ms. Forst regularly presents at conferences and to community groups. She has written several popular books on policing. Ms. Forst earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice, her Master's Degree in Community College Education, and her Doctorate Degree in Adult Education from Florida Atlantic University. She is a graduate of University of Louisville's Sex Crime Investigation School and Northwestern University's School of Police Staff and Command. Ms. Forst is a member of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS), the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC), and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and has instructed for Northwestern's School of Police Staff and Command as well as Palm Beach Community College and Florida Atlantic University.

  • Steven B. Carter

    Steven B. Carter is a retired police sergeant from the Modesto (California) Police Department. He joined the department in 1985 as a Police Reserve and served as a police officer, detective, patrol sergeant, training sergeant, administrative services sergeant, and acting watch commander. While a patrol officer, he hosted a weekly live television show (CrimeLine) on the local cable station and was the recipient of a "Telly Award" for a segment on domestic violence. As a detective, he was assigned to economic crimes and burglary, and was a member of the homicide crime scene team, acting as crime scene manager. He has presented before the California State Assembly Central Valley Legislative Law Summit on computer crimes and law enforcement response. As administrative sergeant he supervised background investigations, and as training sergeant he proposed and implemented a departmental five-year training plan and started the "Leadership in Police Organizations" program. He is a graduate of the Los Angeles Police Department's West Point Leadership Program and is a California POST Master Instructor. He is a member of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences and an associate member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. He has served as a Peer Review Panel member for the Edward Byrne Grant Funding Program through the Department of Justice and is currently on the City of Modesto Planning Commission.

  • Numbered learning objectives listed at the beginning of each chapter and correlated with main headings throughout the chapter provide a framework for students as they read. They also help students to locate key content and understand expected outcomes.

  • New and updated coverage offers insight into issues central to the Black Lives Matter movement. Topics include police-community relations, double marginality of African American police officers, violence against police and police shootings of civilians.

  • A reframed discussion illuminates recruitment and training processes for police officers. It's based on the recommendations from the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing and covers new training topics such as management and leadership training, implicit bias training, de-escalation techniques, crisis intervention and blue courage.

  • Updated coverage of artificial intelligence, robotics and various new ways technology is aiding in police work.

  • The book discusses small and rural departments while maintaining critical foundational coverage students need to understand who police are, what they do and how they do it.

  • You Are There boxes bring readers into the center of significant historic and current policing events with detailed examinations of these events and their impact on the field of law enforcement.

  • On the Job boxes provide realistic insights into law enforcement careers. The authors draw upon their own first-hand law enforcement experience to provide detailed descriptions and important insights into pursuing a career today in policing.

  • Guest Lectures feature essays from respected veterans of law enforcement and higher education who offer practitioner-based insights into crucial law enforcement issues and challenges.

  • Key terms are defined in each chapter when they first appear. In addition, end-of-chapter references offer an easy method for quickly locating important information on key topics.

Cengage provides a range of supplements that are updated in coordination with the main title selection. For more information about these supplements, contact your Learning Consultant.

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