A literature review showed that the use of civilian personnel in law enforcement functions has been prevalent since the early 1970's, but they have not conducted investigations of major crime. Using a model agency, this study focused on readiness levels of the law enforcement community to make this radical change in civilianizing investigative staffs. The author identified legal limitations for civilian detectives as well as organizational issues for such a program. Ways of dealing with the legal limitations are suggested, and strategies for dealing with organizational resistance to such a program are identified. The study found preliminary indications that using nonsworn personnel to provide services normally provided by sworn personnel could put more officers in the field at a substantial savings. To convince police unions and sworn officers that this is not a threat to their job security, they would have to be convinced that money savings would be used to hire more sworn officers, upgrade equipment, provide overtime funds, or enhance their benefit packages. Incentives to work uniform patrol would have to be instituted. There are restrictions on civilians in the area of arrest powers, firearm possession, hearsay testimony, access to criminal offender records information, and the ability to be affiants on search warrants. This study showed that one way to use civilians in the detective function is to restrict them to the investigation of certain crimes, create combination sworn and civilian investigative teams, or require civilian detectives to qualify for police reserve status, thus allowing them to have police powers while on duty. Charts, a 24-item bibliography, and appended supplementary material