All police officers are obliged to understand, uphold, and protect the law. Although performing this duty is generally routine, certain laws and practices cause conflict, (e.g., laws pertaining to victimless crimes -- such as prostitution and marihuana possession, and use of police discretion). Police discretion is necessary where laws, are extremely broad, as are gambling laws, or where perfect enforcement would overtax manpower. However, police officers must develop ethical sensitivity and police departments must carefully regulate and supervise enforcement policies if discretion is to be used properly. Moreover, police officers have three levels of responsibilities and commitments: to the policies and regulation of their departments, to their fellow officers, and to the law and their profession. Conflicts arising among these commitments place officers in dilemmas. Since ethical conflicts often occur in the line of action, with little time for reflection, a police code of ethics was developed in 1954. Articles of the code, reproduced herein, cover the primary responsibility and limitation of police authority; duty to know the law; proper means for achieving ends; conduct in private life, toward the public, and toward offenders. A discussion guide, questions and answers, and one reference are provided.