Leadership is a useful theoretical foundation for developing a conception of the role of the community-oriented officer because it encompasses both the exercise of coercive power and other kinds of influence processes; it is consistent with the research on situational, behavioral, and attitudinal factors in making choices about leadership behavior; and it provides a normative, value-based context for understanding and evaluating the exercise of police discretion. The street-level leadership model developed here can provide a new way of thinking about the relationship between officers and the community, help in the development of officer training programs and materials, redefine standards for evaluating police behavior, shape community expectations of police officers. 1 table and 28 references