FOR 5 MONTHS, AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF CRIMINOLOGY WORKED AS A REGULAR, UNIFORMED PATROL OFFICER IN A JACKSONVILLE GHETTO. DURING THAT PERIOD, THE RESEARCHER BECAME CAUGHT UP IN THE FRUSTRATION, ANGER, AND AGGRESSION HE HAD ALWAYS CONDEMNED AND RECOGNIZED AS IRRATIONAL IN POLICE OFFICERS. THE EXPERIENCE BROUGHT OUT THE FACT THAT, UNLIKE OTHER PRACTITIONERS WHO DEAL WITH SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS, POLICE OFFICERS ARE NOT REMOVED FROM THE CONTEXT IN WHICH THOSE PROBLEMS OCCUR. POLICE OFFICERS MUST DEAL WITH OTHER PEOPLE AT THEIR WORST AND MUST DO SO IN PERSONALLY THREATENING SITUATIONS. POLICE WHO WORK REGULARLY UNDER STRESSFUL CONDITIONS DEVELOP A DEFENSE MECHANISM BY WHICH THEY REPRESS UNACCEPTABLE THOUGHTS AND CONSCIOUSLY ASSERT THE OPPOSITE OF THOSE THOUGHTS. THEY EXPRESS A DEFENSIVE FACADE OF CONFIDENCE AND AGGRESSION AS A MEANS OF COPING WITH UNDERLYING FEELINGS OF FEAR AND ANXIETY, FEELINGS THAT WOULD BE INCAPACITATING WERE THEY TO BECOME CONSCIOUS. THIS RESPONSE CORRESPONDS CLOSELY TO THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CONCEPT OF REACTION FORMATION.