IN RESEARCHING STRESS, CERTAIN ELEMENTS MUST BE DEALT WITH ON AT LEAST A CONCEPTUAL BASIS INCLUDING CLASS RESPONSE, SITUATION-BASED RESPONSE, AND THE EXAMINATION OF STRESS-STRAIN RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AN ORGANISM AND ITS ENVIRONMENT. A CONCEPTUAL STRUCTURE FOR RESEARCH MUST BE DEVELOPED, AND CONCEPTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL DEMAND AND RESPONSE CAPABILITY AND TIME, SETTING, AND THE COPING RESPONSE MUST BE EXAMINED. SEVERAL MODELS FOR STRESS RESEARCH ARE DESCRIBED. THE FACTORS THAT DETERMINE THE RESPONSE OF THE ORGANISM TO STRESS ARE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DANGER STIMULUS, SITUATION DETERMINANTS, AND PREDISPOSITIONAL DETERMINANTS. THE ROLE OF POLICE OFFICERS AND THE NATURE OF THEIR WORK ARE EXAMINED FROM THE ADMINISTRATIVE VIEWPOINT, AND IN TERMS OF PUBLIC ATTITUDE. OFFICERS' SELF-IMAGE AND PERSONAL ROLE EXPECTATIONS ARE CONSIDERED, AS WELL AS THE SOCIAL ISOLATION OF POLICE WORK. THE OCCUPATION'S PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS, SUCH AS HIGH TENSION, BOREDOM, AND UNCERTAINTY, LEAD TO STRESS, AND OFFICERS HAVE A UNIQUE SET OF PROBLEMS RELATED TO FAMILY AND PRIVATE LIFE. PHYSICAL STRESS FACTORS ARE THE CONSTANT POSSIBILITY OF DEATH OR INJURY, FATIGUE, SHIFTING DIURNAL PATTERNS, LIMITED ATTENTION TO PHYSICAL FITNESS, AND PROBLEMS STEMMING FROM ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS SUCH AS AIR POLLUTION AND WEATHER CONDITIONS. STRESS-RELATED DISORDERS COMMONLY FOUND IN POLICE OFFICERS ARE CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, DISGESTIVE DYSFUNCTIONS, HYPERTENSION, HEADACHES, PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS, AND PREMATURE DEATH. COMMON MEANS OF RELIEVING THIS STRESS ARE DESCRIBED, INCLUDING ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, AND TRANQUILIZER USE; EXERCISE; SLEEP; VERBAL AND PHYSICAL VENTILATION; ABSENTEEISM; AND THERAPY. THE FINAL SECTION RECOMMENDS ALLEVIATION OF STRESS-RELATED DISORDERS THROUGH PERIODIC PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS AND ESTABLISHMENT OF COUNSELING AND THERAPY STRESS-REDUCTION PROGRAMS. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED. (DAG)