COURSE CONTENT IN COLLEGE PROGRAMS FOR POLICE OFFICERS WAS STUDIED BY EXAMINING THE TYPE OF BOOKS ASSIGNED IN POLICING AS REPORTED IN A MAIL SURVEY OF COLLEGE PROGRAMS. THE BOOKS WERE CLASSIFIED ON A SIX-CATEGORY ORDINAL SCALE OF ABSTRACTION, FROM PRESCRIPTIVE TEXTS TO EXPLANATORY RESEARCH REPORTS, AND THE MEDIAN ABSTRACTION LEVEL WAS FOUND TO BE LOW. THE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT THERE IS ENOUGH VARIATION WITHIN POLICE EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR FACULTY EDUCATION TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. FOUR-YEAR AND HIGHLY SELECTIVE INSTITUTIONS HIRE MORE EDUCATED FACULTY WITH LESS CRIMINAL JUSTICE EXPERIENCE AND THE MORE VOCATIONALLY-ORIENTED THE STUDENT BODY, THE LESS EDUCATED AND MORE EXPERIENCED THE FACULTY. THE LEVEL OF CONCEPTUAL ABSTRACTION IN THE CURRICULUM IS HIGHER WITH AN EDUCATED FACULTY WHEREAS IT IS LOWER IN A FACULTY WITH MORE EXPERIENCE, OR IN ONE SERVING ON A PART-TIME BASIS. THUS FACULTY CHARACTERISTICS ARE A CRUCIAL INTERVENING VARIABLE BETWEEN INSTITUTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS AND THE CONCEPTUAL ABSTRACTION OF THE CURRICULUM. TABLES, NOTES, AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (MJW)