Virtuous Policing : Bridging America's Gulf Between Police and Populace

In the wake of recent controversies such as events in Ferguson, Missouri, and Baltimore, Maryland, this book presents strategies to ease rising tensions in citizen-law enforcement relations due to a number of factors that include the press and new technologies. It examines law enforcement policies, procedures, and leadership methods in relation to four cardinal virtues: self-control, justice, competency, and moral courage. It provides solutions to minimizing or avoiding future violent confrontations between citizens and police that are reasonable, practical, and, most importantly, peaceful.

"It pulls no punches, shuns no controversial topic, and glosses over no issues or problems that beset America’s law enforcement community in our day. For those who may be prone to suspect the motives of these self-confessed lovers of cops and warriors, the title of this book…should be sufficient to allay such concerns."
—John C. Hall, Supervisory Special Agent, FBI (Retd.), from the Foreword

Virtuous Policing: Bridging America’s Gulf Between Police and Populace is a vigorous assessment and commentary on governmental uses of force, whether by civilian law enforcement officers in the United States or by military service members overseas. In the wake of recent controversies such as events in Ferguson, Missouri, and Baltimore, Maryland, this book presents strategies to ease rising tensions in citizen–law enforcement relations.

The book particularly addresses the growing division between members of the police and citizenry due to a number of factors, including the effects of some press members who are more interested in cultivating sensational stories of "rogue" cops than in discovering and disseminating facts. Also, with the abundance of information—true and false—available on the Internet and the increasing utilization of social media, technology contributes to the rising friction between citizens and police. Rather than make unrealistic arguments for curtailing media and technology, it suggests solutions that are reasonable, practical, and, most importantly, peaceful.

The authors examine law enforcement policies, procedures, and leadership methods in relation to four cardinal virtues: self-control, justice, competency, and moral courage. Case studies illustrate ethical, legal, psychological, and tactical issues that law enforcement and the military have to address in establishing and maintaining good and peaceable governance.

With an eye toward minimizing or avoiding future violent confrontations between citizens and those who have sworn to protect them, Virtuous Policing makes recommendations on how law enforcement and military leaders can better train and lead their subordinates. It provides legitimate leadership guidance and peaceful solutions to the growing gap between America’s citizenry and its police.