I have been working in the field of law enforcement for over twenty years as a researcher, trainer, and consultant, and I learned a great deal from this text myself. Tom Barker has crafted a well-supported text that, even for those who might disagree with some of its content, one cannot argue with the quality and breadth of material used to inform it. Barker’s presentation of his experience in policing and academia adds a layer of nuance and complexity to this book that makes ignoring his premise difficult and delivers the message all the more clearly. I would assign this book to my police cadets in our police academy to illustrate the problems in the profession, as it would complement some of the other material we cover. This book will make students and instructors rethink some of their assumptions about the history of policing. We need texts like this to continue the discussions about change in law enforcement, which are so desperately needed for a future generation of officers and law enforcement executives to improve the profession.

David Bugg, SUNY Potsdam

Policing's Problems in the Twenty-First Century addresses current issues in law enforcement today, especially when focusing on police accountability and transparency. This text gives me the opportunity to dig deeper into the issues of policing in my 21st Century Policing course, with great examples to support the material. Realistic, bold, honest, eye-opening, and transparent.

Mildred Johnson, Geneva College

Solid book about policing and criminal justice from a critical perspective.

Scott Mathers, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania

This book is a wonderful read for students, researchers, police practitioners, and policymakers who are interested in understanding why the American police have encountered such a tremendous national crisis at this very moment.

Xiaochen Hu, Fayetteville State University; co-author of Electronic Community-Oriented Policing