THE DEVELOPMENT OF POLICING INNOVATIONS CAN BE PREDICTED. A NEW POLICE IDEOLOGY WILL CONTINUE AND EXPAND THE CURRENT TREND OF SERVING THE COMMUNITY, RATHER THAN PERFORMING POLICE FUNCTIONS STRICTLY LIMITED TO FIGHTING CRIME AND KEEPING THE PEACE. THE NEW BREED OF POLICE OFFICERS WILL ALSO BE PROFESSIONALS, WITH A WIDER RANGE OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO MEET THEIR EXACTING DUTIES. THIS HIGHER LEVEL OF EDUCATION WILL RESULT IN POLICE OFFICERS BEING PERCEIVED BY THE PUBLIC AND BY THEMSELVES AS PROFESSIONALS. THE EMERGENCE OF PROFESSIONALISM IN THE POLICE WILL STRAIN DEPARTMENTS AND UNION, EACH OF WHICH IS NECESSARY FOR EFFECTIVE POLICE OPERATION. POLICE DEPARTMENTS WILL BE OPERATED ACCORDING TO A MANAGERIAL MODEL, FOLLOWING AMERICAN PATTERNS. THE UNIONS MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENTLY FLEXIBLE TO ADAPT TO THE NEW SITUATION, AND THEY MAY SUFFER FROM INTERNAL DIVISIONS AND STRUGGLES. TO PREVENT INTERNAL DISSENSION, THE POLICE FEDERATION OF AUSTRALIA MUST FORMULATE ITS OWN PLANS FOR THE FUTURE OF THE POLICE FORCE, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION ALL THESE CHANGES AND POSSIBILITIES, AND START WORKING TOWARD THEIR IMPLEMENTATION. FOOTNOTES AND GRAPHS ARE INCLUDED. (LGR)