STATE-BY-STATE DATA IS PRESENTED ON THE TYPES OF ENTRY SYSTEMS, PLUS MISCELLANEOUS REQUIREMENTS SUCH AS THE FINGERPRINTING OF RECRUITS, DISQUALIFICATION OF RECRUITS DUE TO CRIMINAL RECORD, RESIDENCY, AND MINIMUM STANDARDS OF EDUCATION. SURVEY DATA INDICATED THAT 40 STATES BASED THE HIRING OF STATE-LEVEL PEACE OFFICERS ON SOME TYPE OF MERIT SYSTEM, WITH ONLY TWO STATES - CONNECTICUT AND MISSOURI - HAVING A PATRONAGE SYSTEM. SEVENTEEN STATES REQUIRE THE FINGERPRINTING OF POTENTIAL PEACE OFFICER RECRUITS AT ONE OR MORE LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT. TWENTY-FOUR STATES DO NOT PERMIT THE RECRUITMENT OF INDIVIDUALS AS PEACE OFFICERS AT THE STATE COUNTY, AND LOCAL LEVEL WHO HAVE CRIMINAL RECORDS, WHILE 39 REQUIRE THE DISQUALIFICATION OF A POTENTIAL PEACE OFFICER FOR THE SAME REASON. THIRTY STATES REQUIRE A FORM OF RESIDENCY FOR ALL PEACE OFFICERS. ONLY 14 STATES REQUIRE ALL POTENTIAL POLICE OFFICERS TO HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA OR ITS EQUIVALENT. THIS REPORT FOCUSES ON LEGISLATION AND RULES OR REGULATIONS PROMULGATED AND EFFECTIVE AS OF JUNE 30, 1974, INCLUSIVE