THE COST OF THE SYSTEM WAS $600.000 FOR RENOVATION AND INSTALLATION AND ANOTHER $600,000 FOR RADIO ROOM EQUIPMENT. A SEPARATE AMBULANCE DISPATCH ROOM AND A TELETYPE ROOM WERE INCLUDED. A LATER DEVELOPMENT ENTAILED THE LINKING OF THE SYSTEM TO THE DEPARTMENT COMPUTER FOR ELECTRONIC ASSISTED DISPATCHING OF PATROL VEHICLES. IT TOOK 4 YEARS TO COMPLETE THE SYSTEM SINCE APPROVAL IN 1964. THE CHANGEOVER BEGAN WITH INSTALLING NEW SWITCHBOARDS CONNECTED WITH TELEPHONE COMPANY TIE LINES. MANHATTAN HEADQUARTERS' EXTENSIONS WERE CHANGED FROM THREE DIGITS TO FOUR IN ORDER TO LINK THE BOROUGH DIAL SYSTEMS TO MANHATTAN. THE CENTREX SYSTEM BECAME OPERABLE SO INCOMING CALLS COULD BE DIALED DIRECTLY TO ANY EXTENSION WITHOUT GOING THROUGH THE MAIN SWITCHBOARD, PROVIDING A FASTER AND MORE EFFICIENT SERVICE. THE DEPARTMENT CENTRALIZED THE BOROUGH COMMUNICATIONS SECTIONS INTO MANHATTAN, BRINGING ALL RADIO DISPATCHERS UNDER ONE ROOF BUT SEPARATED INTO SIX BOROUGH COMMAND RADIO ROOMS. THE PRIMARY STAFF OF EMERGENCY OPERATORS CAN NOW TRANSFER THE NONEMERGENCY CALLS TO A SECONDARY STAFF. POLICE COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT FROM THE 1651 BATTLE WATCH TO THE FIRST EMERGENCY NUMBER INSTITUTED IN 1964 ARE BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. PHOTOGRAPHS, SKETCHES, A BREAKDOWN OF THE COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION STAFF, AND A LIST OF COMMUNICATIONS ACTIVITY FOR 1967 ARE INCLUDED. (JLF)