Many law enforcement agencies have failed to adapt their organizations, policies, and procedures to the changing sociocultural environment. This organizational lag can be attributed in part to inadequate managerial skills and could be remedied by an academic technician program. Academic technicians differ from consultants in that they work for and in the agency for an extended period of time and can recommend improvements based on the realities of the situation and the agency's characteristics. This concept could bridge the gap between academics and practitioners by improving communications and exposing each group to the other's attitudes and needs. Benefits from an academic technician program include clarification of roles, increased professionalism, advancement of criminal justice scholarship, and initiation of long-term relationships. A model program is outlined which covers planning time, funding, locating academic technicians, and defining their roles in a written formal agreement. Internal administrative concerns, such as accessibility to records, are discussed, as is the actual implementation of the program. The impact of the practical experience on an academic's teaching and scholarship is also examined. The paper is accompanied by 15 footnotes and 14 references. The appendixes contain a memorandum used by the Arlington County Police Department (Virginia) when they hired an academic technician in summer 1978 and excerpts from the technician's report on crime analysis unit design.