A study examined the relationship of the personality traits of 94 police cadets to their performance at a southwestern state law enforcement academy. The overall training success (percentage of total points earned) of recruits enrolled in 11 weeks of on-site training classes was the primary criterion of the study, and raw personality factor scores and demographic variables served as predictors. The sample differed significantly from population norms on one-half of the primary source personality traits, with recruits being more emotionally stable, conscientious, self-reliant, self-assured, conservative in their thinking, relaxed, and socially precise than the general public. Higher educational levels and preference for theoretical courses were significantly related to good academy performance; gender was also significant, with males scoring higher than females. As expected, general intelligence was associated with overall training achievement, although it failed to discriminate graduates from dropouts. The finding of a significant relationship between higher general intelligence and higher criterion scores is not to suggest that personality traits and attitudes are entirely independent of training achievement. Persistent and conscientious individuals who prefer an academic training curriculum are also likely to perform well. (MN)