Child abuse and neglect can result in permanent and serious damge to the physical, emotional, and mental development of the child. Because exact definitions of child abuse and neglect vary, it is important for law enforcement officers to become familiar with the formal definitions found in criminal law, the juvenile court act, and the reporting law in their communities. An important role of law enforcement officers in child abuse cases is dictated by their ready availability as well as by legal and ethical issues. Particular types of child abuse or neglect (physical, sexual, or emotional abuse) can be identified by physical and behavioral indicators in the child and by clues in the parents' attitudes and behaviors. Most State reporting statutes mandate who reports, what to report, and how to report suspected child abuse cases. In addition, local law enforcement agencies have policies dealing with officers' responsibilities in such cases. Increasingly, law enforcement officers are becoming a part of a multidisciplinary team approach to dealing with child abuse, and they currently play a major role in intervention. Intervention procedures include receiving the report and obtaining all pertinent information; making a records check on the family; and conducting an investigation by visiting the home, interviewing the child, the parents, and other witnesses and gathering physical, photographical, or observational evidence. Police disposition of child abuse and neglect cases ranges from taking the child into protective custody to referral to a social services agency or arrest of the caretaker. Police advocacy for child abuse prevention should be aimed at additional educational programs; improved services for families; improved planning, administration, and service delivery among all community agencies; and higher priority for funding of preventive programs. Standards for police concerning child abuse and neglect and 27 references are appended. Flow charts and footnotes are supplied.