THE PEOPLE INTERVIEWED WERE RANDOMLY SELECTED FROM HOUSEHOLDS IN 60 SELECTED NEIGHBORHOODS, AND WERE ASKED IF THEY HAD EXPERIENCED ANY OF FOUR TYPES OF CONTACTS WITH THE POLICE: CONTACTS RESULTING FROM VICTIMIZATION, CONTACTS IN WHICH POLICE GAVE ASSISTANCE, CONTACTS IN WHICH POLICE WERE CALLED FOR INFORMATION, AND CONTACTS IN WHICH POLICE STOPPED CITIZENS WHILE ON THE STREET OR IN A CAR. RESPONDENTS WERE ASKED TO DESCRIBE ANY CONTACTS REPORTED. IN ADDITION, BOTH THOSE REPORTING CONTACT AND THOSE REPORTING NO CONTACT WERE ASKED FOR AN OVERALL RATING OF THEIR LOCAL POLICE SERVICES. MULTIPLE REGRESSION ANALYSIS CONSIDERED INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS, DEPARTMENT SIZE, NEIGHBORHOOD TYPE, AND TYPES OF CONTACTS. RESULTS INDICATED THAT CONTACT TYPE AND CONTACT SATISFACTION INFLUENCED CITIZENS' SATISFACTION WITH NEIGHBORHOOD POLICE SERVICES INDEPENDENTLY. ALL TYPES OF UNSATISFACTORY CONTACTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE RESULTING FROM VICTIMIZATION, LOWERED PREDICTED RATINGS OF THE POLICE. ALL TYPES OF SATISFACTORY CONTACTS, ESPECIALLY ASSISTANCE AND INFORMATION CALLS, INCREASED PREDICTED RATINGS. POLICE MAY BE ABLE IMPROVE PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARD THEM BY HANDLING CONTACTS WITH THE PUBLIC IN WAYS THAT PROMOTE CITIZEN SATISFACTION (E.G., BY POLITE TREATMENT AND BY APPEARING CONCERNED). SIMILAR RESULTS ARE SUGGESTED FOR ALL CITIZEN RATINGS OF GOVERNMENT SERVICE PROVIDERS. A SUMMARY OF RELATED RESEARCH, TABLES, FOOTNOTES, AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE INCLUDED. (CFW)