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In the wake of the #BlackLivesMatter movement and historic calls to #DefundPolice, it is clear that U.S. policing is in a moment of transition. This course is an in-depth sociological analysis of the origins, composition, and effects of policing in contemporary U.S. society. Throughout the course, we focus on using a social science lens to understand what policing is and how it influences social life. We will pay particular attention to the ways in which race and class inequalities are reflected in and reshaped by policing practices. The course material will cover a different aspect of policing each week, including the historical origins of the police; race, class, and gender inequities; and contemporary efforts to reform, transform, and abolish the police. We will pay specific attention to activists' efforts in Minneapolis to hold police accountable and reimagine public safety to make Black Lives Matter. Throughout the course, we draw on contemporary media stories, podcast, documentaries, and guest visitors to connect scholarship with the world around us.