The author identifies ethnic conflict as a destabilizing national force and international force. He discusses the international interest in intervention in and the performance of a "peace-keeping" function in countries involved in armed, ethnic conflict. In the aftermath of the military portion of such a conflict, the state law enforcement agencies are relied upon to maintain order. The author recognizes the difficulties inherent in the process for the internal police force and explores the factors that shape police function. The author identifies four factors that shape police development and impact police legitimacy in the post military period. Those factors are: the use of democratic policing, internal police culture, politicization of the law enforcement function, and the relationship between the police and the community that they serve. He also reviews factors that may negatively impact the ability of a country to successfully rebuild its internal police force. The author argues that external peace-keeping forces can further destabilize a country involved in an ethnic conflict when that function fails to integrate a rehabilitated local law enforcement agency as part of the peace plan. 1 note, 67 references