M. CAIN'S 1962 STUDY PORTRAYS THE POLICE AS AN ACTION-ORIENTED, CLOSE-KNIT GROUP WHICH DEFINES ITS OWN RESPONSIBILITIES AND AVOIDS DOUBTS RAISED ABOUT ITS BEHAVIOR. SINCE THAT TIME, EMPHASIS HAS SHIFTED TO A POLICE PROFESSIONALISM THAT IS FOUNDED ON SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE FROM A NUMBER OF FIELDS, TO SPECIALIZATION, TO TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE, AND TO CAREFUL OBSERVANCE OF LEGAL PROCEDURES. SUCH PROFESSIONALISM IS INTENDED TO REDUCE THE ACTION ORIENTATION, IMPROVE COMMUNITY-POLICE RELATIONS, PROMOTE RELIANCE ON OTHER AGENCIES INSTEAD OF THE POLICE GROUP ALONE, AND ENCOURAGE ADDITIONAL CRIME PREVENTION MEASURES. PROFESSIONALIZATION STEPS HAVE INCLUDED INCREASED EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS AND A NEW SYSTEM FOR POLICE FIELD WORK CALLED UNIT BEAT POLICING. THE PRESENT STUDY INDICATES THAT THE HEDONISTIC ACTION ORIENTATION OF POLICE HAS NOT BEEN ALTERED, THAT TECHNOLOGY SUCH AS RADIO EQUIPMENT IS STILL EMPLOYED TO STIR UP ACTION, THAT POLICE OFFICERS STILL ENJOY FIGHTING WHEN THEY ENCOUNTER AGGRESSIVE RESISTANCE IN MAKING AN ARREST, THAT THE NEED OF OFFICERS TO FEEL POWER OVER THEIR TERRITORY CONTINUES TO BE EXAGGERATED, AND THAT UNIT BEAT POLICING HAS ALL BUT ELIMINATED DIRECT PUBLIC-POLICE CONTACT. OVERALL, THE SITUATION REMAINS UNCHANGED SINCE THE CAIN STUDY, WITH ARRESTS AS THE MAIN ACTIVITY OF OFFICERS. THE PROFESSIONAL MODEL ADVOCATED BY COMMANDING OFFICERS AND THE OPERATING MODEL OF LOW-RANKING OFFICERS DIVERGE WIDELY; THE LOWER RANKS BEND REGULATIONS TO FIT THEIR OWN DEFINITIONS OF POLICE WORK. THUS, WHILE THE PROFESSIONAL MODEL HAS PERMITTED THE POLICE TO EXPAND THEIR POWER TO SOCIAL WORK ON A NATIONAL LEVEL, DAILY POLICE PRACTICE HAS NOT BE MODIFIED. NOTES ARE PROVIDED. --IN GERMAN. (KMD)