The private management group evaluated the Pasadena Police Department and recommended a revamping of the management structure and operations to improve overall performance while enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of departmental services. However, department managers reviewed the study closely and determined that data were skewed and that many suggestions were unworkable. This experience indicates the importance of obtaining lists of prospective consultants from agencies and professional organizations, contacting past clients for assessments, and ensuring that the consultant has expertise in both the substantive and methodological aspects of the project. The selected consultant and the police executive should clearly define mutual expectations and establish open communication. Police executives should also clearly delineate problems and not just symptoms. Police agencies must also review the study and interpret its results before deciding what recommendations to implement. They must consider the research design and techniques, the individuals involved in the study, the variables, the sampling methods, and the data collection method. Consultants who work cooperatively with departmental personnel can produce studies that benefit not only the police agency but also the community it serves. Reference notes and illustrations