IT WAS HYPOTHESIZED THAT POLICE DEPARTMENTS DURING THE EARLY 1970'S WERE AUTOCRATIC ORGANIZATIONS THAT DEVELOPED PARTLY AS A RESULT OF PRESSURES FROM THE VIETNAM PROTEST AND REBELLIOUS MINORITY GROUPS, AND THAT IN THE POST-WATERGATE HEALING PERIOD THESE ORGANIZATIONS BECAME MORE OPEN AND PARTICIPATIVE. LIKERT'S SYSTEM FOUR CLASSIFICATION WAS USED FOR THE STUDY, WITH SYSTEM ONE AS EXPLOITIVE-AUTHORITATIVE; SYSTEM TWO AS BENEVOLENT-AUTHORITATIVE; SYSTEM THREE AS CONSULTATIVE (MORE OPEN); AND SYSTEM FOUR AS PARTICIPATIVE GROUP (SUPPORTIVE LEADERSHIP). A TOTAL OF 171 MEMBERS OF UNITED STATES LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES RESPONDED TO LIKERT'S PROFILE OF ORGAIZATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS WHICH LISTS 51 ITEMS IMPORTANT TO ORGANIZATIONAL SUCCESS. RESULTS OF THE SURVEY SHOWED THAT POLICE OFFICERS OVERALL PLACED THEIR RESPECTIVE ORGANIZATIONS CLOSE TO THE MIDPOINT OF SYSTEM THREE IN 1976, WHEREAS IN 1974 SYSTEM TWO WAS PREFERRED. THE DATA SHOWED THAT NOT ONLY IS THE STEREOTYPE OF SYSTEM ONE POLICED ORGANIZATIONS TOO SIMPLISTIC, BUT THESE UNITS ARE SEEN BY INSIDERS AS FAIRLY OPEN SYSTEM THREE ORGANIZATIONS. THE RESULTS MAY REFLECT CHANGING NORMS IN SOCIETY AND A GENERAL SETTLING DOWN AFTER VIETNAM AND WATERGATE. FURTHER RESEARCH IS RECOMMENDED. FOOTNOTES AND TABULAR DATA ARE INCLUDED. (MJW)