A 1974 GOVERNMENT BILL REPLACED CITIZEN ADVISORY COUNCILS WITH POLICE BOARDS -- GROUPS OF CITIZENS WHO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT IMPORTANT POLICE MATTERS IN PLENARY SESSION. THE TERM 'POLICE AUTHORITY' NOW REFERS TO THE CITIZEN BOARD NOT TO THE POLICE COMMISSIONER. THE MATTERS TO BE DECIDED IN THE PLENARY SESSIONS INCLUDE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS ABOUT POLICE ORGANIZATION AND WORK PLANS, QUESTIONS ABOUT BUDGET ALLOCATIONS AND OTHER ECONOMIC MATTERS, APPOINTMENTS TO HIGH-LEVEL POSITIONS, QUESTIONS CONCERNING MAJOR POLICE ACTIVITIES AND ISSUES IN GENERAL, AND OTHER QUESTIONS REFERRED BY THE COMMISSIONER TO THE PLENARY ASSEMBLY. SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDED FROM THE POLICE BOARD'S JURISDICTION ARE MATTERS RELATING TO MANAGEMENT AND DAILY OPERATIONS. THE MAJOR DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE ADVISORY COUNCIL AND THE POLICE BOARD ARE THAT THE LATTER DECIDES APPOINTMENTS WHEREAS THE FORMER DID NOT, AND THAT THE BOARD, RATHER THAN ADVISING THE COMMISSIONER ON WHAT ACTION TO TAKE, ACTUALLY DECIDES UPON THE ACTION. AN ANALYSIS OF EACH POINT OF THE LEGISLATION EMPHASIZES THAT THE INTENT HAS NOT BEEN TO LIMIT THE POLICE COMMISSIONER'S FREEDOM OF ACTION. (LKM)