Special Topics in Policing

This book provides a critical analysis of five central areas in modern policing: crime control, community policing, volunteers in policing, officer safety and wellness, and contemporary issues. It begins with an examination of the evolution of crime control strategies, focusing on how technology and organizational tactics have shaped efforts to reduce crime. Global case studies, including perspectives from Central and Eastern Europe and the New York Police Department, offer practical insights into how crime control has adapted in the 21st century. These chapters blend theoretical perspectives with real-world experiences, highlighting both challenges and successes in maintaining public safety.
The book explores the shifting dynamics of community policing. Once considered the cornerstone of police work, this approach now faces budget cuts and recruitment challenges that have pushed departments toward new strategies, including the use of social media and digital platforms to sustain public outreach. The discussion extends to the role of volunteers in policing, drawing on case studies from Asia and Hungary to identify best practices for enhancing community engagement and addressing organizational deficits through volunteer involvement.
It also examines officer wellness and safety, with particular emphasis on mental health challenges such as post-traumatic stress and the growing physical risks officers face on the job. The final chapters address pressing contemporary issues, including racial bias, non-consensual policing in the UK, and drug decriminalization efforts in Canada, offering a nuanced analysis of their implications for policing and the wider criminal justice system.
Through research and policy analysis, this book serves as an essential resource for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers striving to strengthen both the effectiveness of law enforcement and public trust in the institution of policing.

James F. Albrecht is a Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and Homeland Security at Pace University in New York City. Jimmy received a prestigious Fulbright Fellowship in 1998 and worked as a Professor at the National Police College of Finland. He is also the recipient of a 2013 Embassy Policy Specialist Fellowship (USDOS/IREX) and was tasked with conducting research and developing recommendations to improve law enforcement efficacy and legitimacy in Ukraine. Police Chief Albrecht served in the European Union Rule of Law Mission (EULEX) in Kosovo (former Yugoslavia) as the Head of the EULEX Police Executive Department, in charge of criminal investigations and coordinating international law enforcement cooperation and intelligence analysis from 2008 through 2010. He had previously served in the United Nations Mission in Kosovo Police from 2007 to 2008. Jimmy is also a 23-year veteran of the NYPD who retired as the Commanding Officer of NYPD Transit Bureau District 20, tasked with the prevention of crime and terrorism in the subway and commuter transit system in New York City. He was a first responder and incident command manager at the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center and developed the counter-terrorism strategic plan for the subway system in the borough of Queens, New York City.
Garth den Heyer is a Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Arizona State University in the United States and Visiting Professor with the Institute of Policing at the University of Staffordshire. He is a Senior Research Fellow with the National Police Institute in Washington, D.C. and an Associate with the Scottish Institute of Policing Research and an International Member: Crime & Security Science (CaSS) Faculty Research Group, University of Technology Sydney, Australia. Dr den Heyer was an Inspector with the New Zealand Police for 38 years, retiring as Manager of National Security. Garth also spent more than 20 months as a strategic law enforcement advisor to the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands. His primary research interests include law enforcement, police militarization, and enhancing police service delivery.