THE CID IS A CIVIL BODY WHOSE ROLE IS TO TRACK DOWN CRIMINAL OFFENERS, INVESTIGATE INFRACTIONS, AND PROMOTE PEACE, PUBLIC SAFETY, AND PUBLIC HEALTH. THE CID IS PART OF THE MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR. IT PROVIDES BOTH CENTRAL AND TERRITORIAL SERVICES. THE INTERNAL ORGANIZATION, AUTHORITY, AND POWER OF THE CID'S FOUR SECTIONS WERE SPECIFIED BY DECREE IN OCTOBER, 1966. SERVICES INCLUDE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION, INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, PUBLIC SAFETY, PROVISION OF PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT, INSPECTION OF POLICE SERVICES, POLICE SCHOOL, SECURITY RELATED TO OFFICIAL VISITS, AND TERRITORIAL POLICE. THE CID HAS 220 AUTOMOBILES AND 45 MOTORCYCLES. THE DEPARTMENT HAS SEVERAL DRAWBACKS INHIBITING OPTIMUM EFFICIENCY, HOWEVER. RADIO AND TELEPHONE COMMUNICATIONS ARE BARELY SUFFICIENT. TELEPHONE COMMUNICATIONS OUTSIDE ABIDJAN ARE PROBLEMATICAL DUE TO LACK OF LINES AND OVERLOADING OF NETWORKS, AND RADIO COMMUNICATION TAKES PLACE ONLY DURING THE DAY. ALTHOUGH THE NUMBER OF CID PERSONNEL HAS TRIPLED BETWEEN 1961 AND 1972, IT IS FAR FROM ADEQUATE. CID'S EFFORTS HAVE FOCUSED LARGELY ON THE CITIES. PROBLEMS WHICH SHOULD BE ADDRESSED INCLUDE (1) ORGANIZATIONAL COMPLEXITY, WHICH IS COMPOUNDED BY THE USE OF BOTH UNIFORMED AND PLAINCLOTHES PERSONNEL; (2) INADEQUATE PATROL FLEET; AND (3) MINIMAL COMMUNICATIONS. EVALUATION OF CRIME COSTS WOULD ENABLE GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES TO DECIDE WHETHER TO DEVOTE MORE RESOURCES TO STAFFING AND EQUIPPING THE CID. A MAP, FIGURES, AND TABLES ARE INCLUDED. FOR THE VOLUME OF WHICH THIS ARTICLE IS A PART, SEE NCJ 64784. (CFW)