OF THE 102 SUBJECTS IN THE SAMPLE, 70 WERE INTERVIEWED. THE STUDY USED LOFLAND'S CONCEPT OF TURNING POINTS AS INDICATIVE OF A MOMENT WHEN OLD LINES OF ACTION HAVE BEEN DISRUPTED, RESULTING IN AN OPPORTUNITY OR A NECESSITY TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT WITH ONE'S LIFE. EIGHT DIFFERENT TYPES OF TURNING POINTS WERE DISCOVERED IN POLICE BIOGRAPHICAL DATA. LEAVING SCHOOL OR COMPLETING MILITARY SERVICE OPENS NEW AVENUES FOR OPPORTUNITY. IN MANY CASES MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM AGE LIMITS FOR ENTERING POLICE WORK ARE A DECIDING FACTOR. REMOVAL OF BARRIERS TO POLICE ENTRY MAY BE A PREREQUISITE TO JOINING A POLICE FORCE. ANOTHER SITUATION MAY INVOLVE THE POTENTIAL POLICEMAN BEING FORCED OUT OF OR BLOCKED FROM ENTRY INTO A DESIRED PROFESSION OR OCCUPATION. FOR SOME, POLICE WORK IS UNDERTAKEN AS A STOPGAP MEASURE BEFORE ENTRY OR REENTRY INTO A DESIRED FIELD. STAGNATION OR DISSATISFACTION WITH ONE'S OLD JOB CAN ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO THE DECISION TO ENTER POLICE WORK. RELATED TO THIS FACTOR MAY BE THAT OF LEAVING A HIGHER PAYING JOB FOR THE GREATER SELF-FULFILLMENT OF POLICE WORK. FINALLY, IN SOME CASES A PARTICULARLY INTENSE EXPERIENCE MAY PERSUADE THE POTENTIAL POLICEMAN THAT POLICE WORK WOULD BE FULFILLING. EACH OF THESE TURNING POINTS ARE ILLUSTRATED WITH SPECIFIC CASES. UNPREDICTABLE SITUATIONAL CONTINGENCIES ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE PROCESS OF BECOMING A POLICEMAN; SOME INDIVIDUALS WILL FACE SITUATIONS CONDUCIVE TO POLICE WORK AND WILL CHOOSE IT, WHILE OTHERS WILL CHOOSE OTHER OCCUPATIONS. THE PROCESS OF BECOMING A POLICEMAN IS OFTEN GREATLY AFFECTED BY SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS. ENCOURAGEMENT FROM SOCIAL RELATIONS WHO WERE ASSOCIATED WITH POLICE WORK OCCURRED IN THE CASES OF 85 PERCENT OF THE SAMPLE INTERVIEWED. ONCE THE POLICE OCCUPATION HAS BEEN ENTERED, A CONTINUAL PROCESS OF ADJUSTMENT TO THE JOB AND IN ONE'S SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS IS NECESSARY. THIS PROCESS COULD AGAIN LEAD TO THE INDIVIDUAL REACHING A TURNING POINT AND MAKING A NEW OCCUPATIONAL DECISION. (JAP)