TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WAS REQUESTED TO EVALUATE THE POLICE MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THE DEPARTMENT'S ABILITY TO RESPOND TO THE CHANGING NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY. THIS STUDY, TOGETHER WITH THE RESULTANT CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS, WAS BASED ON DISCUSSIONS WITH CITY AND POLICE OFFICIALS, INTERVIEWS WITH POLICE OFFICERS, OBSERVATIONS OF PERFORMANCE, AND AN EXAMINATION OF POLICE RECORDS. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE POLICE SERVICE IN TAUNTON WAS BESET BY SIGNIFICANT DIFFICULTIES WHICH IMPEDED THE PROVISION OF POLICE PROTECTION NEEDED BY THE COMMUNITY. THE MAJOR ADMINISTRATIVE PROBLEMS REQUIRING ATTENTION ARE NOTED IN THIS REPORT. AMONG THE AREAS DISCUSSED ARE THE CRIME PROBLEM, POLICE EFFECTIVENESS, POLICE MANPOWER, MANAGEMENT, ORGANIZATION, OPERATIONS, INTERNAL SUPPORT CAPABILITY, AND PERSONNEL. RECOMMENDATIONS ARE PROVIDED FOR IMPROVEMENT OF THE PROBLEM AREAS NOTED IN THIS REPORT.