A Guide to Policing Books: From Proactive Policing to Professional Development

Law enforcement is constantly evolving and changing as new information, practices and leadership skills are developed to keep police forces up to the task. Whether you’re fresh out of training or a seasoned police officer, it’s essential that you continue to learn and brush up on the latest studies and texts. Read on to discover our broad assortment of policing books and textbooks developed to hone your craft and improve public safety:

Policing books for investigative policing

• Renowned for being THE definitive resource for homicide investigators, Practical Homicide Investigation: Tactics, Procedures, and Forensic Techniques details the recognized protocols used by investigative divisions of major police departments throughout the world. The text is used in most police academies, including the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia.


• DiMaio’s Forensic Pathology, Third Edition educates forensic pathologists, law enforcement personnel and attorneys on the latest developments. The latest edition includes over 400 full-color demonstrative photographs and photomicrographs and updated references.


• Practice Crime Scene Processing and Investigation, Third Edition provides the essential tools for what crime scene investigators need to know, what they need to do, and how to do it.


• Since there are few knowledgeable firearm practitioners in the field who can render qualified opinions on Ghost Guns, author Robb Walker's Field Guide to Ghost Guns defines terminology, provides photographs, and explains the concepts surrounding homemade firearms in clear, easy to understand terms.

Policing books for professional development

It’s never too early — or too late — to start preparing for the next stage in your law enforcement career. Whether you’ve just finished your first day on the job or you’re beginning to look for your next leadership opportunity, professional growth and development should always be a top priority. The key is to understand what next steps are required for increased responsibility or a shift within your police department. We’ve compiled a list of policing books that will help you develop professionally within the law enforcement profession:

• One of the best assets a police officer can carry is The Law Officer's Pocket Manual by John G. Miles Jr., David B. Richardson and Anthony E. Scudellari. As the name suggests, this pocket-sized manual provides law enforcement professionals with need-to-know information at a moment’s notice. Updated annually and  based on U.S. Supreme Court rulings on constitutional law issues and other developments, this text has over 100 examples to support and guide police officers on the job.


• Good police officers can be promoted to supervisory positions with little or none of the training it takes to be a good manager. Effective Police Supervision teaches the fundamentals of managing police officers by explaining group behaviors and organizational dynamics surrounding leadership of teams in an effective police department. It is also the preferred textbook for college-level classes on police supervision.
   
• Effective Police Supervision Study Guide is essential preparation for academic or promotional exams, offering an opportunity to fully review the material ahead of testing and check your understanding.


• It’s essential that today’s police officers understand the importance of police and youth relations within the community. Police and YOUth provides solutions based on the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing to help comply with modern standards. If you work in Texas, this text is designed to comply with the Community Safety Education Act of Texas.

Policing books for leadership

Leadership is at the heart of good law enforcement practice. From administrative tasks to practical crime prevention to community engagement projects, each police officer sets an example for the rest of the police department. One of the best ways to develop these skills is to learn how to motivate others, communicate clearly and understand the most pressing issues to law enforcement today. Below are our top policing book recommendations that focus on leadership skills:
 

• For students of law enforcement, it’s essential that leadership is understood in its practical approach, especially within leader-employee relationships. Based on extensive research and case studies, Police Leadership as Practice provides students with valuable insights into leadership dynamics for soon-to-be police officers.
   
• Today’s policing landscape requires innovative, new management techniques and that’s what Police Leadership and Administration: A 21st-Century Strategic Approach by William F. Walsh and Gennaro F. Vito delivers. This text is a great tool for discovering new solutions within today’s political, economic, social and technical considerations.
   
• Looking to combat chronic or long-term crime issues within your community? Check out Reducing Crime: A Companion for Police Leaders by Jerry Ratcliffe, which delves into crime science, environmental criminology and evidence-based policing to solve your top-of-mind policing concerns.
   
• Seven Highly Effective Police Leaders details the backgrounds and histories of seven important police leaders: Teddy Roosevelt, August Vollmer, O.W. Wilson, Penny Harrington, Bill Bratton, Chuck Ramsey, and Chris Magnus.

Policing books on officer wellness

• Suicide and suicide ideation are under-researched, and Police Suicide: Risk Factors and Intervention Measures sheds light on these subject through case studies that analyse intervention measures and identify support mechanisms that can be implemented to help police officers.


• Looking to dig deeper into potential organization reform to relieve police stress? Stress Inside Police Departments provides researchers, police practitioners and policymakers with related research and studies that can decrease stress — ultimately improving officer performance.


• Officer wellness permeates beyond the police department and into our surrounding communities. Dale L. June’s Fear, Society, and the Police explores how fear can be controlled and transformed into proper responses during emergency situations.

Policing books for cybercrime and social media

Cybercrime is quickly growing to become one of the largest threats to security worldwide, and cyber-defense needs to similarly ramp up to help protect our global digitally-connected communities. From national security to local privacy threats, police departments must be prepared to handle the new evolutions of cybercrime within social media and the internet. Below are our top reading recommendations to stay knowledgeable and prepared:

Cybercrime is currently a Tier One threat with higher numbers than organized crime and fraud. To understand the potential criminal threats and impacts, take advantage of Policing Cybercrime: Networked and Social Media Technologies and the Challenges for Policing. This text includes critical chapters on the individual issues related to recent and expected cybercrimes.

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Want to learn a new methodology to make proven improvements in cybersecurity? Countering Cyber Sabotage: Introducing Consequence-Driven, Cyber-Informed Engineering (CCE) by Andrew A. Bochman and Sarah Freeman offers best practice approaches to cyber defense and step-by-step examples from the field and phase objectives.

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Continuing in the tradition of the bestselling first edition, this book examines networked surveillance video solutions. Intelligent Network Video addresses in full detail updated specifications on MPEG-4 and other digital video formats, resolution advantages of analog v. digital, intelligent video capabilities, frame rate control, and indoor/outdoor installations factors.

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