Implicit in proposals for problem-oriented policing is a strong critique of the prevailing 'dial-a-cop' system of allocating most police resources on the basis of phone calls police receive. In this research, a data base was constructed from Minneapolis' computerized police call records for a 1-year period beginning December 15, 1985. Approximately one-third of the calls involved angry conflicts that could, or had already, erupted into violence. Actual or potential property crime accounted for 29 percent and traffic control 19 percent. Service calls, such as lockouts or medical aid, comprised 13 percent. Only 2 percent of all calls concerned stranger to stranger crimes against persons. The analysis revealed that 5 percent of the estimated 172,000 addresses and intersections in Minneapolis were the subject of 64 percent of 321,174 calls to the police. About 60 percent of the addresses produced no calls, and of the 40 percent with calls, over half had only 1 call. The top five locations with any calls produced 48.8 percent of the calls. The paper describes the project's methodology and a proactive policing strategy to reduce calls being tried by the Minneapolis police. Graphs, tables, and 11 references.