In this paper, it is argued that if problem-oriented policing is going to move past its current state of development and reach a greater potential, a more significant investment must be made within police agencies to conduct more in-depth, rigorous studies of pieces of police business; in implementing the results; and the evaluation of implementation efforts. Five major impediments or concerns are discussed in the attempt to reach this goal: (1) the absence of a long-term commitment on the part of police leaders to strengthen policing and the police as an institution; (2) the lack of skill within a police agency that is required to analyze problems and evaluate strategies for dealing with those problems; (3) the lack of a clear academic connection; (4) the absence of informed outside pressures; and (5) the lack of financial support. To further develop the concept of problem-oriented policing, additional explorations of pieces of police business contemplated when the concept of problem-oriented policing was first proposed are encouraged and at minimum would: (1) be conducted within a police agency; (2) focus on a discrete common problem arising in the community; (3) fully engage the chief executive and management of the police agency; (4) make use of the skills of a person with special training in research methodology; (5) analyze the problem in-depth; (6) weigh the potential value of a broad range of alternative responses; (7) implement a new response strategy; (8) evaluate the results of the implementation; and (9) disseminate the results to police agencies. References