The introduction outlines the historical origins and development of policing in the United States from the eighteenth century through the present day. It also highlights the equally long history of Black critiques and refusals of policing. The chapter presents the theoretical framework of “maroon geographies” as a way to understand connections between slavery-era and more contemporary Black flight from and placemaking beyond racial police violence. The introduction also discusses the historical geographic context of the book's focus area in Montgomery County, Maryland, and the local history of marronage. The chapter concludes with a brief discussion of methodology, research questions, and an outline of the following chapters.