ORGANIZED IN OCTOBER 1974, SCRU AIMED TO RESPOND TO A NEW RASH OF ROBBERIES AFFECTING THE BRONX ELDERLY WITH A PLAN THAT ELIMINATED PRECINCT LINES. SCRU CONSISTS OF A SQUAD OF DETECTIVES THAT OPERATE THROUGHOUT THE BOROUGH RATHER THAN IN INDIVIDUAL PRECINCTS. THE SQUAD HAS FROM 10 TO 20 MEMBERS WHO EMPHASIZE QUICK INVESTIGATIONS AND USE OF INTERPERSONAL SKILLS TO PERSUADE VICTIMS TO AID THE PROSECUTION OF OFFENDERS. ALTHOUGH SCRU'S FORMATION AND OPERATION WERE UNORTHODOX, IT HAS SUSTAINED HIGH MORALE. IN ITS FIRST FULL YEAR OF OPERATION, IT SOLVED OVER 31 PERCENT OF THE ROBBERY CASES INVESTIGATED, COMPARED TO A CITYWIDE RATE OF 18 PERCENT. WHEN SCRU DEVELOPED SPECIAL TEAMS TO DEAL WITH CONFIDENCE GAMES, ABOUT 600 SUCH CRIMES WERE REPORTED ANNUALLY IN THE BRONX. IN 1978, ONLY 300 SUCH INCIDENTS WERE REPORTED. USING THE RULE OF THUMB THAT OFFENDERS COMMIT BETWEEN 10 TO 50 CRIMES FOR EACH ONE PRODUCING AN ARREST, SCRU IS CONVINCED THAT A FEW INDIVIDUALS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MUCH OF THE CRIME IN THE BRONX. DESPITE ITS SUCCESS AND INITIAL INTEREST IN IT FROM OTHER POLICE DEPARTMENTS, SCRU HAS NOT BEEN EMULATED ANYWHERE ELSE. DESCRIPTIONS OF SOME OF THE INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN SCRU ARE INCLUDED. (CFW)