PREVIOUS RESPONSE TIME RESEARCH IS DESCRIBED. OBJECTIVES OF THIS STUDY FOCUS ON IDENTIFICATION AND ANALYSIS OF OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS RELATED TO POLICE RESPONSE TIME AND THEIR EFFECTS ON OTHER ASPECTS OF THE POLICE SERVICES. THE THREE COMPONENTS OF RESPONSE TIME BEING EXAMINED WERE OCCURRENCE AND DETECTION, REPORTING AND DISPATCHING, AND RESPONSE ARRIVAL AND CITIZEN CONTACT. FOLLOW-UP INTERVIEW, TAPE CONTENT ANALYSIS, AND FIELD OBSERVATIONAL INSTRUMENTS SUPPLY COMPREHENSIVE DATA ON FACTORS INVOLVED WITH EACH TIME ELEMENT ALONG THE RESPONSE TIME CONTINUUM. ADDITIONAL DATA WERE OBTAINED FROM VICTIM INJURY FOLLOW-UPS, ARREST FOLLOW-UPS, AND BY PLACING SIMULATED EMERGENCY CALLS TO THE DISPATCHER. PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF DATA ON 69 ROBBERY CALLS INDICATED THAT THE MAJORITY WERE MADE THROUGH THE CRIME ALERT NUMBER, WITH THE BELL COMPANY OPERATOR HANDLING MOST OF THE OTHERS. AT LEAST 69 PERCENT OF THE RESPONDENTS WERE SATISFIED WITH THE DISPATCHER, OFFICER RESPONSE TIME, AND OFFICER ACTIVITY ON THE SCENE. DATA ACCUMULATION WAS TO CONTINUE FOR SIX MORE MONTHS BEFORE A DETAILED ANALYSIS WOULD BE PERFORMED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)