JUST AS A COMPANY THAT LOSES TOUCH WITH ITS CUSTOMERS IS IN DANGER OF LOSING BUSINESS, A POLICE FORCE THAT LOSES TOUCH WITH THE PUBLIC IS IN DANGER OF LOSING SUPPORT. CORPORATIONS RELY ON MARKETING TO KEEP IN TOUCH, AND THERE ARE SEVERAL ASPECTS OF MARKETING THAT CAN BE USEFUL TO THE POLICE SERVICE. THESE INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: (1) MARKET SEGMENTATION (DETERMINING WHAT KIND OF POLICING IS REQUIRED IN EACH COMMUNITY WITHIN A CITY); (2) MARKET PLANNING (RECONCILING RESOURCES WITH OBJECTIVES AND OPPORTUNITIES); (3) MANPOWER UTILIZATION (DEPLOYING PERSONNEL IN ACCORDANCE WITH A MARKET PLAN); (4) PRODUCT POLICYMAKING (VIEWING POLICE ACTIVITIES AS PRODUCTS WITH LIFE CYCLES); (5) ADVERTISING THE PUBLIC PROTECTION SERVICE (UNIFORMS, BADGES, VEHICLE MARKINGS, PRESS CAMPAIGNS, ROAD SAFETY CAMPAIGNS, THE VERY PRESENCE OF POLICE OFFICERS ON THE STREETS AND AT EVENTS); AND (6) TEST MARKETING (PILOT PROJECTS, EQUIPMENT FIELD TESTS, ETC.). THE MARKETING APPROACH REQUIRES COORDINATION, WHICH COULD BE ACHIEVED BY COMBINING POLICE PLANNING AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS DEPARTMENTS. THE FORMER HAS EXPERTISE IN RESEARCH METHODS, ORGANIZATION STUDY, AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS, WHILE THE LATTER HAS AN EAR TO THE GROUND. A SINGLE MARKETING DEPARTMENT IN TOUCH WITH BOTH SUPPLY (PLANNING) AND DEMAND (COMMUNITY RELATIONS) WOULD PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK WITHIN WHICH TO LINK POLICE OBJECTIVES WITH PUBLIC OBJECTIVES. SUCH A FRAMEWORK IS NECESSARY IF THE POLICE SERVICE IS TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH SOCIETY. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS INCLUDED. (LKM)