POLICE USE OF COMPUTER SOFTWARE FOR PLANNING FIELD OPERATIONS, SUCH AS THE HYPERCUBE AND THE PATROL CAR ALLOCATION MODEL SYSTEMS, HAS BEEN LIMITED TO A FEW LARGE DEPARTMENTS. STUDIES INDICATE THAT WIDER TRANSFER HAS BEEN HINDERED BY HIGH SETUP COSTS, INCOMPATIBILITY WITH MANY POLICE COMPUTERS, THE FREQUENT NEED FOR TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND HIGH RUNNING COSTS. PROTOTYPE PLANNING SYSTEMS BEING DEVELOPED BY THE INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC PROGRAM ANALYSIS IN ST. LOUIS, MO. OVERCOME MANY OF THESE PROBLEMS THROUGH USE OF SOFTWARE DESIGNED FOR PROGRAMMABLE POCKET CALCULATORS AND MICROCOMPUTERS COSTING FROM $300 TO $800. USING RECENTLY MARKETED EQUIPMENT, THE SYSTEMS HAVE INTERACTIVE, REAL-TIME CAPABILITIES. THE SYSTEM CALLED PATROL/PLAN PROVIDES FOR A DEPARTMENT TO DETERMINE HOW MANY PATROL CARS ARE NEEDED AND WHEN AND WHERE THEY SHOULD BE LOCATED. ANOTHER PLANNING SYSTEM CALLED SCHEDULE/PLAN PERMITS A USER TO SCHEDULE WORK SHIFTS AND DAYS OFF FOR PERSONNEL OF EXTENDED HOURS SERVICES (THOSE OPERATED MORE THAN 8 HOURS A DAY OR MORE THAN 5 DAYS A WEEK). THE HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE OF THE SYSTEMS ARE DESCRIBED, ALONG WITH VARIATIONS OF THEIR USE. AFTER A DAY OF LECTURES AND DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE PROTOTYPE PATROL/PLAN TO LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONALS, A QUESTIONNAIRE WAS CIRCULATED TO EVALUATE REACTIONS TO THE SYSTEM. RESULTS OF THE EVALUATION ARE REPORTED. ALL RESPONDENTS SAW CONSIDERABLE ADVANTAGE TO THE USE OF PERSONAL COMPUTING SYSTEMS FOR PLANNING, BUT POINTED OUT DRAWBACKS SUCH AS THE LIMITED CAPACITY OF THE PROTOTYPES AND THE NEED TO INTEGRATE OR INTERFACE WITH CURRENTLY USED COMPUTERS. THE APPENDIX PRESENTS A WORKSHOP PROBLEM FROM INFORMATION COMPILED BY A POLICE PLANNER REGARDING CALLED FOR SERVICE AND PATROL OPERATIONS.