A SERIES OF PRESIDENTIAL AND NATIONAL COMMISSIONS HAVE CALLED FOR POLICE PROFESSIONALIZATION, BUT THE CURRENT STATUS OF POLICE CANNOT BE CONSIDERED PROFESSIONAL ACCORDING TO THE CONCEPTS DEVELOPED BY MAX WEBER OR EMILE DURKHEIM. WEBER BELIEVED THAT PROFESSIONALS SHOULD CONSTANTLY FOSTER THE MORALITY OF THE PROFESSION AND ACT AS A SELECT GROUP WITH A MANDATE TO ASSIST OTHER MEMBERS OF SOCIETY. DURKEIM DEFINED PROFESSIONALS AS BUREAUCRATS WHO EARN THEIR PROFESSIONAL TITLE THROUGH EXHIBITION OF RATIONAL, LOGICAL COMPETENCE AND EFFICIENCY. THIS PAPER EXAMINES WHY POLICE WANT TO BE RECOGNIZED AS PROFESSIONALS AND DISCUSSES THE ANSWER IN TERMS OF ECONOMICS AND PUBLIC ACCEPTANCE. THE CURRENT TREND IS TOWARD GREATER POLICE PROFESSIONALIZATION AND HIGHER EDUCATION FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND MORE STRINGENT RECRUITING STANDARDS ARE BEING EMPHASIZED. MANY RESEARCH AND EVALUATION PROGRAMS AIM AT IMPROVING THE PERFORMANCE AND TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE OF POLICE DEPARTMENTS. POLICE PROFESSIONALISM CAN BE FACILITATED BY CONSOLIDATING AND MERGING DEPARTMENTS INTO REGIONAL AGENCIES AND CHANGING THE SEMIMILITARY ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE OF AGENCIES. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--DAG)