Policing is crucial to society. In the public's mind, police stand for law and order, protecting the law-abiding from the law-breaker. But what does the police officer on the beat actually do? Does the public idea of policing fit the reality? Are the police as productive as they might be, as effective at crime fighting as we might expect? The book begins with an outline history of policing and an exploration of the extent of crimethe principal influence on the public's perception of police work. Sewell then turns to the day-to-day issues of policing, including the structure and content of police work; management problems; police productivity; the exercise of discretion; recruitment and training practices; police wrongdoings; the challenges posed by the rise of police unions and private policing; and proposals for reform. First published in 1985, Police drew together all available research on policing in a readable introductory book that was the first to lift the veil on urban policing in Canada.