DURING 1976, THE AUTHORIZED STRENGTH OF THE POLICE FORCE WAS INCREASED BY 90 MALE UNITS AND 10 FEMALE UNITS. THE TOTAL AUTHORIZED STRENGTH FOR MEN ON DECEMBER 31, 1976, WAS 8,349. HOWEVER, THE ACTUAL STRENGTH WAS 8,269, WHICH MEANT 80 POSITIONS WERE UNFILLED. FOR WOMEN, THE TOTAL AUTHORIZED STRENGTH WAS 133 ON DECEMBER 31, 1976, WHILE THE ACTUAL STRENGTH WAS 128. THE AUTHORIZED STRENGTH FOR RATIO OF POLICE TO POPULATION WAS 1 POLICE OFFICER TO 566 PERSONS, BUT THE ACTUAL STRENGTH WAS 1 OFFICER TO EVERY 571 PERSONS. DURING 1976, THERE WAS A 5.8 PERCENT INCREASE OVER 1975 IN THE NUMBER OF RECORDED CRIMES REPORTED TO THE POLICE, 33 PERCENT OF CRIME IN ALL CATEGORIES WAS CLEARED, AND A 34 PERCENT INCREASE WAS NOTED IN OFFENSES INVOLVING FRAUD. LESSER INCREASES OCCURRED IN DRUG OFFENSES, MOTORING OFFENSES, THEFT WITHOUT VIOLATION OF PREMISES, PROPERTY OFFENSES, AND OFFENSES AGAINST THE PERSON. A TOTAL OF 85 MURDERS OCCURRED IN 1976, THE SAME NUMBER RECORDED FOR 1975. THE REPORT ALSO PRESENTS DETAILED DATA ON PERSONNEL STATISTICS; CRIME, INCLUDING CRIME TRENDS, CRIME PREVENTION, AND THE POLICE COMMUNICATIONS BRANCH; TRAFFIC, INCLUDING ENFORCEMENT, SUMMONS CASES, TRAFFIC SIGNALS, AND SCHOOL LECTURING; SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS INVOLVING THE WATER POLICE, DIVING SECTION, AND RESCUE SQUAD; CONTROL OF PUBLIC FUNCTIONS; AND LOGISTICS AND SUPPORT. APPENDIXES CONTAIN RELATED DATA. PHOTOGRAPHS ARE INCLUDED. (PRG)