THE ANALYSIS DRAWS ON DATA GATHERED DURING A 1974-1975 SURVEY OF POLICE SERVICE DELIVERY IN 80 SMALL-TO-MEDIUM-SIZED STANDARD METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREAS (SMSA'S) AND ON FINDINGS FROM STUDIES OF POLICE EFFECTIVENESS CONDUCTED IN INDIANAPOLIS, IND.; CHICAGO, ILL.; ST. LOUIS, MO.; AND ELSEWHERE. IT HAS BEEN ARGUED THAT ALL POLICE DEPARTMENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO PRODUCE ALL TYPES OF POLICE SERVICES. IT HAS BEEN ASSUMED THAT LARGE DEPARTMENTS EITHER PRODUCE ALL AUXILIARY SERVICES FOR THEMSELVES OR DO WITHOUT. HOWEVER, SURVEY DATA SHOW THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES DO NOT NEED TO PRODUCE ALL SERVICES THEMSELVES, THAT MANY OUTSIDE AGENCIES ARE AVAILABLE TO SUPPLY AUXILIARY SERVICES, AND THAT MOST LARGE DEPARTMENTS OBTAIN SOME SERVICES FROM THESE AGENCIES. SMALLER DEPARTMENTS GENERALLY ASSIGN PROPORTIONATELY FEWER PERSONNEL TO ADMINISTRATIVE, AS OPPOSED TO PATROL, DUTIES. HOWEVER, THE SMALLER DEPARTMENTS ACCOUNT FOR ONLY 10 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL STREET PATROL FORCE IN THE SMSA'S STUDIED. ELIMINATING THE SMALL DEPARTMENTS WOULD HAVE ONLY A MINIMAL EFFECT ON POLICE PATROL IN MOST SMSA'S, AND THAT EFFECT PROBABLY WOULD BE EITHER TO REDUCE STREET PATROL PRESENCE OR TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS EMPLOYED. BOTH SMALL AND LARGE DEPARTMENTS OFFER USEFUL ORGANIZATIONAL ALTERNATIVES. A MIXTURE OF LARGE AND SMALL AGENCIES PRODUCING COMPLEMENTARY SERVICES WITHIN A METROPOLITAN 'POLICE INDUSTRY' MAY BE A BETTER ORGANIZATIONAL SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM OF METROPOLITAN POLICING THAN THE CREATION OF LARGE POLICE MONOPOLISTS. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)