AS TOKENS ENTERING AN OCCUPATION LONG DOMINATED BY MEN, POLICEWOMEN ARE CONTINUOUSLY CONFRONTED WITH THE DILEMMAS INHERENT IN THE CHOICE BETWEEN THE DEFEMINIZED AND DEPROFESSIONALIZED PATTERNS OF OCCUPATIONAL ROLE BEHAVIOR. EACH PATTERN HAS CONSEQUENCES NOT ONLY FOR THE WOMAN BUT ALSO FOR HER MALE COLLEAGUES AND THE DEPARTMENT AS WELL. IN THIS ARTICLE, WOMEN WHO ADOPT THE FORMER PATTERN ARE CALLED 'POLICE-WOMEN' AND THOSE WHO OPT FOR THE LATTER PATTERN ARE CALLED 'POLICE-WOMEN.' THIS ANALYSIS IS PART OF A LARGER STUDY OF THE INTEGRATION OF FEMALE OFFICERS INTO POLICE PATROL. FINDINGS ARE BASED ON (1) INTERVIEWS WITH 32 POLICEWOMEN, (2) HOURS OF DISCUSSION WITH 1 FEMALE OFFICER WHO SERVED AS AN INFORMANT, (3) OBSERVATIONS AT INFORMAL SOCIAL GATHERINGS OF 8 TO 10 POLICEWOMEN ARRANGED BY THE INFORMANT, AND (4) OBSERVATION OF 5 ADDITIONAL TOURS OF DUTY AS A 'RIDE ALONG' WITH FEMALE OFFICERS. CONCURRENTLY, THE AUTHOR SERVED AS A POLICE RESERVE OFFICER IN A WASHINGTON, D.C., POLICE DEPARTMENT FROM OCTOBER 1975 THROUGH JUNE 1976. 'POLICE-WOMEN' STRIVE TO ADHERE TO THE NORMS OF BEHAVIOR GOVERNING POLICE OFFICERS INCLUDING A STRONG LAW ENFORCEMENT ORIENTATION. THEY PLACE STRONG EMPHASIS ON PROFESSIONALISM, ASSERTIVENESS, OCCUPATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT, AND LOYALTY TO THE DEPARTMENT. THEY ACCEPT THE NECESSITY OF FIGHTING AND THE POSSIBILITY OF GETTING HURT ON DUTY. THEY ARE COMFORTABLE WORKING ON THE STREET AND LIKE STREET PATROL. THEY DO NO EMPHASIZE THEIR FEMINIMITY ON THE STREET BUT RECOGNIZE IT AS A USEFUL TOOL ALONG WITH THEIR GUNS, NIGHTSTICKS, AND MACE. THEY ASPIRE TO PROMOTION AND INVESTIGATIVE AND SUPERVISORY JOBS. IN CONTRAST, 'POLICE-WOMEN' ARE APATHETIC AND DISINTERESTED IN THEIR WORK EXCEPT AS A SOURCE OF INCOME. THEY STRUGGLE WITH DISCRIMINATION, THEIR OWN LACK OF ASSERTIVENESS, AND THEIR DESIRE TO REMAIN 'LADIES ON THE JOB AS WELL AS OFF.' MOST ADOPT A SERVICE-ORIENTED ATTITUDE, MAKE FEW ARRESTS, AND FEEL ILL-EQUIPPED FOR STREET DUTY. BECAUSE OF THIS NEGATIVE ATTITUDE, A DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF WOMEN HAVE BEEN REASSIGNED TO INSIDE POSITIONS. SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION ARE MADE; HOWEVER, THE DYNAMICS OF TOKENISM PROBABLY WILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE FOR A LONG TIME. FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. (PRG)