From the preface: "The idea for this monograph was started in early January 2010 with the initial concept to conduct research on predictive policing and write a paper on the subject. After several meetings and many ideas considered for the paper, the co-editors realized that there is a need to expand the target to the role of policing in counterinsurgency. This was a hot topic and there were many diverse views in the literature on what the role should be. As the ideas on this new direction began to materialize, it became clear that this was a monumental task that would require a workshop to gather and exchange ideas from a diverse group of experts. The group then began to consider the framework for the workshop and the desired outcome to influence policymakers on the future directions of the role of policing. Several options were then considered on how to go about achieving this goal. The idea of a monograph then emerged as a good starting point. The concept of having multiple sessions with each moderator writing a chapter summarizing their session coupled with their ideas on the subject began to evolve. Selecting the moderators and the speakers and restricting the attendance to those invited guests became the next task. The workshop was then held on September 29, 2010, as a co-sponsored event by the Center for Technology and National Security Policy (CTNSP) of the National Defense University (NDU) and the Combating Terrorism Technical Support Office (CTTSO) of the Threat Support Working Group (TSWG) of the Department of Defense."

At the time of this writing, the United States and the other members of the international security assistance forces are completing nearly a decade of conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan. What started as more conventional or tradition fights has degenerated over time into insurgency warfare, something U.S. forces have had to re-learn and re-build to fight.