USING PERSONAL INTERVIEWS WITH FEMALE TROOPERS OF THE ILLINOIS STATE POLICE AND RECORDS OF ACTUAL INCIDENTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, THE POLICEWOMAN IS SHOWN TO BE COMPETENT IN HANDLING EMOTIONALLY-CHARGED, VIOLENT CONFRONTATIONS. IT IS INDICATED THAT THE PRESENCE OF A FEMALE OFFICER FREQUENTLY REDUCES THE LIKELIHOOD OF VIOLENCE BECAUSE OF MALE ATTITUDES OF PROTECTIVENESS TOWARD WOMEN. PREJUDICE TOWARD FEMALE TROOPERS FROM FELLOW MALE OFFICERS IS EXAMINED THROUGH INTERVIEWS WITH BOTH WOMEN AND MEN IN THE ILLINOIS STATE POLICE. WHILE THERE WAS A TENDENCY FOR THE MEN TO VIEW WOMEN AS POTENTIALLY INCOMPETENT ON THE BASIS OF THEIR SEX, THE ACTUAL PERFORMANCE OF THE WOMEN TO DATE HAD LITTLE CRITICISM. ALTHOUGH THE WOMEN WERE AWARE THAT SOME MALE BIAS TOWARD THEM EXISTED, THIS WAS NOT PERCEIVED TO BE A PROBLEM IN THEIR DAILY WORK ATMOSPHERE. THE FEMALE TROOPERS INTERVIEWED ARE PROFILED AS BEING OF AVERAGE HEIGHT AND WEIGHT FOR A FEMALE, INDEPENDENT, ATHLETIC, AND 'TOUGH-MINDED.' IN PROBING THE EXISTENCE OF SEXUAL LIAISONS BETWEEN THE MEN AND WOMEN TROOPERS IT WAS FOUND THAT BOTH SEXES HAD STROND FEELINGS FORBIDDING ANY INITIATIVES TOWARD THE DEVELOPMENT OF RELATIONSHIPS NOT DICTATED BY WORK REQUIREMENTS. IT IS GENERALLY CONCLUDED THAT THE WOMEN WHO SURVIVE THE NONDISCRIMINATORY TRAINING REQUIRED TO BECOME A POLICE OFFICER WILL PERFORM WITH THE SAME EFFECTIVENESS AS THE MEN. (RCB)