Although control of crime, traffic, and public order are statutory-imposed goals, the proactive social intervention goal has developed from derived goals which have originally legitimized the role of the police constable in society. The lack of clarity in organization goals has led to the formation of operative goals, determined by the exigencies of social situations. The law is enforced to reduce social distress rather than in terms of strict culpability. This is possible also due to the high degree of discretion exercised by the constable. The intangible nature of organizational goals, the concept of popular morality, and the system of operative goals results in recruits becoming motivated to adopt the operative goals under the influence of a dominant constable peer group. This may lead to a lack of congruity between officials, societal goals, and operative output goals. However, such incongruity is minimized by senior officers' knowledge of operative goals and possible malpractices. The knowledge is a result of the practice of 'starting at the bottom.' Furthermore, the discipline code constrains the officers' discretion and can displace both official and operative goals of the police. Thus, the operative goals are the police organization's main means of adapting to changes in its environment, which for the police is society. About 30 references are supplied. (Author abstract modified)