THE DEVELOPMENT OF DATA-PROCESSING CAPABILITY IN A POLICE DEPARTMENT REQUIRES BUDGET, MANPOWER, AND CHANGE COMMITMENTS THAT CAN ONLY RESULT FROM AN INFORMED DECISION BY THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER TO SUPPORT AND ADVOCATE SPECIFIC DATA-PROCESSING PLANS AND DEVELOPMENT. IT IS THUS IMPORTANT FOR THE DATA-PROCESSING MANAGER TO DEVELOP A STYLE OF COMMUNICATION WITH THE CHIEF AND OTHER TOP MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL THAT WILL HELP TO OBTAIN THEIR SUPPORT AND EXECUTIVE EFFORTS IN THE PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF DATA-PROCESSING GOALS. AN EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS APPROACH REQUIRES THAT THE DATA-PROCESSING MANAGER BE THOROUGHLY FAMILIAR WITH OVERALL DEPARTMENTAL GOALS THAT HAVE ALREADY GAINED THE SUPPORT OF TOP MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL. DATA-PROCESSING PLANS MUST THEN BE RELATED TO THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THOSE GOALS. ALSO, ONCE THE SCOPE OF A PARTICULAR DATA-PROCESSING PROJECT HAS BEEN DEFINED, DATA-PROCESSING MANAGEMENT SHOULD SEEK THE SUPPORT OF THE HIGHEST ADMINISTRATOR WHOSE JURISDICTION IS MOST AFFECTED BY THE PLAN. THIS EXECUTIVE'S UNDERSTANDING AND INVOLVEMENT REGARDING THE PROJECT CAN INCREASE SUPPORT BOTH ABOVE AND BELOW HIS LEVEL OF RESPONSIBILITY. THE POTENTIAL RESISTER TO A PARTICULAR PROPOSAL SHOULD BE IDENTIFIED EARLY, THE BASIS FOR HIS RESISTANCE DETERMINED, AND ATTEMPTS MADE TO DEAL WITH THE ROOT OF THE RESISTANCE WITH INTEGRITY AND OPENNESS VIS-A-VIS THE RESISTER. COMMITMENT CONSENSUS AT SEVERAL LEVELS OF ADMINISTRATION IS MORE LIKELY TO GAIN THE SUPPORT OF THE CHIEF THAN A PROPOSAL THAT HAS ENCOUNTERED RESISTANCE AT KEY MANAGEMENT POINTS. HONEST FORECASTS OF TIME FRAMES AND LONG-RANGE OPERATING BUDGET IMPACTS SHOULD BE DISCUSSED WITH THE CHIEF, AND PILOT PROJECTS SHOULD BE USED TO IDENTIFY PROBLEMS LIKELY TO BE ENCOUNTERED. INCREMENTAL IMPLEMENTATION SHOULD BE EMPLOYED AS A MEANS OF CONTROLLING MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS. STATUS REPORTS AND REGULAR INFORMATIVE SESSIONS WITH TOP MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL WILL DIMINISH THE CHANCE OF SUSPICION AND MISTRUST WHEN PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTAL PROBLEMS ARISE. (RCB)