Books in Law Enforcement Agencies series

Drug Enforcement Administration details the numerous fronts in the unit's ever-expanding fight against drug traffickers and describes the tactics used to bring them to justice. Key topics covered include: -The DEA's history and predecessor agencies -Marijuana smuggling and use -Mexican drug cartels -South American drug cartels -Narco-terrorism -The global heroin trade -The methamphetamine epidemic -Money laundering.

Few law enforcement agencies have attracted more publicity and attention than the Texas Rangers. Founded in 1823 and periodically reorganized to face new challenges, the Rangers served as frontier troops during the Texas Indian wars, as border-hopping counter-revolutionaries, and later as state police assigned to cases ranging from alcohol raids and kidnapping investigations to strike-breaking and riot control. The Texas Rangers details the exploits of this famous unit, tracing its history from its beginnings on the wild, lawless frontier to its performance in the modern world of drug trafficking, terrorism, organized crime, and serial murder. Key topics covered include: Frontier wars Civil War and Reconstruction Prohibition and political corruption Bank-robbing gangs The Great Depression Drug wars Famous Texas Rangers Texas Rangers in popular culture.

U.S. Marshals traces the history of this pioneering national police force, examining its purpose, duties, and tactics in detail. Key topics covered include: -U.S. Marshals duties -Creation of the U.S. Marshals -Counterfeiting -Witness Security Program -Keeping order in the courts -Federal fugitives -Wartime operations -Marshals killed in the line of duty.

Founded in 1865 to combat counterfeiters, the Secret Service's responsibilities have since expanded greatly. The agency's best-known duty is to protect the president and other key government figures, but it is also responsible for protecting people, buildings, or areas from potential threats and investigating various forms of financial fraud. The Secret Service takes readers from the agency's inception to its modern form, focusing on organizational and structural changes, technological developments, training, special programs and initiatives, and real-life accounts from the field.Key topics covered include:The beginning of the Secret ServiceProtecting people and placesInvestigating counterfeiting and fraudDetecting threatsHandling crowds and major eventsWhat it takes to join the Secret ServiceThe future of the Secret Service.

Criminals use explosives to kill, maim, and intimidate, and as a tool for robbing banks, safes, homes, and other targets. Terrorists first utilized explosives in the 17th century in a failed plot to assassinate England's King James I. Since then, militant groups such as the Irish Republican Army, the Ku Klux Klan, and al Qaeda have used bombings to kill, injure, and terrify their victims. Law enforcement officials have a special response for this unique form of violence. Bomb Squad details the history and evolution of that response, the techniques used to locate and disarm explosives, and the risks involved for officers who face death every time they respond to a bomb threat. Key topics covered include: -Types of explosives -Evolution of bomb squad units -Serial bombers -Political bombings -Use of explosives by organized crime -Protective gear used by bomb squad officers -Bomb detection tools and techniques -Methods used to trace and identify bombers.

The first incarnation of the U.S. Border Patrol, the Mounted Watchmen, was created by Theodore Roosevelt in 1904. Disorganized and poorly funded, it was responsible for patrolling the Mexican border for illegal Chinese immigrants. Today the U.S. Border Patrol uses advanced technology such as night-vision glasses, automatic rifles, electronic alarms, helicopters, airplanes, and unmanned drones to ensure the security of America's borders on land, air, and sea. Border Patrol tracks the history of this agency, highlighting changes in leadership, duties, equipment, and potential threats. Key topics covered include: -Border Patrol duties -Drug smuggling -Border Patrol equipment -Prohibition Era issues -Border Patrol Search Trauma and Rescue (BORSTAR) -Border Patrol Tactical Unit (BORTAC) -The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and the borders -Mexican drug cartels.

In 1869, the Los Angeles City Council organized the city's first paid police force. The unit had only six officers, and they did not receive traditional salaries. Today, there are approximately 9,000 uniformed officers and 3,000 civilian employees of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) charged with maintaining law and order in the city's 468 square miles. Los Angeles Police Department follows the force's evolution from a small band of crime fighters to one of America's most well-known, cutting-edge police departments.Key topics covered include:Pre-LAPD law enforcement in Los AngelesPolice chiefs and their policiesLAPD activities during World War IProhibition and the Great DepressionZoot Suit RiotsBlack Dahlia murder investigationWatts RiotsThe Rodney King incident.

Founded in 1908 as a group of bank examiners and labor law investigators, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has become one of the premier law enforcement agencies in the world. The FBI's broad mission includes investigating everything from international terrorism and organized crime to human trafficking and white-collar crime. This new book examines the FBI from its earliest days, focusing on its main areas of activity, major cases, changes in protocol, and key tools that the agency uses to accomplish its goals. Key topics covered include: -The mission of the FBI -The FBI laboratory -The FBI during World War II -Soviet espionage -Organized crime -White-collar crime -Civil rights -Domestic and international terrorism.

Special Weapons and Tactics, or SWAT, teams stand at the forefront of modern law enforcement, merging daring, life-or-death tactics with cutting-edge police technology. These elite units conduct paramilitary operations in the full view of the media, performing missions ranging from hostage rescue and apprehension of violent felons to drug raids and natural disaster relief. SWAT Teams traces the history of special police teams worldwide, examining their techniques, tools, successes, and failures. Key topics covered include: Organization and structure Training techniques History of police special response units The first SWAT team FBI's SWAT team Hostage negotiation Controversial cases SWAT teams around the world.