ONLY MINNEAPOLIS SELECTED AN OFFICER FROM OUTSIDE THE DEPARTMENT TO TAKE OVER THE CHIEF'S JOB, WHILE ALBUQUERQUE IS STILL IN THE SELECTION PROCESS AND IS USING AN EXECUTIVE ASSESSMENT CENTER TO HELP FILL THE VACANT SLOT. THE NEW CHIEFS ARE, FOR THE MOST PART, PUTTING DISTANCE BETWEEN THEMSELVES AND THEIR PREDECESSORS AND HAVE LAUNCHED REFORM PROPOSALS. IN PHILADELPHIA, FOR INSTANCE, MORTON SOLOMON, A 30-YEAR VETERAN OF THE FORCE, IS WORKING TO CHANGE THE PUBLIC IMAGE OF THE DEPARTMENT BY TURNING HIS OFFICERS INTO 'COMMUNITY RELATIONS AGENTS.' HE HAS OPENED ALL JOBS IN THE DEPARTMENT TO WOMEN, ORDERED ALL OFFICERS NOT INVOLVED IN INVESTIGATIVE WORK TO WEAR UNIFORMS ON DUTY, AND DECIDED TO HOLD PRESS CONFERENCES. SAN FRANCISCO'S POLICE CHIEF HAS OPENED THE DEPARTMENT TO BLACKS, WOMEN, AND HOMOSEXUALS; AND IN MINNEAPOLIS, THE NEW CHIEF HAS REORGANIZED THE DEPARTMENT, DESIGNED A PRECINCT CONSOLIDATION PLAN, AND BEEN PUSHING THE IDEA OF ONE-MAN PATROLS. THE NEW POLICE CHIEF IN CLEVELAND WAS SELECTED BY A 12-MEMBER SCREENING COMMITTEE SCREENING COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CITY'S POLICE ASSOCIATIONS AND FROM MINORITY COMMUNITY GROUPS. OTHER INNOVATIVE METHODS FOR SELECTING POLICE CHIEFS, SUCH AS EXECUTIVE ASSESSMENT TESTS TO EVALUATE MANAGEMENT SKILLS, ARE BEING USED IN A NUMBER OF AMERICAN CITIES. SOME NEW CHIEFS ARE STEPPING INTO DEPARTMENTS' TOUCHY SITUATIONS WITH MINORITY COMMUNITIES. THESE DIFFICULTIES ARE FACING NEW POLICE CHIEFS IN FLORIDA'S DADE COUNTY MARYLAND'S PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, AND HOUSTON. THE ARTICLE PROVIDES A NARRATIVE DESCRIPTION OF EVENTS IN THE SELECTION PROCESS FOR EACH LOCALITY. (WJR)