The goal was to assess how calls for police service varied across time and blocks of time designated primarily for obligatory or discretionary activities. During 1986, the Charlotte Police Department received and dispatched about 289,000 calls, or an average of 99 calls every 3 hours, and the number of calls was lowest on Sundays. Comparing two residential areas that were opposites on the quality of life spectrum revealed pronounced differences in the type, quantity, and timing of calls. Calls emanated from routine activities, but activity type was important. In the poor community, calls varied in accordance with the amount of time for discretionary activities. In the prosperous community, calls followed the amount of time allocated for obligatory routine activities. Further research is suggested to examine residential areas that are not on the extremes of the quality of life spectrum. 27 references, 7 endnotes, 2 tables, and 4 figures