The study defined stress as the state of persons when in a situation whose demands they perceive they cannot meet. The adverse consequences of stress -- illness, accidents, inappropriate violence, etc. -- were defined as 'strain.' Stress rating and job difficulty were measured by having the subjects rate the stress they experienced in all phases of their lives and by rating the degree of difficulty they experienced in performing various job tasks. Strain was determined by self-reports and objective measures of physical and mental health. Self-esteem was negatively related to self-reported stress and job difficulty. Among supervisors, stress and strain declined with time on the job, and strain among patrol officers was most evident among those who had remained in the same rank or assignment for a relatively long period. High workloads (synonymous with frequency of crime contact) generated strain as objectively measured but not as indexed by self reports. Positive relationships with patrol officers' peers, partners, supervisors, and the public generally was associated with low stress and strain. 4 references.