This book covers the legal rules that govern an officer's authority to enforce laws and to investigate criminal offenses. It also covers the basic rules of evidence in criminal cases. Supplementary material is placed in footnotes at the bottom of the text, and relevant case summary sections are located at the end of each chapter (for chapters 2-5). Footnotes to the text and case summary sections include appellate cases and statutory references to assist in researching particular issues.

The text is current with case law through June 2021 and statutory law enacted by the North Carolina General Assembly through early July 2021. It contains a subject index and a case index. This sixth edition replaces all prior editions and supplements.