MORE THAN THOSE IN OTHER OCCUPATIONS, POLICE OFFICERS ARE SUBJECTED TO MANY JOB-RELATED DEMANDS AND STRESSES. PERHAPS MORE THAN IN OTHER OCCUPATIONS, THERE IS A TENDENCY FOR STRESS-RELATED PROBLEMS TO BE HIDDEN BY THE OFFICER AND IGNORED BY THE DEPARTMENT. HOWEVER, THIS IS CHANGING. MORE RIGOROUS SCREENING OF POLICE PERSONNEL AND THE AVAILABILITY OF DEPARTMENTAL MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS ARE IMPROVING THE SITUATION. A STUDY OF 2,300 POLICE OFFICERS IN 29 DEPARTMENTS FOUND THAT 37 PERCENT OF THE OFFICERS HAVE SERIOUS MARITAL PROBLEMS, 36 PERCENT HAVE SERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEMS, 23 PERCENT HAVE SERIOUS ALCOHOL PROBLEMS, 20 PERCENT HAVE SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THEIR CHILDREN, AND 10 PERCENT HAVE DRUG PROBLEMS. ANOTHER STUDY FOUND THAT IN TERMS OF VISITS TO PUBLIC MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES, POLICE RANKED WELL BELOW OTHER OCCUPATIONS. HOWEVER, THIS MAY BE A SIGN OF UNWILLINGNESS TO SEEK HELP FOR PROBLEMS RATHER THAN AN INDICATION OF GOOD MENTAL HEALTH AND MAY IN PART BE A RESULT OF THE SUPER-MASCULINE IMAGE OF THE POLICE OFFICER. OFFICERS WHO FAIL TO SEEK HELP REGARDING MENTAL-HEALTH PROBLEMS OR DIFFICULTIES COPING WITH JOB-RELATED STRESS ONLY GET WORSE. STRESS-INDUCED PROBLEMS MAY MANIFEST THEMSELVES AS HOSTILITY, AGGRESSION, PSYCHOSOMATIC COMPLAINTS, OR DERELICTION OF DUTY. HOWEVER, AS POLICE ADMINISTRATORS COME TO REALIZE THE ENORMOUS HUMAN COSTS INVOLVED, PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICE UNITS ARE BEING ESTABLISHED WITHIN DEPARTMENTS TO AID OFFICER-CLIENTS. FOUR TYPES OF STRESSES FREQUENTLY FOUND IN POLICE WORK INCLUDE: (1) EXTERNAL STRESSES RELATED TO NEGATIVE PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARD POLICE OR INABILITY TO STEM CRIME; (2) ORGANIZATIONAL STRESSES SUCH AS LOW PAY OR ARBITRARY RULES; (3) PERFORMANCE-RELATED STRESSES INCLUDING WORK SCHEDULES, BOREDOM, OR FEAR; AND (4) PERSONAL STRESSES, SUCH AS MARITAL PROBLEMS OR MINORITY AFFILIATION. ALCOHOLISM AND DIVORCE -- TWO PROBLEMS OFTEN RELATED TO JOB STRESS -- ARE PARTICULARLY FREQUENT AMONG POLICE PERSONNEL. AN ALCOHOLISM PROGRAM IN NEW YORK CITY WAS ONE OF THE EARLIEST POLICE MENTAL-HEALTH PROGRAMS. MENTAL-HEALTH SERVICES AND PROGRAMS IN DETROIT, BOSTON, AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED TO PROVIDE COUNSELING (BOTH PEER AND GROUP APPROACHES) TO HELP POLICE OFFICERS COPE WITH STRESS AND STRESS-RELATED PROBLEMS. WHILE PRELIMINARY STUDIES INDICATE THAT THE POLICE ORGANIZATION MAY ITSELF BE A MAJOR SOURCE OF STRESS, NO DEPARTMENT HAS YET MADE AN EFFORT TO SYSTEMATICALLY REDUCE STRESS SOURCES. ASSORTED ILLUSTRATIONS ARE INCLUDED. (JAP)