THERE IS COMMON INTELLECTUAL AGREEMENT THAT PERSONS ENGAGED IN DIFFERENT OCCUPATIONS ARE CHARACTERIZED BY DISTINCTIVE PERSONALITY PATTERNS AND SETS OF VALUES. THE POLICE PERSONALITY HAS OFTEN BEEN CHARACTERIZED AS AUTHORITARIAN. BOTH THE PREDISPOSITIONAL MODEL, WHICH ATTEMPTS TO EXPLAIN THE POLICE PERSONALITY BY LOOKING TO PERSONALITY TRAITS OF POLICE OFFICERS PRIOR TO THEIR ENTRY INTO A LAW ENFORCEMENT CAREER, AND THE SOCIALIZATION MODEL, WHICH VIEWS THE POLICE PERSONALITY AS PRIMARILY THE RESULT OF INSTITUTIONAL INFLUENCES, HAVE BEEN WIDELY USED TO EXAMINE AND EXPLAIN THE PERSONALITY OF THE POLICE OFFICER. THESE MODELS, HOWEVER, GENERALLY FAIL TO ADEQUATELY EXPLAIN WHY THE POLICE PERSONALITY OF DIFFERENT OFFICERS CAN BE SO WIDELY DISSIMILAR BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS AND WITHIN A DEPARTMENT. THE USE OF A SUBCULTURAL MODEL FOCUSSING ON THE SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL PROCESSES OF POLICE AND CITIZEN INTERACTION IS PROPOSED AS AN ALTERNATIVE MEANS OF STUDYING AND EXPLAINING THE POLICE PERSONALITY. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE POLICE PERSONALITY IS LESS A PRODUCT OF PREDISPOSITIONAL FACTORS OR OCCUPATIONAL INFLUENCES, AND MORE A CONSEQUENCE OF THE UNIQUE CULTURAL EXPERIENCES IN THE OFFICER'S WORKING ENVIRONMENT. IT IS THOUGHT THAT INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES CAN BE EXPLAINED IN MORE MEANINGFUL TERMS THROUGH THE USE OF THE SUBCULTURAL MODEL. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (MPK)