One of the most significant findings was the overwhelming public support for more police. Tempering this view was the finding that significant proportions of the population in each State believed that the police spend too much time on minor offenders while ignoring serious crime. A majority of respondents believed that police are unnecessarily hampered by restrictions on their power to arrest and question suspects. On the other hand, Australians are aware of possible consequences of the extension of police powers. Most respondents believed that increased phone tapping powers would lead to serious threats to civil liberties. Citizens wanted to see police spend more time patrolling on foot, rather than in cars, and placed more emphasis on recruiting people from minority groups. There was widespread dissatisfaction concerning police involvement in domestic disputes; in all States, a majority of the respondents felt police need better training in dealing with violence in the family. The public believed that although the police do need additional powers and resources, these should not be unlimited, and some improvement in their performance in many areas is still needed. 1 reference, 2 tables, 10 figures.