GIVEN THE FACT THAT THE PATROL OFFICER IS ASSIGNED THE MOST DIVERSIFIED AND COMPLEX RESPONSIBILITY IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE LOW STATUS GIVEN HIS WORK IN THE EYES OF THE PUBLIC AND EVEN IN THE ATTITUDES OF PLAINCLOTHES UNITS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT INEVITABLY UNDERMINES MORALE AND DECREASES PRIDE IN THE QUALITY OF PERFORMANCE. A PROGRAM IN PORTSMOUTH, VA., CALLED THE INTEGRATED CRIMINAL APPREHENSION PROGRAM, FUNDED BY LEAA AND A MATCHING LOCAL FUND, IS DEVOTED TO UPGRADING UNIFORM PATROL OPERATIONS TO INCREASE THE STATUS OF PATROL OFFICERS. AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THE METHODOLOGY OF PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT WAS THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE OFFICERS THEMSELVES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROGRAM ELEMENTS. A PRINCIPAL THRUST IN THE PROGRAM IS THE REDUCTION OF MINOR SERVICE CALLS AND ADMINSTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES PREVIOUSLY DONE BY PATROL OFFICERS. THIS IS DONE PRIMARILY THROUGH TWO PROGRAMS: TELE-SERV CENTER, WHICH IS A TELEPHONE REPORTING CENTER HANDLING A LARGE PORTION OF THE ROUTINE CALLS FOR SERVICE RECEIVED AT THE DISPATCH CENTER WITHOUT INVOLVING PATROL OFFICERS; PATROL OFFICERS; AND THE PATROL AIDE PROGRAM, WHICH USES PARAPROFESSIONALS TO HANDLE ROUTINE ADMINISTRATIVE CALLS. EACH OF THESE PROGRAMS IS DISCUSSED IN SOME DETAIL. THE INVESTIGATIVE FUNCTION OF THE POLICE OFFICER IS ALSO BEING INCREASED THROUGH SPECIALIZED TRAINING. A SENSE OF LOW STATUS CULTIVATED BY THE QUASI-MILITARY STRUCTURE OF DECISIONMAKING IN MANY POLICE DEPARTMENTS IS BEING COMBATTED THROUGH THE INCREASED INVOLVEMENT OF OFFICERS IN PLANNING AND DECISIONMAKING AS THE RESOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL GAINED THROUGH EXPERIENCE ARE SHOWN TO BE VALUED BY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL. (RCB)