CONCERN IS EXPRESSED OVER THE DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS BY 68 DURING THE PAST YEAR, VIEWED AGAINST THE INCREASED WORKLOAD. THE PROBLEM IS NOT ONE OF RECRUITMENT, BUT ONE OF RETENTION, SINCE A LARGE NUMBER OF OFFICERS RESIGNED, PRESUMABLY TO ENTER BETTER PAYING JOBS. EXCESSIVE OVERTIME HAS BEEN REQUIRED, OFTEN AT THE EXPENSE OF EFFICIENCY. CRIME STATISTICS ARE COMPARED WITH THE 1976 FIGURES. THE NUMBER OF REPORTED INDICTABLE OFFENSES -- 72,262, REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF 10.5 PERCENT OVER 1976. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A GENERAL RISE IN MOST TYPES OF CRIME, SPECIAL CONCERN IS EXPRESSED AT THE YEAR'S ABNORMAL INCREASE OF CASES INVOLVING THEFT, PARTICULARLY OF GOODS IN TRANSIT. THIS TYPE OF OFFENSE MORE THAN DOUBLED, FROM 4,516 TO 10,807. THE PROBLEM IS COMPOUNDED BECAUSE OF CURRENT MANPOWER CONSTRAINTS. THE PROBLEM IS PARTICULARLY ACUTE ON THE RAILWAY, AND CRIME PREVENTION STUDIES AT SELECTED LOCATIONS ARE BEING CONDUCTED IN CONJUNCTION WITH RAIL MANAGEMENT IN AN EFFORT TO CONTROL THE SITUATION. A MANAGEMENT SERVICES REVIEW OF THE RAILWAY COMPONENT OF THE FORCE IS BEING CONDUCTED IN ORDER TO PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE MANAGERIAL ASSESSMENT OF MANPOWER LEVELS BASED ON AN ANALYSIS OF THE ROLE, ORGANIZATION, AND ADMINISTRATIVE METHODS AND PROCEDURES OF THE COMPONENT. (RCB)