Many experts agree that stress can have both positive and negative effects. When positive stressors are developed by police administrators, negative consequences of stress can be minimized and police officers can become more goal-oriented and perform more often at peak levels. Most individuals employed in law enforcement for at least 10 years have come into contact with a fellow officer suffering from burnout. Burnout can be best summarized as the final stage of mental and/or emotional exhaustion in which the individual is unable to cope with the job. Several theories and models have been devised to evaluate stress. According to General Adaptation Syndrome theory, three stages are associated with stress reactions: alarm reaction, resistance, and exhaustion. A model developed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to depict the relation between working conditions and health consequences incorporates job/task demands, organizational factors, and physical conditions. The Law Enforcement Critical Life Events Scale identifies critical life events specific to law enforcement and has proven to be a significant tool for police administrators. Stress and emotional problems among police officers include suicide, alcoholism, divorce, and postshooting trauma. Employee assistance programs are becoming increasingly common in law enforcement to help police officers deal with stress. Stress resulting from the criminal justice system and the community and stressors confronting female and minority police officers are examined. Personal strategies for coping with or reducing stress, such as relaxation therapy and exercise, are described. 58 references and 9 figures