Police officers are typically viewed as assertive, controlling, cynical, independent, and physically intimidating. These traits are associated with males in the American culture. Females, on the other hand, are viewed as nurturing, submissive, nonaggressive, and physically nonintimidating. Policewomen can perform policing tasks that fit the female role stereotype, such as victim services and certain public relations and crime prevention activities. This narrowing of the policewoman's role, however, hampers career advancement that traditionally moves from patrol duties into management positions. Policewomen's performance of patrol tasks requires that they project a typically masculine image. Although male officers aspire to such an image for themselves, they often resent female officers who project this same image, calling them 'bitchy' or 'lesbian.' Female officers may also find that this 'defeminization' creates conflict in spousal and social interactions with men outside of work. These circumstances place unique pressures on policewomen as they are influenced to adopt a policing style not commensurate with cultural images of femininity. 1 figure and 42 references.