A FOUR-STEP PROCEDURE FOR ANSWERING CRISIS CALLS IS PRESENTED IN THE FORM OF A CRISIS INTERVENTION MANUAL, WITH DETAILED ATTENTION TO SPECIFIC TECHNIQUES FOR OBSERVING AND PROTECTING AGAINST THREATS TO THE INTERVENING OFFICER'S SAFETY, CALMING PERSONS INVOLVED IN THE CRISIS, GATHERING RELEVANT INFORMATION, AND TAKING APPROPRIATE ACTION (MEDIATION, NEGOTIATION, COUNSELING, REFERRAL, ARBITRATION). PSYCHOLOGICAL AND OTHER BACKGROUND INFORMATION USEFUL IN HANDLING SPECIFIC KINDS OF CRISES SUCH AS FAMILY DISPUTES, MENTAL DISTURBANCE, DRUG AND ALCOHOL INTOXICATION, RAPE, SUICIDE, IS PRESENTED, WITH EMPHASIS ON HOW THE INFORMATION CAN BE APPLIED BY POLICE AT THE SCENE OF A CRISIS. IN A CHAPTER DIRECTED TO POLICE TRAINERS, THE PRINCIPLES AND PROCEDURES OF STRUCTURED LEARNING (MODELING, ROLE PLAYING, SOCIAL REINFORCEMENT, TRANSFER TRAINING) ARE INTRODUCED. A STRUCTURED LEARNING MANUAL, BASED ON THE EXPERIENCE OF THE SYRACUSE, N.Y., POLICE DEPARTMENT, PROVIDES TRAINERS WITH THE INFORMATION THEY NEED TO ORGANIZE, IMPLEMENT, AND EVALUATE CRISIS INTERVENTION TRAINING PROGRAMS. APPENDED MATERIALS INCLUDE A LIST OF ROLE-PLAY SITUATIONS, A SAMPLE FAMILY CRISIS INTERVENTION REPORT, AND A READING LIST. (LKM)