POLICE OFFICERS ARE CONDITIONED BY TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE TO APPROACH ALMOST EVERY ENCOUNTER WITH THE PUBLIC AS A POTENTIAL THREAT TO THEMSELVES. ADDITIONALLY, INTERACTION WITH THE PUBLIC IS FREQUENTLY IN THE ROLE OF A CONTROLLING, JUDGING, POTENTIALLY PUNITIVE AUTHORITY, TO WHICH INVOLVED CITIZENS REACT WITH HOSTILITY. FREQUENT EXPOSURE TO THE SUFFERING THAT HUMAN BEINGS INFLICT UPON ONE ANOTHER AND THE SOCIOECONOMIC CONDITIONS THAT BREED CRIME AND DESPAIR ALSO AFFECTS POLICE OFFICERS' PERCEPTION OF LIFE AND HUMANITY OUTSIDE THE POLICE SUBCULTURE. IN REACTION, THE NEWER OFFICERS WILL FREQUENTLY DEVELOP WHAT IS CALLED THE 'JOHN WAYNE SYNDROME.' IT IS CHARACTERIZED BY OVERSERIOUSNESS, EMOTIONAL WITHDRAWAL AND COLDNESS, AUTHORITARIAN ATTITUDES, THE DEVELOPMENT OF 'TUNNEL VISION,' AND CYNICISM. THESE REACTIONS CANNOT BE TURNED ON AND OFF; THEY CONTINUE INTO OFFICERS' RELATIONSHIPS WITH FAMILY MEMBERS, CREATING SERIOUS PROBLEMS IN MARRIAGES. AUTHORITIES NOTE THAT THIS SYNDROME MAY LAST FOR 3 OR 4 YEARS UNTIL OFFICERS GRADUALLY LOOSEN UP AND RETURNS TO ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOR RESEMBLING THEIR FORMER PERSONALITY. ALSO, AS A RESULT OF NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES IN INTERACTION WITH THE PUBLIC, POLICE OFFICERS TEND TO TURN TOWARD ONE ANOTHER FOR SUPPORT AND EMOTIONAL RELEASE UNDER A COMMON EXPERIENCE OF STRESS. WITHOUT THIS PEER GROUP SUPPORT, MANY POLICE OFFICERS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CONTINUE IN THEIR JOBS. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT OFFICERS BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE PSYCHOLOGICAL PROCESSES THAT ARE AFFECTING THEIR PERSONALITIES SO THEY MAY BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THEM IN WAYS THAT ARE ULTIMATELY BENEFICIAL RATHER THAN DESTRUCTIVE. (RCB)