ESSEX COUNTY, A RAPIDLY URBANIZING AREA NORTHEAST OF LONDON, ENGLAND, HAS THE LOWEST POLICE EXPENDITURE PER 1,000 POPULATION OF ANY POLICE AUTHORITY IN THE COUNTRY. IN THIS ANNUAL REPORT, THE PROBLEMS OF A COMBINATION URBAN-RURAL POLICE FORCE COPING WITH HIGHLY MOBILE CRIMINALS ARE ILLUSTRATED IN A SERIES OF NARRATIVE CASE STUDIES. SUPPORTING STATISTICS ARE ALSO GIVEN. OFFENSES AGAINST PERSONS INCREASED FROM 2,171 TO 2,484 BETWEEN 1973 AND 1977 WHILE VIOLENT OFFENSES AGAINST PROPERTY INCREASED FROM 7,346 TO 10,840, AND NONVIOLENT PROPERTY OFFENSES INCREASED FROM 23,416 TO 35,167. THE DEPARTMENT'S CLEARANCE RATE INCREASED FROM 46.9 PERCENT TO 48.7 PERCENT. TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS INCREASED BY 4 PERCENT. DURING THE SAME PERIOD, THE NUMBER OF POLICE OFFICERS LEAVING THE FORCE ALSO INCREASED. THE REMAINDER OF THE REPORT IS DEVOTED TO A DESCRIPTION OF EACH ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT, A BREAKDOWN OF FIGURES BY DISTRICT, AN EXAMINATION OF THE ROAD TRAFFIC DIVISION, AND A DESCRIPTION OF THE POLICE RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAM. THROUGHOUT THE REPORT, THE NEED FOR INCREASED EXPENDITURES TO REPLACE EQUIPMENT AND KEEP THE FORCE OPERATING AT PAST LEVELS OF EFFICIENCY IS EMPHASIZED. (GLR)