THIS STUDY WAS CONDUCTED DURING A TEN DAY PERIOD FOR THE CITY OF SALEM, OREGON, WHICH HAS A POPULATION OF 68,856. SINCE THE TIME AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE WERE LIMITED, THE FOLLOWING AREAS OF STUDY WERE GIVEN TOP PRIORITY: THE BASIC RECORDS PROCEDURE OF THE DEPARTMENT, THE SECURITY OF THE RECORDS, THE TRAINING OF RECORDS PERSONNEL, AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS. THE CURRENT SYSTEM OF HANDLING INCIDENT RECORDS, FOLLOW-UP RECORDS, AND ARREST RECORDS IS REVIEWED. A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS SYSTEM WERE NOTED, INCLUDING INADEQUATE CONTROL OF THE RECORDS, INEFFICIENCY AND DUPLICATION OF RECORDS, AND LACK OF ADEQUATE SECURITY RECOMMENDATIONS TO CORRECT THESE PROBLEMS ARE PRESENTED. THESE COVER SUCH AREAS AS CONSOLIDATION OF PERSONNEL, IMPROVING THE PHYSICAL LAYOUT OF THE RECORDS AREA, CONSOLIDATION OF FILES, IMPROVEMENT OF RECORDS PERSONNEL TRAINING, AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE RECORDS SECURITY. AN OUTLINE OF A PROPOSED IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE IS PROVIDED