THE BACKGROUND PORTION OF THIS PAPER NOTES THE MULTIPLICITY OF SMALL LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT UNITS IN THE UNITED STATES AND CONTRASTS THE LIMITED ROLE OF FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE ROLE OF NATIONAL POLICE IN EUROPE. THREE FACTORS PRODUCED A SUSTAINED EFFORT TO UPGRADE AMERICAN POLICING: THE RACE RIOTS OF THE 1960'S AND THE VIETNAM WAR PROTESTS, THE INCREASED SOPHISTICATION OF ORGANIZED CRIME ACTIVITY, AND THE GROWTH OF URBAN TERRORISM. THE REGIONAL PLANNING BODIES SET UP UNDER THE OMNIBUS CRIME CONTROL AND SAFE STREETS ACTS OF 1968 AND THE CRIME CONTROL ACT OF 1973 ARE DESCRIBED. TYPES OF WORK SUPPORTED BY LEAA GRANTS ARE BRIEFLY SURVEYED. THE CALIFORNIA LAW ENFORCEMENT MUTUAL AID PLAN IS DESCRIBED IN DETAIL AS AN EXAMPLE OF COMPREHENSIVE COOPERATION AGREEMENTS AMONG POLICE AGENCIES; UNDER IT, POLICE FACING AN EMERGENCY CAN REQUEST MANPOWER FROM OTHER AGENCIES. THE PROS AND CONS OF POLICE CONSOLIDATION ARE DISCUSSED, CITING A MARION COUNTY, IND., STUDY WHICH SHOWS THAT SMALLER FORCES PROVIDE A HIGHER LEVEL OF SERVICE. CONTRACT POLICING AND LIMITED COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS AMONG POLICE AGENCIES ARE DESCRIBED. THE FINAL SECTION EXAMINES THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPECIAL TEAMS TO DEAL WITH TERRORISM. BY 1975, SOME 500 U.S. POLICE FORCES HAD SPECIAL WEAPONS AND TACTICS (S.W.A.T.) SQUADS, ORGANIZED IN A PARAMILITARY MANNER AND USING MILITARY WEAPONRY. THE PROS AND CONS OF POLICE INTELLIGENCE ARE DISCUSSED. THE GROWTH IN POWER OF STATE POLICE IS BRIEFLY REVIEWED. MANY STUDIES AND STATISTICS ARE CITED THROUGHOUT THE ARTICLE. AN EXTENSIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY IS APPENDED. (GLR)