Results indicate that most officers surveyed reported drinking levels of alcohol equivalent to those reported in the general population. In addition, 70 percent of the officers either abstained from alcohol or drank less than once a month. No difference was found in the motivation to consume alcohol as it related to location, type of department or population size. However, the study did find that a true dichotomy over the stress and social debate does not actually exist. Literature has theorized that police officers consume more alcohol than the general population. The perceived consumption of police in the United States has been related to stress or social camaraderie issues, a dichotomous debate which has continued for years. This paper reviews the research upon which the assumption of excessive alcohol consumption by American police officers is based, assesses the literature that analyzes, enumerates, and correlates the supposed alcohol problem with other problematic outcomes, and presents results of the first statewide empirical study of the phenomenon. The study consisted of a total of 1,328 full-time Mississippi municipal, sheriff, and State police officers. Officers completed a 27-item self-reported questionnaire to determine alcohol use and risk. Tables and references