ALL POLICE PATROL ACTIVITY FOR AUGUST 1971 WAS REVIEWED AND CODED. EACH OF THE 22 SERVICE CATEGORIES IDENTIFIED WAS TABULATED BY SHIFT, WHETHER A CAR WAS DISPATCHED, IF ACTION WAS TAKEN, AND THE SOURCE OF THE INITIATING REQUEST FOR SERVICE. ACTIVITY CATEGORIES WERE ALSO RANKED IN ORDER OF FREQUENCY FOR TOTALS AND CALLS REQUIRING ACTION AND ACCORDING TO RELATIVE SERIOUSNESS. AN INDEX OF SERVICE ACTIVITY (ISA) IS THEN CONSTRUCTED TO MEASURE THE ACTUAL NEED FOR PROVIDING SERVICE FOR EACH SERVICE ACTIVITY. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT CERTAIN CATEGORIES OF SERVICE CALLS RECEIVED FREQUENTLY BUT USUALLY RESULTING IN NO ACTION TAKEN BY THE POLICE (DOG BARKING, LOST PROPERTY, FAMILY DISPUTES) MAY EITHER NOT BE LOGICAL POLICE DUTIES OR MAY WARRANT SPECIFIC PROGRAMS AIMED AT IMPROVING POLICE COMPETENCE IN THOSE AREAS.