NOTING THAT WHILE PROFESSIONALISM IS FREQUENTLY EMPLOYED AS A TERM DESCRIBING THE GOAL FOR IMPROVED POLICING, IT HAS ATTACHED TO IT SUCH A VARIETY OF MEANINGS THAT IT LEAVES PEOPLE CONFUSED ABOUT ITS APPLICATION TO THE ROLE OF THE POLICE. THE CENTRAL POINTS OF DEFINITION OF PROFESSIONALISM ARE PRESENTED.PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE, PROFESSIONAL AUTONOMY, AND THE SERVICE IDEAL ARE THE CENTRAL ELEMENTS OF PROFESSIONALISM. THE MASTERY OF AN ESOTERIC, ABSTRACT, AND CODIFIED BODY OF PRINCIPLES IS THE ESSENCE OF PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE, WHILE A MONOPOLY ON SKILL IS THE BASIS FOR PROFESSIONAL AUTONOMY. THE PROFESSIONAL SUBCULTURE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT MEANS BY WHICH THE SERVICE IDEAL IS MAINTAINED. THE LITERATURE REVEALS A PERVASIVE BELIEF THAT THE POLICE, MEASURED AGAINST A RIGOROUS DEFINITION OF PROFESSIONALISM, DO NOT MEET THE BASIC QUALIFICATIONS. IT IS FELT THAT THE BASIC DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE POLICE AS PUBLIC SERVANTS AND THE TRADITIONAL PROFESSIONS AS PRIVATE PRACTIONERS BLOCKS PEOPLE FROM PERCEIVING POLICE AS BEING PROFESSIONALLY AUTONOMOUS. THIS DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE POLICE AND THE TRADITIONAL PROFESSIONS IS NO LONGER VALID IN LIGHT OF THE CHANGING DEMANDS WHICH THE PUBLIC AND GOVERNMENT ARE PLACING UPON ALL PROFESSIONS WHO SERVE THE ESSENTIAL NEEDS OF THE PUBLIC. JUST AS THE POLICE ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PUBLIC FOR THE WAY IN WHICH THEY PERFORM THEIR WORK, SO DOCTORS, LAWYERS, AND EDUCATORS ARE BEING INCREASINGLY PRESSURED TO CONSIDER THE NEEDS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CLIENTS WHOM THEY SERVE IN THE MANNER IN WHICH THEY PERFORM THEIR WORK. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED. (RCB)