Book Review

Controversial Issues in Policing by James D. Sewell, Allyn & Bacon, Needham Heights, Massachusetts, 1999.

In a comprehensive and straightforward approach, Controversial Issues in Policing presents debates on 15 critical issues facing every U.S. law enforcement agency. These debates come from professional practitioners and acade-micians, who are among the world’s most presti-gious, knowledgeable, and experienced contri-butors, serving in direct and associated law enforcement positions with different backgrounds and perspectives on the issues that personnel encounter.

On presenting the issues and professional assessments, each debate consists of an introduc-tory note by the editor followed by an initial debate discussion, with a “yes and no” response on the issue, and two subsequent rejoinders to the previous practitioner and academician writing the debate response. The rejoinders are supported by penetrating questions—some answered, some left for agencies to answer—and a conclusion section on each critical debate. All of the issues contain key information, and many apply directly to law enforcement.

The author divides the book into four main parts. The first part addresses issues of law enforcement agencies and their legal framework, involving the Fourth Amendment and the Exclu-sion Rule, civil and criminal forfeiture of property, and a police officer bill of rights. Part two places emphasis on police executive contracts and whether law enforcement officers need a college degree. The third part entails the issues of ethical problems in policing, the paramilitary structure, and police agencies and pursuits. The last part deals with community-oriented policing, citizen review boards, and the media. Two prominent issues include police pursuits, where a major department reduced its pursuits by 82 percent after adopting a “violent felony only” pursuit policy, and a critical review of law enforcement’s paramilitary structure.

Readers will find the book thought provoking, with evolution and devolution on the information in the debates that prove appropriate to today’s law enforcement society. Members of the law en-forcement community and other sectors of the criminal justice system should keep an open mind as to what the contributing experts present through the debates and their rejoinders of the issues. These readers should seize the opportunity to review and use, as appropriate, the key infor-mation presented in the debates and rejoinders to assist in initially developing, or strengthening existing, departmental policies, procedures, and practices to help in overall improvement.

Controversial Issues in Policing presents “hot-button” issues that will appeal to a diverse audience, including most levels of the criminal justice community. Interested readers could range from street officers and their ranking personnel, attorneys, legislators, and members of various national associations to graduate and undergradu-ate university programs and training curriculum developers at local, state, and federal law enforce-ment academies. Overall, the book contains a multitude of professional information on critical issues in policing.

Reviewed by
Larry R. Moore
Certified Emergency Manager
International Association of Emergency Managers
Knoxville, Tennessee