Willard M. Oliver began his law enforcement career as a summer police officer for the Wildwood Police Department (New Jersey).  In 1989, he enlisted in the U.S. Army reserves and served as a military police officer in Desert Storm.  From 1991 to 1994 Willard Oliver was a police officer for the Arlington County Police Department (Virginia). In 1994, Willard Oliver embarked on his academic career by becoming an assistance professor of criminal justice at Glenville State College (West Virginia).  Today, Dr. Willard M. Oliver, Ph.D.,is an Associate Professor at the College of Criminal Justice, Sam Houston State University (Texas).  Willard Oliver is also a Major in the United States Army Reserves, Military Police Corps.

Dr. Willard Oliver is the author of Community-Oriented Policing: A Systemic Approach to Policing, Homeland Security for Policing, The Law & Order Presidency, and Community Policing: Classical Readings.  He is the co-author of A History of Crime and Criminal Justice in America and The Public Policy of Crime and Criminal.

 According to the book description of Homeland Security for Policing, “Unique in focus, Homeland Security for Policing  presents a framework for understanding the role police play in today’s era of Homeland Security. The only book of its kind, it examines the events that led up to this new policing era, the relationship between national, state and local agencies, and specific strategies, operations and tactics that can be used to prevent and protect against future threats. Special emphasis is placed on understanding 9-11, the entire framework of Homeland Security in the U.S. and the unique issues faced by local law enforcement. Provides a strategic focus that addresses state and local level responses to Homeland Security as well as responses at the federal level. Discusses the specific issues facing police with respect to Homeland Security and connects the Homeland Security and criminal justice fields. Discusses how and why policing has changed in the last decade. Presents a fuller understanding of how the concept of Homeland Security developed, what it means for the police, and where within the scope of a national Homeland Security framework the police fit. Discusses the activities of local police within the context of both state and national Homeland Security policies. Emphasizes the integral web of dependency and connected nature of these agencies. Discusses techniques for information gathering, risk and threat assessments, intelligence analysis, preparation for mass disasters (including Weapons of Mass Destruction), risk management, information sharing (both laterally and vertically), preemption of terrorism, and employment of an Incident Command System under the National Incident Management System. Helps identify the new roles, new responsibilities, and new tasks of the police in today’s post 9-11 environment. Law enforcement professionals.”