THIS STUDY IS BASED ON 3 YEARS OF DIRECT OBSERVATION OF A 9-MEMBER POLICE FORCE IN A COLLEGE TOWN IN UPSTATE NEW YORK. FOLLOWING A DESCRIPTION OF THE COMMUNITY, THE RESEARCH METHODS ARE DETAILED. MANY SUGGESTIONS ARE OFFERED FOR EFFECTIVE FIELD OBSERVATIONS IN POLICE WORK. THEN A GENERAL OVERVIEW IS PROVIDED OF THE THEORY OF SOCIAL REALITY AS IT APPLIES TO LAW ENFORCEMENT. A COMBINATION OF COMMON SENSE OR 'POLICE SENSE' AND EXPERIENCE PRODUCES A CORE OF KNOWLEDGE WHICH ENABLES AN OFFICER TO HANDLE ROUTINE SITUATIONS EFFECTIVELY. WHEN NEW SITUATIONS ARISE, INFORMAL DISCUSSION LEADS TO A PEER CONSENSUS WHICH CONSTITUTES A MAJOR FACTOR IN DETERMINING HOW SIMILAR SITUATIONS SHOULD BE HANDLED IN THE FUTURE. THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN LAW, DEPARTMENTAL POLICY, POLICE KNOWLEDGE, AND COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS CONTRIBUTE TO THE 'SOCIAL REALITY OF SOCIAL CONTROL.' A NUMBER OF CASES INVOLVING INCONSISTENT LAW ENFORCEMENT ARE EXAMINED. THESE INCONSISTENCIES ARE EXPLAINED BY EXAMINING THE 'SOCIAL REALITY' UNDERLYING THE DECISIONS. THE 'SOCIAL REALITY' DOCTRINE IS THEN EXAMINED AS IT APPLIES TO URBAN POLICE FORCES. THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN RURAL AND URBAN POLICING ARE DISCUSSED. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT ALL POLICE FORCES SELECT PRIORITIES DEPENDING UPON THEIR POLITICAL AND COMMUNITY SITUATIONS AND THAT THESE PRIORITIES FORM THE BASIS OF COMMUNITY LEGAL SOCIAL CONTROL. APPENDIXES PROVIDE SOCIAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC DATA FOR THE STUDY COMMUNITY, SAMPLE POLICE LOGS, CRIME STATISTICS FOR THE STUDY AREA, AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY.