Managing Police Personnel, Dennis J. Kenny and Gary W. Gordner, eds., Anderson Publishing Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1996.

Managing Police Personnel is a collection of well-documented articles written by some of the leading authorities in the field of criminal justice. The editors have assembled a truly useful collection of writings dealing with critical issues related to the selection, hiring, and training of police personnel. The individual articles offer a substantial amount of important personnel-related information that police leaders can evaluate and implement in their own agencies.

The book divides a broad range of personnel-related issues into three basic parts: selection, education and training, and the impact of policing. Many of the issues discussed are based on research articles published in the American Journal of Police. The presentation is well-balanced among topics of contemporary interest to the criminal justice community.

The book is designed to meet the needs of scholars as well as practitioners. Contributors explore such issues as physical agility testing, disabilities, race, sex, promotion, and job satisfaction from both a theoretical and applied perspective. By amply referencing prior works, the articles' authors lend added weight to their arguments by grounding the discussions in reliable documentation. Two articles-one focusing on the Americans with Disabilities Act and the other on controlling the use of force-stand out as especially informative, concise, and well-written. Both articles address timely topics in a way that offers direct applications to police agencies.

While college students unfamiliar with statistical analysis and methods of research might find some of the text challenging, a careful read on their part would help increase their research skills and greatly enhance their understanding of police management. The book should be of particular interest to those looking for a scholarly approach to modern police management.

Managing Police Personnel should be required reading for police leaders, scholars in the criminal justice field, and students planning for careers in law enforcement. Its insightful articles chart a clear path to addressing many of the personnel issues that will face law enforcement in the 21st century.

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