POLICE TRAINERS AND TRAINEES TAKING PART IN A 10-WEEK TRAINING EXERCISE WERE OBSERVED FOR 11 MONTHS BY THE AUTHOR. ANALYSIS OF THE OBSERVATIONAL DATA COLLECTED CONFIRMED THE HYPOTHESIS THAT WHAT WAS BEING LEARNED BY THE INEXPERIENCED OFFICERS WAS A BODY OF KNOWLEDGE GENERALIZABLE ACROSS SEGMENTS OF THE POLICE CULTURE AND ALWAYS OPERATIVE IN AUTHENTIC POLICE BEHAVIOR; THIS BODY OF KNOWLEDGE INCORPORATES THE ATTITUDES AND SKILLS NECESSARY FOR SURVIVAL WITHIN THE POLICE PROFESSION AND CONSTITUTES THE 'COMMON SENSE' OF EXPERIENCED OFFICERS. THE AUTHOR ISOLATES THREE TYPES OF SURVIVAL -- PHYSICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, AND ORGANIZATIONAL -- AND IDENTIFIES THE SPECIFIC QUALITIES ASSOCIATED RESPECTIVELY WITH EACH: (1) SKEPTICISM, DECISIONAL ALACRITY, ALERTNESS, MOTOR ALACRITY, SPATIAL SAVVY, AND DRIVING EXPERTISE; (2) ROLE CONTRAST, ROLE COMPARISON, ROLE CONFIRMATION, DISTANCING, SOLIDARITY, AND STYLE-SATISFACTION; AND (3) ORGANIZATIONAL DOCILITY, AMBIGUITY TOLERANCE, REPORTAGE, PROCEDURAL COMPETENCE, AND SATISFICING (SATISFYING CONFLICTING EXPECTATIONS). IMPLICATIONS FOR ESTABLISHING COMMON SENSE IN THE PUBLIC'S VIEW OF THE POLICE ARE ALSO DISCUSSED; THE POINT IS MADE THAT PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS OF POLICE HAVE A GREAT EFFECT ON POLICE MORALE. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE INCLUDED. (DAS)