American Policing is in Crisis—and the Answers Are Already on the Shelf!
The third edition of my book, Arrested Development: A Veteran Police Chief Sounds Off… may not be new, but its blueprint for rebuilding trust, restoring accountability, and keeping policing local has never been more urgent. Before we lose more ground, here’s why this book still matters today.
Why Arrested Development Still Matters for American Policing
Years ago, I published Arrested Development: A Veteran Police Chief Sounds Off to share what I had learned during my 33 years in law enforcement, including more than two decades as Madison’s police chief. The book set out to explain how American policing had gone off track—and how it could be fixed.
Though not new, Arrested Development remains a timely and urgent resource for anyone who cares about safe, democratic, community-based policing. The challenges I wrote about—eroding public trust, lack of accountability, excessive force—are still with us. In fact, some dangers have grown worse. One of the most serious is the push to federalize our nation’s police by expanding immigration enforcement and enlisting local officers in that work. This undermines the trust that is the bedrock of effective policing, making communities less safe and police less effective.
What must be understood is that when a community no longer trusts its police, the only way police can operate is with the constant threat and use of force — including deadly force!
In the book, I lay out practical reforms to build trust, increase accountability, and align policing with democratic values. The lessons and strategies I describe are just as applicable now as when I first wrote them.
If we want local police who serve—not occupy—their communities, we must reject cosmetic fixes and commit to lasting change. Arrested Development remains a roadmap for getting there.
Improving Police: A Necessary Conversation 