'Adrift' by Scott Reinbolt sheds light on law enforcement, cultural changes

By Rory Ryan
The Highland County Press

Southern Ohio Professor (and retired police chief and criminal investigator) Scott Reinbolt, J.D., was kind enough to share a copy of his 2025 book, "Adrift: A Citizen's Guide to American Policing," this past weekend.

At 150 or so pages, it's a relatively quick read, and I enjoyed it. 

In a chapter called "Cultural Change," Reinbolt notes that the country has "undergone a tremendous cultural shift. We are rapidly becoming a society without shared beliefs, values and experiences. I maintain these cultural changes have had a profound impact on American policing."

When I read that, I immediately thought of friends who work in high school and in a few cases, college administrations, who have told me that social media has become one of their biggest headaches. I imagine that it is. Putting out those "fires" that often spark after school hours and then spread into the next school day, are just more unnecessary obstacles to education.

Personally, I do not have a social media account. I have employees who manage a Facebook account for The Highland County Press, and I trust their judgment on what to post – and equally important – what not to post aligns with my judgment. And if it doesn't, well, needless to say, I'll do what I have to do.

A particular passage of Reinbolt's book hit home for this longtime newspaperman. 

"The disappearance of local newspapers has also reduced our ability to converse with and relate with one another," Reinbolt writes. "At the risk of showing my age, I was a paperboy for The Akron Beacon Journal. There were about 25 customers on my route. Many were waiting on the arrival of the newspaper when I came up their front steps. The articles in the newspaper were read by all of these customers; and therefore, they all learned about and experienced the world around them in similar fashion."

The author goes on to explain that newspapers – and their readers – were sort of partners in sharing and disseminating the news from local city councils, county commissions, school boards and other news. It was a partnership in the U.S. for many decades, built on trust and a true value for fair and accurate news.

"Newspapers were run by men and women who were experienced, professional journalists," Reinbolt writes. "The information they wrote was checked and verified. Today, if you only get your news from the internet, there is no guarantee of the quality or accuracy of the information. Now, everyone with a keyboard is a "journalist," and a great deal of inaccurate information pervades."

Reinbolt adds, "The loss of shared experience and culture is overshadowed by what I consider the most impactful cultural change within my lifetime: A lack of a commonly accepted moral foundation. It is incredibly difficult to police a populace that does not have a shared morality."

While Reinbolt's "Adrift" predominantly focuses on law enforcement – from the former beat cops, to police chiefs, to county sheriffs, to prosecutors and judges – it also presents an accurate commentary on today's society.

"How did we get here?" he asks. "Because for many, God is dead. Many of us no longer attend church regularly and have little familiarity with the Bible or it's (sic) teachings. Years ago, unelected federal judges started kicking God out of public life and pushing the Bible out the door of our schools. There was a time when nearly every public school had the Ten Commandments posted somewhere in the building. Now, it is a violation of federal law to do so."

Indeed, many of us can recall the Ten Commandments case of Berry Baker, et. al. v. Adams County/Ohio Valley School Board, et. al. a quarter of a century ago. I was right in the midst of it as a newspaper publisher in Adams County. Predictably, the school district lost.

"Adrift" is an enlightening and informative read for everyone; and in my opinion, it's an even better read for all those in law enforcement – and the media. Reinbolt's experience and thoughts on policing through many years may, in fact, lead to an overall improved police effort today.  

The book is available online at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FV92K9JR/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1P6U25MI5JJTD&dib=…

While this offer might hurt sales, I'd also be happy to share my copy of the book with anyone in local law enforcement. It's a good weekend read.

Thanks, Scott.

Rory Ryan is publisher and owner of The Highland County Press.