MOBILE DATA COMMUNICATIONS HAVE ELIMINATED THE MIDDLE PERSON BETWEEN THE PATROL OFFICER AND COMPUTER RECORDS ON WANTED PERSONS AND PROPERTY. THERE ARE MORE THAN 200 MDT-EQUIPPED PATROL CARS IN DETROIT, PROVIDING DIRECT DIGITAL ACCESS TO THE DETROIT LAW ENFORCEMENT FILES, THE MICHIGAN LAW ENFORCEMENT INFORMATION NETWORK, THE MICHIGAN SECRETARY OF STATE, AND THE NATIONAL CRIME INFORMATION CENTER. THROUGHOUT THE FIRST FEW MONTHS OF MDT OPERATION IN THE FALL OF 1978, MDT PATROL OFFICERS INITIATED AN AVERAGE OF 21,000 INQUIRIES PER MONTH TO THE MICHIGAN LAW ENFORCEMENT INFORMATION NETWORK, REPRESENTING A 30 PERCENT INCREASE IN DEPARTMENT INQUIRIES ON WANTED VEHICLES AND PERSONS OVER THE SAME PERIOD IN 1977. THIS IS UNDOUBTEDLY A REFLECTION OF THE CONVENIENCE AND OPERATIONAL SPEED OF THE UNIT. THE OFFICER ENTERS A LICENSE NUMBER, VEHICLE NUMBER, OR A PERSON'S NAME INTO THE MDT UNIT VIA THE TYPEWRITER KEYBOARD. THIS IS FOLLOWED BY OFFICER ACTIVATION OF A TRANSMIT KEY THAT PERMITS THE CHANNEL TO BE MONITORED UNTIL FREE; THEN THE INQUIRY IS SENT VIA RADIO TO THE COMPUTER CONTROL SYSTEM. UPON RECEIPT OF THE MESSAGE, THE CONTROL SYSTEM AUTOMATICALLY CHECKS FOR ACCURACY AND DIRECTS IT TO THE RIGHT DESTINATION. THE RETURN MESSAGE TO THE MDT UNIT IS HANDLED IN MUCH THE SAME MANNER. FUNCTIONAL CONTROL OF THE MDT SYSTEM IS MAINTAINED BY A SYSTEM CONTROL OPERATOR WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ENFORCEMENT OF STRICT PROCEDURAL CONTROLS DESIGNED TO MAINTAIN SYSTEM SECURITY, INTEGRITY, AND PRIVACY. THESE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, DEVELOPED BY A DATA TERMINAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE, ARE SUMMARIZED. (RCB)