STUDIES IN SEVERAL MUNICIPAL AREAS, FOUND THAT, ALTHOUGH ORGANIZATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS ARE RELATED TO POLICE PERFORMANCE, THE RELATIONSHIPS OFTEN ARE DIFFERENT FROM THOSE PRESUMED TO EXIST BY NATIONAL COMMISSIONS THAT HAVE RECOMMENDED THE ELIMINATION OF SMALLER POLICE DEPARTMENTS. AS MEASURED BY CITIZEN EXPERIENCES AND EVALUATIONS, LARGER DEPARTMENTS CONSISTENTLY PROVIDED OUTPUT LOWER THAN OR EQUAL TO THAT PROVIDED BY SMALL-TO-MEDIUM-SIZED DEPARTMENTS. ALTHOUGH EVIDENCE PERTAINING TO EFFICIENCY IS INCOMPLETE, SMALL-TO-MEDIUM-SIZED DEPARTMENTS APPEAR TO BE AT LEAST AS EFFICIENT AS LARGER DEPARTMENTS IN DELIVERING SERVICES. SPECULATION REGARDING THE REASONS FOR THESE FINDINGS HAS CENTERED ON FOUR ASPECTS OF THE DESIGN OF POLICE DELIVERY SYSTEMS: THE NATURE OF POLICE SERVICES; THE INTERNAL DYNAMICS WITHIN DIFFERENTLY ORGANIZED POLICE DEPARTMENTS; THE ROLE OF CITIZENS AS COPRODUCERS; AND THE TYPES OF INTERACTIONS AMONG DIVERSE POLICE AGENCIES OPERATING IN A METROPOLITAN AREA. A THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK WITHIN WHICH TO EXAMINE THESE VARIABLES EMPIRICALLY IS PROPOSED. PLANS TO EVALUATE ORGANIZATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS BY THE CRITERIA OF EFFECTIVENESS, EQUITY, RESPONSIVENESS, AND EFFICIENCY ARE PRESENTED. DATA-GATHERING INSTRUMENTS AND OTHER SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION ARE APPENDED. (LKM)