ALTHOUGH THE NEED FOR POLICE INTELLIGENCE OPERATIONS AIMED AT PREVENTING PUBLIC DISORDERS HAS BEEN GENERALLY RECOGNIZED, THE AUTHOR NOTES THAT SOME APPREHENSION ABOUT THIS TYPE OF ACTIVITY HAS USUALLY EXISTED BECAUSE OF ITS POTENTIAL FOR INFRINGING ON CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED RIGHTS. IN THE PAST, THE COURTS HAVE GENERALLY SANCTIONED THIS TYPE OF PUBLIC DISORDER INTELLIGENCE COLLECTION. RECENT ABUSES BY FEDERAL AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES, HOWEVER, HAVE HAD A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON THE ATTITUDES OF THE COURTS IN THIS AREA. THE AUTHOR NOTES THAT IN LIGHT OF THE CHANGED ATTITUDES OF THE COURTS, A FORMAL REDEFINITION OF THE PUBLIC DISORDER INTELLIGENCE FUNCTION APPEARS TO BE INEVITABLE. HE MAINTAINS THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR POLICE DEPARTMENTS, WORKING WITH PROSECUTORS, TO BECOME INVOLVED AT THE OUTSET IN THE PROCESS OF DEFINITION. CURRENT PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED IN THE COLLECTION AND MAINTENANCE OF PUBLIC DISORDER INTELLIGENCE ARE OUTLINED. THESE INCLUDE ESTABLISHMENT OF CRITERIA ON THE RELEVANCE OF INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION, AUDITING OR REVIEWING OF FILES FOR RELEVANCY AND ACCURACY, AND DETERMINING WHEN DISSEMINATION AND USE OF THIS INFORMATION IS APPROPRIATE. THE RESPONSE OF THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT TO THESE ISSUES IS DESCRIBED. THIS DEPARTMENT HAS ESTABLISHED REGULATIONS WHICH DETAIL SPECIFICALLY THE REQUIREMENTS AND RESTRICTIONS GOVERNING THE PUBLIC DISORDER INTELLIGENCE FUNCTION. PRIMARY PROVISIONS OF THESE REGULATIONS ARE THAT ONLY INFORMATION RELATED TO THE PERFORMANCE OR THREATENED PERFORMANCE OF CRIMINALLY DISRUPTIVE ACTS MAY BE GATHERED AND THAT FILES WILL BE CONSTANTLY REVIEWED FOR ACCURACY AND RELEVANCE.