GOOD COMMUNITY RELATIONS ARE CONSIDERED TO BE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR POLICE DEPARTMENTS. TO DEVELOP A RECONCILIATION OF THE POLICE AND THE COMMUNITIES WHICH THEY SERVE, THE POLICE SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF THE COMPLEX PEOPLE AND GROUPS WITH WHOM THEY ARE WORKING, AND CITIZENS SHOULD UNDERSTAND THE VIEWPOINT AND VALUES OF THE INDIVIDUAL OFFICER. ALTHOUGH POLICE RECRUITS POSSESS THE SAME EMOTIONS AS DO THE CIVILIAN POPULATION, THE POLICE ARE SUBJECTED TO CONSTANT STRESS THAT MAY INTENSIFY ANY OF THEIR PREEXISTING PROBLEMS AND CAN CREATE DISILLUSIONMENT AND LOSS OF RESPECT FOR SOCIETY AND ITS MEMBERS. THE CITIZENS THEMSELVES ARE EXPOSED TO THE MEDIA'S IMAGE OF POLICE WORK THAT IS FILLED WITH SENSATIONALISM AND VIOLENCE. TENDENCIES ARE SEEN IN BOTH GROUPS TOWARD A PERCEIVED DISPARITY BETWEEN THE POLICE AND THE CIVILIAN POPULATION, WHILE THE ACTUAL VALUES AND STANDARDS OF THE TOTAL SOCIETY MAY BE QUITE CONGRUENT. POLICE WORK MAY HAVE A TRAUMATIZING EFFECT UPON THE NORMAL PEOPLE WHO FORM THE POLICE FORCE, AND THE PUBLIC LACKS AWARENESS OF THE DIFFICULTIES WHICH CONFRONT THE LINE OFFICER. THE PROBLEMS FACED BY POLICE ARE SHOWN TO DRIVE THE INDIVIDUAL OFFICERS AWAY FROM THE COMPANY OF THE PEOPLE THEY SERVE, AND TOWARDS THE ISOLATED CIRCLE OF THEIR OWN PROFESSION. THE SELF-IMAGE OF THE OFFICER IS OFTEN THAT OF THE LAST BASTION OF ORDER IN SOCIETY. PROGRAMS WHICH ATTEMPT TO BRING THE OFFICERS AND THE CITIZENS TOGETHER ARE CRITICIZED FOR THEIR LACK OF SUPPORT, BUT THE REESTABLISHMENT OF CONTACT BETWEEN ALL PEOPLE IS SEEN AS ESSENTIAL. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (TWK).