THIS APPROACH INVOLVES INTRODUCING AN IMPARTIAL THIRD PARTY INTO THE DISPUTE, GETTING THE CONFLICT TO THE POINT WHERE THE DISPUTANTS CAN TALK TO ONE ANOTHER CALMLY, AND THEN QUICKLY MOVING BEYOND THE PRECIPITATING INCIDENTS TO IDENTIFY THE UNDERLYING ISSUE OR ISSUES. TWO CONFLICT RESOLUTION MODELS ARE EMPHASIZED - THE NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT PROCESS KNOWN AS MEDIATION AND REFERRAL TO COMMUNITY AGENCIES. THIS FILM IS DESIGNED TO POINT OUT THE POTENTIAL DANGER OF SERIOUS INJURY OR FATALITY TO ANY OFFICER IN HANDLING DISTURBING-TYPE CALLS. IN THE SITUATIONS PRESENTED, ALL OFFICER INJURIES AND FATALITIES OCCUR AS A RESULT OF THE THINGS THE OFFICERS DID OR FAILED TO DO IN PROPERLY HANDLING THE CALL. THE POINT OF THE FILM IS TO SHOW THAT IN EACH OF THE HIGHLY CHARGED EMOTIONAL SITUATIONS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN AVERTED, OFFICERS PLACED THEMSELVES INTO A POSITION WHICH SET UP THE POTENTIAL INJURY TO BOTH THEMSELVES AND THE CITIZENS. THE THREE SITUATIONS PRESENTED INVOLVE BLACK DISPUTANTS IN A NEIGHBOR-TO-NEIGHBOR DISPUTE, A MEXICAN-AMERICAN FAMILY DISPUTE, AND A FAMILY TRIANGLE SITUATION. ALL ARE RELATED TO ONE ANOTHER BY TWO COMMON DENOMINATORS - DEMEANOR-ATTITUDE AND DISPUTE-HANDLING PROCEDURES. THE FILM ENDS WITH THE OFFICERS GETTING TOGETHER AFTER THEIR WATCH FOR A SESSION, THEREBY PRESENTING THE CAST OF OFFICERS FOR THE SERIES - SEVEN TYPES OF OFFICERS IDENTIFIED AS BEING PRESENT IN ALMOST ANY DEPARTMENT. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)