THE TRADITIONAL APPROACH TO POLICE ORGANIZATON, THE AUTHORITARIAN 'THEORY X' MANAGEMENT PHILOSOPHY, IS REVIEWED. BASIC TO THIS PHILOSOPHY ARE THE ASSUMPTIONS THAT 1) MANAGEMENT'S AUTHORITY IS SUPREME; 2) AUTHORITY IS SYNONYMOUS WITH POWER; 3) DECISIONMAKING MUST BE CENTRALIZED AT THE TOP OF THE HIERARCHY; 4) CONTROL MUST BE EXERCISED BY FIAT; 5) FIRST-LINE SUPERVISORS ARE AN AGENT OF TOP MANAGEMENT; 6) POLICIES MUST CLEARLY LIMIT WORKER DISCRETION; 7) SUPERVISORY PHILOSOPHY SHOULD BE PRODUCTION-CENTERED, NOT PEOPLE-CENTERED; AND 8) EMPLOYEES GAIN THEIR MAJOR WORK SATISFACTION THROUGH PAY. THIS APPROACH IS DISCUSSED IN TERMS OF ITS RELATIONSHIP TO INTERNAL CONFLICT, MOTIVATION AND MORALE, AND THE NEED FOR A POLICEMAN TO BE TREATED AS AN INDIVIDUAL. THE WORTH OF INSTITUTING A SYSTEM OF SUPPORTIVE MANAGEMENT IS THEN CONSIDERED. THIS 'THEORY Y' APPROACH TO MANAGEMENT CONTENDS THAT ORGANIZATIONS MUST CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS CONDUCIVE TO A SATISFYING WORK EXPERIENCE AND IN WHICH THE ACCENT IS ON THE INDIVIDUAL. THE NEW ROLE AND DIRECTION OF CODES OF CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS IN LIGHT OF THIS MODERN MANAGEMENT THEORY ARE ALSO EXAMINED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)...ELW