ALTHOUGH THE CENTRALITY OF THE POLICE ROLE IN SOCIAL CONTROL MAKES ITS PARTICULARLY DESERVING OF RESEARCH, PARTICULARLY OBSERVATIONAL STUDIES, THERE ARE SEVERAL SUBSTANTIAL BARRIERS TO SUCH STUDIES. ANTIPATHY AND DISTRUST OF RESEARCHERS ARE ENDEMIC TO MOST POLICE DEPARTMENTS, OFTEN BECAUSE OF STEREOTYPICAL VIEWS OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, THE ACTIONS OF PAST RESEARCHERS, OR MERELY FEAR ON THE PART OF THE POLICE OF EXPOSURE. THE FRATERNAL STRUCTURE OF MOST DEPARTMENTS, OCCUPATIONAL SECRECY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL TURBULANCE AND DANGER ALSO WORK TO CONSTRAIN EFFECTIVE RESEARCHER ACCESS. IF A WOULD-BE RESEARCHER LACKS POLITICAL OR ORGANIZATIONAL CONNECTIONS OR CLOUT, THEN AN ACCESS STRATEGY MUST BE DEVELOPED BASED ON EQUAL MEASURES OF PATIENCE AND PERSISTENCE. THE APPROACH OFTEN RECOMMENDED INVOLVES SELECTING SEVERAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS OF SIMILAR SCOPE AND WRITING, TELEPHONING, AND CONFRONTING FACE-TO-FACE THE OFFICIALS OF EACH UNTIL AT LEAST ONE SUCCUMBS. ONCE ACCESS HAS BEEN GAINED, THE REAL TEST OF THE RESEARCHER'S ABILITY COMES WHEN HE OR SHE MUST STRIKE BARGAINS IN ORDER TO GAIN CONTACTS AND 'DEEP' ACCESS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, WHILE ESTABLISHING A DEGREE OF LEGITIMACY OR RESPECT VIS-A-VIS THE COMMAND STRUCTURE AND THE PATROL FORCES. PERHAPS THE BEST APPROACH IS TO ENTER THE DEPARTMENT'S TRAINING ACADEMY AS A RECRUIT OF BOTH THE COMMAND AND PATROL OFFICERS. BY TRAINING WITH OTHER NEW RECRUITS AND FOLLOWING THROUGH THE INITIAL PROBATION PERIODS AT STREET LEVEL, A RESEARCHER CAN GAIN BOTH A PENETRATING AND MORE UNDERSTANDING PERSPECTIVE ON THE ROLE OF THE POLICE. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (KBL)