This is a well-written, documented, scholarly, and readable account of the bringing and maintaining of law and order to the land west of the Mississippi River. It is of interest to the historian, sociologist, and political scientist as well as the general reader.

Police dockets, newspaper reports, and court records to were researched to ascertain a clear picture of who the peace officers were and what problems they had to solve. The book contains an outstanding bibliography, which ranges from archival materials to personal interviews, reflecting the depth of Prassel's research.

Frank Richard Prassel, an attorney and former college professor, is the author of The Great American Outlaw: A Legacy of Fact and Fiction, also published by the University of Oklahoma Press.