THE MAJOR CONTENTION OF THIS ARTICLE IS THAT THE APACHE PEOPLE WERE CAPABLE OF SELF-GOVERNMENT AS EARLY AS THE 1870'S AND THAT THEY THEMSELVES WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR SUBDUING THE HOSTILES UNDER GERONIMO. THE EVENTS OF THESE YEARS ARE RECALLED AND DOCUMENTED WITH EXCERPTS FROM PERTINENT CORRESPONDENCE AND AGENTS' ANNUAL REPORTS TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE APACHE POLICE FORCE IS VIEWED AS A SIGNIFICANT INNOVATION THAT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR 7 YEARS OF PEACE ON THE RESERVATION. AFTER THE FIRST YEAR OF OPERATION IT WAS RECOGNIZED AS HAVING SUPERSEDED THE NEED FOR A MILITARY FORCE IN THE AREA. THIS CIRCUMSTANCE, HOWEVER, WAS NOT RECOGNIZED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. MOREOVER, REQUESTS FOR ENLARGING THE APACHE FORCE WERE DENIED. EXAMPLES OF THE LOYALTY AND COURAGE OF THE APACHE POLICE WERE MANY, EPITOMIZED BY THE CAPTURE OF GEROMINO IN 1877. PROHIBITION IS SEEN AS AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE ORDERLY LIFE AT SAN CARLOS DURING THE 1970'S. WHILE THE DEMISE OF THIS ORDER CAME WITH THE REINTRODUCTION OF MILITARY LAW ENFORCEMENT ON THE APACHE RESERVATION, THEIR POLICE EXPERIENCE SERVED AS A MODEL FOR THE ORGANIZATION OF A U.S. INDIAN POLICE FORCE WHICH ULTIMATELY EXTENDED TO 40 AGENCIES EMPLOYING 848 INDIAN OFFICERS AND MEN. (MRK)