THE NUMBER OF FEMALES ON THE MIAMI FORCE INCREASED FROM 9 IN 1971 TO ALMOST 30 IN EARLY 1974. DURING THE SAME PERIOD, THE ROLE OF FEMALE OFFICERS WAS EXPANDED. FEMALE OFFICERS PERFORM THE SAME DUTIES AND WORK IN THE SAME AREAS AS MALE OFFICERS. AS OF FEBRAURY 1974, FEMALE OFFICERS (INCLUDING ONE SERGEANT) WERE SERVING IN THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS: CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION, STRATEGIC INFORMATION, COMMUNITY RELATIONS, TRAFFIC, AND PATROL. THE DEPARTMENT PLANS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF FEMALE OFFICERS IN THE SCHOOL RESOURCE UNIT. FEMALE TRAFFIC AND PATROL OFFICERS HAVE BEEN WELL ACCEPTED BY THE PUBLIC. MIAMI WAS THE FIRST TO APPOINT A FEMALE SERGEANT TO COMMAND A PATROL SECTOR AND THE FIRST TO ASSIGN A FEMALE OFFICER TO A 'THREE-WHEELER' PATROL UNIT. THE SAME PROCEDURES REGARDING ONE-OFFICER/TWO-OFFICER PATROLS, BACKUP, AND SHIFT ASSIGNMENTS APPLY TO FEMALE AND MALE OFFICERS. SEVERAL FEMALE OFFICERS HAVE BEEN CITED FOR THEIR PERFORMANCE ON THE MIDNIGHT PATROL SHIFT. THE DEPARTMENT HAS ELIMINATED THE 'POLICEWOMAN' CLASSIFICATION; MALES AND FEMALES ARE CLASSIFIED AS POLICE OFFICERS. (LKM)