A WORKING DEFINITION OF STRESS IS DEMAND PLACED ON THE SYSTEM; HOWEVER, WHILE STRESS IS NECESSARY TO EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED HARMFUL, MISMANAGED STRESS OR AN OVERABUNDANCE OF STRESS HARMS THE HUMAN NERVOUS SYSTEM. STRESSORS CAN BE DEFINED AS ANYTHING WHICH PRODUCES AN AUTONOMIC STRESS RESPONSE IN AN INDIVIDUAL. IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, STRESSORS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED IN VARIOUS WAYS AND HAVE BEEN BROKEN DOWN INTO FOUR GROUPS: (1) STRESSORS EXTERNAL TO THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATION; (2) STRESSORS INTERNAL TO THE ORGANIZATION; (3) STRESSORS IN POLICE WORK ITSELF; AND (4) THE STRESSORS CONFRONTING THE INDIVIDUAL POLICE OFFICER. MAJOR STRESSORS WHICH EXIST AS A RESULT OF THESE CATEGORIZATIONS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING, RESPECTIVELY: (1) THE LARGE NUMBER OF SITUTATIONS IN WHICH THE OFFICER'S BODY IS CALLED UPON TO BE IN AN ALERT STATE; (2) SITUATIONS IN WHICH AN OFFICER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR AN INDIVIDUAL'S LIFE; (3) SHIFT CHANGES WHICH ARE A NECESSARY PART OF ANY LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATION; AND (4) THE DIFFICULTIES IN AN OFFICER'S INDIVIDUAL LIFE CAUSED BY THESE SWIFT CHANGES. SOME OF THE SUSPECTED PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF STRESS ARE DIGESTIVE PROBLEMS, HEAD AND BACK ACHES, HEART DISEASE, AND WEIGHT GAIN, WHILE THE EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS INCLUDE COMPULSIVE OVERWORK, EXHAUSTION SYNDROME, ALCOHOLISM, EMOTIONAL REACTIONS TO TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES, AND MARITAL UNREST. REFERENCES ARE CITED. FOR PART 2, SEE NCJ-53238. (KBL)