During the course of the Thatcher decade, the controversial topic of policing the UK acquired increased political importance. At the centre of the debate stood Britain's chief constables. Some have become prominent, almost celebrity, figures, but by and large little is known about this elite and powerful group. Robert Reiner interviewed the majority of the chief constables in England and Wales, and here he draws on their opinions on the selection and training of the most senior officers, their duties and responsibilities and their views on the future of the force to provide a picture of modern law enforcement. The book is aimed at sociologists and political scientists interested in elites and their use of power as well as general readers interested in the police.