To understand contemporary policing in America, it is essential to understand the history by looking at the past eras. The police have day-to-day practices influenced by deeply ingrained traditions. I

To understand contemporary policing in America, it is essential to understand the history by looking at the past eras. The police have day-to-day practices influenced by deeply ingrained traditions. It's also necessary to comprehend how an officer's career begins, from the academy to the street. The effective partnership between the police and the community must also be understood to better appreciate the development and functions of police.

Write a 5- to 7-page paper in which you examine the evolution of policing and the training and skills required to adequately prepare individuals to be successful in law enforcement. Address the following in your paper:

1. Compare and contrast the major characteristics of the three eras of policing--political era, reform era, and community era. Provide real-world examples to illustrate the differences between each era.
2. Identify the skills and training that are imparted to police trainees during their academy training that you believe are most essential to future success in law enforcement. Explain your rationale. Consider using real-world events to justify your rationale.
3. Examine the principles of community policing and its importance in law enforcement. Explain how it differs from traditional policing. Provide real-world scenarios to illustrate these differences.
4. Examine critically the four stages of the problem-solving process (SARA) and explain the importance of each stage.
5. Determine the top five qualities that detectives and undercover officers need to possess and explain how these qualities relate to real-world applications and future success.
6. Use at least four quality references. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not qualify as academic resources.