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According to social psychologist A. Daniel Yarmey, police officers find the nature of their work necessitates that they behave to some extent like applied psychologists. Many police officers, of course, do not have any special training in this or any allied field, nor do they have an understanding of what cognitive or social psychology might be able to tell them about the behavior of those with whom they are likely to deal in their daily work. Similarly, psychologists are habitually asked by the courts to present research regarding eyewitness testimony, forensic evidence, and competency to stand trial, yet psychologists frequently lack any real awareness of policing or of police officers.
Understanding Police and Police Work, the first systematic an comprehensive review of the psychology of police and their work, focuses on the psychological basis of police officers' interactions with society. It shows how psychology and other social sciences can contribute to an understanding of police behavior as well as the behavior of citizens and other professionals with whom the police are involved.
— Iris Blandon-Gitlin, California State University, Fullerton
We need the police to help keep us safe. But every now and then things go terribly wrong. People confess to crimes they did not commit, and juries convict those innocent people. Why? This terrific volume helps us to understand. Woody and Forrest offer insights on how the police do their job, from both a basic science and a practical point of view. Readers can join these scholars as they think about how our justice system can fix these mistakes or prevent them before they happen. Anyone who cares about the fairness of our system of justice will find inspiration in this book.
— Elizabeth F Loftus, Past President, Association for Psychological Science