THE DEPARTMENT HIRED SIX ADDITIONAL POLICE OFFICERS AND PURCHASED RELATED SUPPORT EQUIPMENT TO CREATE A SPECIAL POLICE UNIT (SPU) WHICH WAS TO FUNCTION AS A FULLY MOBILE UNIT TO OPERATE SELECTIVELY TO DETECT AND INVESTIGATE THE TARGET CRIMES IN THOSE AREAS WHERE SUCH ACTIVITY WAS FOUND TO BE THE GREATEST OR INCREASING. EVALUATION OF CONVICTION RATES WAS NOT POSSIBLE AT THE TIME THE STUDY WAS MADE BECAUSE STATISTICS WERE AT THE TIME UNAVAILABLE FROM THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. AN INCREASE IN THE CLEARANCE RATE WAS REFLECTED IN ADMINISTRATIVE SUMMARIES AND INCREASED VALUE OF RECOVERED PROPERTY. TWENTY-ONE PERCENT OF THE SAMPLE OF CITIZENS SURVEYED WERE AWARE OF THE PROJECT AND FORTY PERCENT STATED THAT THE EXISTENCE OF THE UNIT INCREASED THEIR FEELINGS OF SECURITY. A COST ANALYSIS WAS CONDUCTED. SINCE THE EVALUATION, THE UNIT'S ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN EXPANDED TO INCLUDE ALL ACTIVITIES.