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What is the role of police in American society? Dr. David Thomas poses this persistent question in the opening of this book. It has been defining for most practitioners, policymakers, and community members in the important dis- cussions about controlling crime and disorder in America. Any talk of how to reduce crime invariably begins with policing—even though research has long proven that crime is best controlled through a holistic approach that incorporates prevention, intervention, and suppression strategies. It is clear that, as the primary actor in local government assigned with the responsibil- ity of dealing with crime, the police have a role in controlling crime and the collateral consequences of doing so. The perception of American policing has evolved, as policing itself has, over time. For much of its history, the police have been viewed by many as the strong-arm agents of the power elite, essentially corrupt and heavy- handed, ensuring the nonprivileged were kept in their place and the power dynamics maintained through the enforcement of the law. In the 20th cen- tury, in many communities—especially suburban or rural ones—people began viewing the police as the friendly enforcer of community norms and statutes. With the advent of “community policing” many saw them—as did the police themselves—as community “brokers” of peace and solutions to crime, disorder, and social ailments. Where one stands largely determines what one sees. For many Americans, the police have not really evolved. They have simply changed the manner in Foreword