FOLLOWING A SERIES OF OUTBREAKS OF VIOLENCE IN THE JUNIOR AND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, IN THE LATE 1960'S AND EARLY 1970'S AND IN RESPONSE TO PUBLIC PRESSURE, CITY, SCHOOL, AND POLICE OFFICIALS MET TO CONSIDER ALTERNATIVES FOR DEALING WITH THE CRISIS SITUATIONS IN THE SCHOOLS. IT WAS DECIDED TO DEVELOP AND TRAIN A SPECIAL UNIT OF OFFICERS WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO BE STATIONED IN PLAINCLOTHES IN THE SCHOOLS. MEN WITH EXPERIENCE IN YOUTH PROBLEMS WERE SELECTED, AND EMPHASIS WAS PLACED UPON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A FREE FLOW OF COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION BETWEEN STUDENTS AND THE POLICE. A FEDERAL GRANT WAS SECURED FOR THE PROGRAM, WHICH REQUIRED AN EVALUATION AT THE END OF 1 YEAR OF OPERATION. THE EVALUATION INDICATED A MARKED REDUCTION IN DISTURBANCES AND CONCLUDED THAT THE POLICE OFFICERS' PRESENCE WAS PARTLY RESPONSIBLE. AFTER FEDERAL FUNDING ENDED, RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROGRAM WAS TOTALLY ASSUMED BY THE CITY OF SYRACUSE; CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS HAVE DEVELOPED BETWEEN SCHOOL STAFF AND THE POLICE OFFICERS, AS WELL AS BETWEEN OFFICERS AND STUDENTS. COOPERATION HAS ALSO DEVELOPED BETWEEN OFFICERS INVESTIGATING CRIMES CONDUCTED BY YOUTH OFF THE SCHOOL PREMISES AND THE PLAINCLOTHES OFFICERS, WHO CAN QUICKLY GAIN INFORMATION ABOUT SUSPECTS ATTENDING THE SCHOOLS THEY SERVE. (RCB)