Synopsis of the findings of a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art in traditional preventive patrol operational activities of uniformed officers assigned to general patrol duties. The five principal and most commonly accepted goals of patrol -- deterrence, apprehension, provision of non-crime related services, provision of a sense of community security and satisfaction with the police, and recovery of stolen goods -- are identified, and each is examined in terms of the hypotheses and assumptions which link specific patrol activities, tactics, and strategies to goal attainment. Attention is devoted to determining the validity of these hypotheses and assumptions and to the type and quality of the measures of effectiveness which are used to gauge the contribution of various patrol practices to the overall aims of patrol. The report then considers the inputs and processes which comprise preventive patrol: characteristics of patrol personnel, modes of transportation, deployment practices, supervision, and in-service task assignments. Prescriptive statements based on this assessment of the current state of knowledge about patrol conclude this report. The final chapter discusses aspects of patrol most in need of further study and offers some suggestions and lessons concerning the execution of research on patrol. The information and conclusions presented in this report were developed from a review of available literature, reports of projects supported by LEAA and the police foundation, direct contact with all LEAA regional offices, discussions with state planning agency representatives, a survey of some 300 police and sheriffs' departments throughout the country, and 26 site visits.