ALMOST NO TELEVISION EQUIPMENT HAS BEEN DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR POLICE USE, BUT THE RAPID RATE OF DEVELOPMENT AND THE INCREASING FLOW OF NEW EQUIPMENT INSURES THE CHANCE THAT PARTICULAR NEEDS CAN BE MET WITH OFF-THE-SHELF EQUIPMENT. HOWEVER, THAT SAME RATE OF DEVELOPMENT MEANS THAT THE EQUIPMENT CAN RAPIDLY BECOME OBSOLETE OR INCOMPATIBLE. DECISIONS MUST BE MADE REGARDING ACCEPTABLE LEVELS OF IMPAIRMENTS AND THE FREQUENCY OF THEIR OCCURRENCE. POLICE PROCESSING REQUIREMENTS RANGE FROM DIRECT CAMERA TO MONITOR SYSTEMS TO THIRD GENERATION EDITING AND RECORDING. QUALITY FOR THIRD GENERATION PROCESSING IS VERY COSTLY. IN ORDER TO MAKE COST/BENEFIT JUDGEMENTS, IT IS ESSENTIAL TO FIND OUT WHAT KIND OF IMPAIRMENTS ARE LIKELY IN THE SYSTEM UNDER CONSIDERATION, TO SEE THE SYSTEM WORKING UNDER CONDITIONS LIKELY TO PREVAIL, AND TO ASSESS OVERALL ADEQUACY. THREE METHODS EXIST TO MEET EQUIPMENT SPECIFICATIONS. FIRST, ONE CAN GO TO SUPPLIERS OF EQUIPMENT WITH A STATEMENT OF THE FUNCTION WHICH THE SYSTEM IS TO PERFORM, AND LEAVE THEM TO DRAW UP THE LISTS OF NECESSARY EQUIPMENT. SECOND, THE EXACT DETAILS OF MAKE AND MODEL CAN BE SPECIFIED AFTER CONSULTATION WITH A COMPETENT AUTHORITY. THIRD, BIDS CAN BE INVITED AGAINST A TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION. UTILIZATION NEEDS SHOULD INFLUENCE THE DECISION TO PURCHASE, HIRE, OR BORROW NEEDED EQUIPMENT. TWO REFERENCES AND FOUR SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING ARE INCLUDED.