SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT IN 1976, THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT SECTION HAS COMPLETED FIVE OF THE SIX GOALS ASSIGNED TO IT. IT HAS ANALYZED COMPUTER DATA IN THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL PATROLMAN JOB INVENTORY AND THE COUNTY OFFICER JOB INVENTORY. IT HAS IDENTIFIED BASIC RELATED TASKS GENERALLY PERFORMED BY NEWLY APPOINTED PEACE OFFICERS WITHIN THEIR FIRST 2 YEARS. BASED ON THIS IDENTIFICATION, IT HAS DEVELOPED A TASK RELATED BASIC TRAINING PROGRAM. IN ADDITION, IT HAS PRODUCED INSTRUCTOR GUIDES CONTAINING INFORMATION FOR EACH SUBJECT OF THE TRAINING PROGRAM. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT HAS TESTED THESE INSTRUCTOR GUIDES IN A REGIONAL POLICE ACADEMY AND HAS DETERMINED THE MINIMUM LENGTH OF TIME NEEDED TO ADEQUATELY INSTRUCT EACH OF THE TRAINING SUBJECTS. IT HAS BEGUN PLANNING FOR THE SECOND TEST COURSE UTILIZING A REGIONAL POLICE ACADEMY TO CONDUCT A BASIC TRAINING COURSE FEATURING THE INSTRUCTOR GUIDE MATERIALS. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS BEING GATHERED AND ANALYZED ON PERSONS WHO ATTENDED THE TEST COURSE. PRELIMINARY STUDIES INDICATE THAT THE TASK-RELATED TRAINING PROGRAM IS PRODUCING BETTER PREPARED PEACE OFFICERS. HOWEVER, FINAL RESULTS ARE INCONCLUSIVE. EVALUATORS SUGGEST THAT IN THE FUTURE MORE EMPHASIS BE PLACED ON ROLE PLAYING, PRACTICAL APPLICATION, TECHNIQUES OF INTERVIEW AND INTERROGATION, REPORT WRITING, AND TRAFFIC ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION. FOOTNOTES, REFERENCES, AND ATTACHMENTS ARE PROVIDED IN THE SYNOPSIS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LWM).