A smooth transition to the community policing concept calls for certain concrete changes on the part of officials. These changes include redefining the department's role, training officers, adopting a new approach to employee evaluation, assigning specific patrol areas, prioritizing police calls, and tailoring police work to community needs. Administrators also should carefully consider a "critical issues" checklist before making a public move toward community policing, namely: ensure strong administrative leadership, make the change toward community policing policy gradual, draft a clear mission statement, and assess the community's needs. 7 footnotes