RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POLICE ARE PROMOTION OF CRIME PREVENTION, PROTECTION OF SOCIETY FROM CRIMINAL UNDERTAKINGS, CULTIVATION OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND HUMAN FREEDOM WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF EXISTING LAW, AND COLLABORATION WITH SPECIAL PRISONER REHABILITATION AGENCIES. THE PREVENTIVE ROLE IS SEVERELY LIMITED IN DEMOCRATIC SOCIETIES, AS THE ACTIONS OF POLICE TEND TO BE REACTIVE. IN PRACTICE, 80 TO 90 PERCENT OF POLICE TIME IS DEVOTED TO SOCIAL SERVICES, NOT CRIME CONTROL. OTHER FUNCTIONS RELATE TO REDUCING THE NUMBER OF INJURIES AND THE EXTENT OF PROPERTY DAMAGES, SETTLING FAMILY DISPUTES, AND APPLYING LAWS TO PUBLIC MORALITY. LAWS ARE FREQUENTLY UNCLEAR, REQUIRING POLICE TO DECIDE WHICH STEPS TO TAKE, AND THE PARTICULAR COURSE IS OFTEN DETERMINED BY PUBLIC REACTION AS WELL AS BY THE EXTENT OF INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM THE PUBLIC. POSSIBLE ABUSES OF POLICE DISCRETIONARY POWERS COULD BE LIMITED BY INCREASED POLICE PROFESSIONALISM AND BY CONTROL OF POLICE POWER. DIFFERENT DEGREES OF POLICE PROFESSIONALIZATION HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED. THE LEGALIST MODEL IS SUCH THAT ALL INCIDENTS ARE CONSIDERED CASES OF APPLICATION OF LAW, POLICE ARE CENTRALIZED, A UNIFORM MORAL CODE IS ASSUMED, AND THE OFFICER IS VIEWED AS A PASSIVE INSTRUMENT OF LAW. THE SERVICE MODEL IS CHARACTERIZED BY A SYSTEMATICALLY REPRESSIVE APPLICATION OF LAW. BY POLICE PREOCCUPATION WITH RATINGS OF THE PUBLIC, BY SOLIDARITY AMONG OFFICERS, AND BY MAINTENANCE OF ORDER THROUGH DIVERSE ACTIVITIES. FINALLY, THE SURVEILLANCE MODEL, WHICH IS TYPICAL IN NORTH AMERICA, EMPHASIZES INTERVENTION ONLY FOR EXTREME CASES, RESOLUTION OF CASES THROUGH RECONCILIATION OF ADVERSARIES, CONSIDERATION OF COMMUNITY POWER STRUCTURES, USE OF ALTERNATIVE PUNISHMENTS, NONPROFESSIONAL POLICE OFFICERS, AND MAINTENANCE OF ORDER RATHER THAN APPLICATION OF LAW. --IN FRENCH. (KMD)