CPDP INVOLVED A RANDOMLY SELECTED GROUP OF 27 PATROL OFFICERS AND SUPERVISORS, WHO SOUGHT TO REDEFINE THE MEANING OF THEIR WORK AND TO ENHANCE THEIR ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE COMMUNITY. COP WAS UNDERTAKEN TO IMPLEMENT DEPARTMENTWIDE THE PROPOSALS GENERATED BY CPDP. CPDP WAS CONDUCTED OVER A 1-YEAR PERIOD AND RESULTED IN THE DEPARTMENT'S SCRUTINY OF ITS VALUES AND STRUCTURE. THIS REFORM EFFORT IS EXAMINED AS A POLITICAL PROCESS, I.E., AS A PROCESS OF CONFLICT AND COMPETITION AMONG POLICE ORGANIZATION MEMBERS VYING FOR INFLUENCE IN POLICYMAKING AND IN GUIDING THE EXERCISE OF POLICE DISCRETION. THE WAYS IN WHICH REFORM POLICIES WERE RESISTED, NEGOTIATED, COMPROMISED, AND ALTERED IN THE COURSE OF THEIR INTRODUCTION AND IMPLEMENTATION ILLUSTRATE THE DILEMMA CONFRONTING POLICE REFORMERS AS THEY ATTEMPT TO MAXIMIZE ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE AND MINIMIZE ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT. THE ANALYSIS, WHICH REFLECTS THE AUTHOR'S PERSPECTIVE AS PARTICIPANT-OBSERVER IN THE REFORM PROJECTS, IS IN FOUR PARTS: (1) AN OVERVIEW OF POLICE PROBLEMS AND REFORM STRATEGIES IN THE UNITED STATES, (2) AN ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS OF THE SAN DIEGO POLICE DEPARTMENT, (3) A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE CPDP, AND (4) AN ANALYSIS OF THE POLITICS OF REFORM MANAGEMENT, AS EMBODIED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CPDP PROPOSALS. IT IS POINTED OUT THAT, LIKE THE REST OF SOCIETY, THE POLICE ARE CAUGHT UP IN INTRACTABLE SOCIAL, POLITICAL, AND ECONOMIC ARRANGEMENTS THAT DO NOT BODE WELL FOR THE PROSPECTS OF REFORM. THE PROBLEMS OF POLICE WORK AND OBSTACLES TO THEIR SOLUTION ARE ROOTED IN THE NATURE OF THE POLICE ROLE, IN THE PUBLIC DEFINITION OF THAT ROLE, IN THE MODE OF POLICE ORGANIZATION, AND IN THE CONFLICTS AND CONTRADICTIONS OF SOCIETY. NEVERTHELESS, THE SAN DIEGO EXPERIENCE DEMONSTRATES THAT A POLICE DEPARTMENT CAN ENGAGE IN CRITICAL SELF-ANALYSIS, HUMANIZE ITS WORK, AND IMPROVE ITS SERVICES AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE COMMUNITY. A BIBLIOGRAPHY AND SUPPORTING DATA AND DOCUMENTATION ARE PROVIDED. (LKM)