Most contributions to the police civil liability literature have described trends in the incidence of suits, the outcomes of actual cases, or the impact of litigation on police departments. This article outlines a predictive model of administrative determinants of civil litigation against police. Specifically, it attempts to determine whether police administrators influence trends in litigation. Whereas most studies of lawsuits against the police have been retroactive, this study takes a more preventive approach, and seeks to convey practical information to the policing community about potential administrative sources of civil liability litigation. Data drawn from the 1993 Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics survey and from a 1996 survey of 248 police departments suggest that interest in minority recruitment, method of civilian review, and commitment to community-oriented policing affect the incidence of suits. Tables, notes, references