RAPID TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE, SOCIAL UNREST, CIVIL DISTURBANCE, AND GROWING TAXPAYER DEMANDS ARE INCREASING EVERYDAY POLICE STRESS. THE ROLE OF THE POLICEMAN THEREFORE, HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT BOTH TO TAKE ON AND TO APPRECIATE. THE POLICE WORK ENVIRONMENT DIFFERS MARKEDLY FROM THAT OF ANY OTHER OCCUPATION. THE POLICEMAN'S RESPONSE TO THESE OCCUPATIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES HAS A MAJOR AND LASTING EFFECT ON THE INDIVIDUAL THAT IS DIFFERENT IN KIND AND DEGREE FROM THAT OF OTHER OCCUPATIONS. THIS STUDY OF THE CANADIAN POLICE USED A MODEL BASED ON THE CONCEPT THAT AN INDIVIDUAL RELATES TO OTHERS WITHIN A SHARED SYMBOLIC ENVIRONMENT. THE APPROACH OF PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION WHICH RECORDS BOTH OVERT BEHAVIOR AND SUBJECTIVE EXPERIENCES WAS USED. MOST OBSERVATIONS TOOK PLACE IN UNIFORM PATROL CARS AND CONTACTS WERE PRIMARILY RANK-AND-FILE. THE FINDINGS AGREED THAT THE POLICEMAN, MORE THAN ANY OTHER PROFESSIONAL, IS PLACED IN A POSITION OF SOCIAL ISOLATION. IF HE FINDS THE POLICE WORLD TOO MUCH FOR HIM, HE CAN LEAVE. BUT, IF HE DECIDES TO STAY, HE CAN EITHER LIVE A FULLER LIFE OR CAN GRADUALLY IMPRISON HIMSELF OR ALLOW HIMSELF TO BE IMPRISONED WITHIN A POLICE ENVIRONMENT. INFORMATION-SHARING, UPWARD COMMUNICATION, DIVERSITY IN RECRUITMENT, SCREENING OF POTENTIAL MISFITS, AND ADDITIONAL ON-THE-JOB TRAINING ARE AMONG THE IMPROVEMENTS POLICE CAN MAKE IN THEIR WORK ENVIRONMENT. CHAPTER SUMMARIES, NOTES, A GLOSSARY, AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE INCLUDED. (AOP)