IT IS SUGGESTED THAT A PROFESSION IS A NORMATIVE GOAL THAT AN OCCUPATIONAL GROUP TRIES TO ACHIEVE. THUS, THE ACCOLADE 'PROFESSIONAL' IS ONLY AN INDICATION THAT THE GROUP HAS MOVED TOWARD ITS GOAL RELATIVE TO ITS PRIOR OCCUPATIONAL STATUS. PROFESSIONALIZATION, THE PROCESS OF ATTAINING THIS GOAL, REQUIRES THAT THREE PREREQUISITES BE MET: (1) SPECIALIZATION AT THE OCCUPATIONAL RATHER THAN AT THE INDIVIDUAL OR ORGANIZATIONAL LEVEL; (2) EMPHASIS ON JOB PERFORMANCE PROCESS RATHER THAN ITS PRODUCT; AND (3) EXISTENCE OF A UNIQUE, CODIFIED BODY OF ABSTRACT OCCUPATIONAL KNOWLEDGE WHICH IS SUBJECT TO INVESTIGATION AND VALIDATION. COMPONENTS OF PROFESSIONALIZATION INCLUDE DEFINING A PARTICULAR AREA OF JURISDICTION OR EXPERTISE, ESTABLISHING FORMAL TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION, AND ESTABLISHING AN ASSOCIATION WHICH ENGAGES IN POLITICAL ACTIVITY DESIGNED TO SUPPORT AND PROTECT THE GROUP AND ITS OCCUPATIONAL JURISDICTION. VIEWED WITHIN THIS SEMANTIC CONTEXT, THE PATROL OFFICER IS NOT A PROFESSIONAL. HOWEVER, THERE IS A GROWING EMPHASIS BY POLICE MANAGERS ON PROFESSIONALIZATION OF THE POLICE. LABELING THE PATROL OFFICER A PROFESSIONAL WILL HAVE A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON EDUCATION, SALARY EXPECTATIONS, ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, BUREAUCRATIC INFLUENCES, AND OCCUPATIONAL AND EXTRA-OCCUPATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACTIVITIES IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE POLICE OCCUPY A MARGINAL STATUS THAT IS NEITHER PROFESSIONAL NOR NONPROFESSIONAL. INDICATIONS OF A MOVEMENT TOWARD PROFESSIONAL STATUS CAN BE SEEN IN THE INCREASING EMPHASIS ON EDUCATION OF OFFICERS, GRADUAL ACCEPTANCE OF THE COMMUNITY SERVICE ROLE, THE OPENING OF POLICE AGENCIES TO EXTERNAL SCIENTIFIC STUDY, AND A TREND TOWARD UTILIZATION OF RESEARCH FINDINGS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. AN ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT OF UNIONS ON THE MOVEMENT TOWARD POLICE PROFESSIONALIZATION IS PRESENTED AND SUGGESTS THAT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING EFFORTS TEND TO GIVE ECONOMIC AND JOB SECURITY ISSUES PRIORITY OVER PROFESSIONAL GOALS AND THAT MANAGEMENT EFFORTS TOWARD PROFESSIONALIZATION MAY BE SEEN AS A THREAT TO BOTH JOB SECURITY AND UNION POWER PREROGATIVES. IN GENERAL, UNION POLICIES HAVE TENDED TO HAVE NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE MOVEMENT TOWARD PROFESSIONALIZATION. ACHIEVEMENT OF PROFESSIONALIZATION GOALS WILL REQUIRE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CHANGE STRATEGY WHICH RECOGNIZES THE UNION AS A SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP AND WILL INVOLVE STRUCTURING THE CHANGE PROGRAM AS A SUPPLEMENT TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, POSSIBLY THROUGH ESTABLISHMENT OF A MANDATE FOR A JOINT PROGRAM BETWEEN MANAGEMENT AND THE RANK-AND-FILE. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (JAP)