THE SURVEY OF METROPOLITAN POLICE SERVICES ENCOMPASSED BOTH DIRECT SERVICES TO CITIZENS (PATROL, TRAFFIC CONTROL, AND CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION) AND AUXILIARY SERVICES USED BY POLICE AGENCIES TO PRODUCE DIRECT SERVICES (RADIO COMMUNICATIONS, ADULT PRETRIAL DETENTION, ENTRY-LEVEL TRAINING, CRIME LABORATORY). FINDINGS ARE PRESENTED RELATIVE TO THE NUMBER AND TYPE OF PRODUCERS OF SERVICES, AGENCY SIZE, THE RELATIONSHIP OF AGENCY SIZE TO PATROL DEPLOYMENT, DUPLICATION OF SERVICES, AND PROVISIONS FOR FRESH PURSUIT AND COOPERATION. THE FINDINGS SUGGEST A COMPLEX PICTURE OF THE POLICE SERVICE INDUSTRY, WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF SMALL AGENCIES OPERATING PRIMARILY AS PATROL SPECIALISTS, A SMALL NUMBER OF LARGER AGENCIES PRODUCING A BROADER RANGE OF SERVICES, AND A SMALL NUMBER OF HIGHLY SPECIALIZED AGENCIES PRODUCING AUXILIARY SERVICES. A DEFINITE SYSTEM, WITH ITS OWN REGULAR BUT COMPLEX PATTERNS, EXISTS. THE PERFORMANCE OF THE SYSTEM CAN BE IMPROVED. HOWEVER, GIVEN THE MISLEADING ASSUMPTIONS OF MOST REFORM PROPOSALS, ADOPTION OF THESE REFORMS COULD MAKE PERFORMANCE WORSE RATHER THAN BETTER. THE MOST DIFFICULT ORGANIZATIONAL PROBLEMS FACING POLICE IN METROPOLITAN AREAS APPEAR TO BE THOSE OF LARGER DEPARTMENTS RATHER THAN THOSE OF SMALL DEPARTMENTS. YET MOST REFORM PROPOSALS FOCUS ON THE LATTER. SUPPORTING DATA ARE INCLUDED.