"In the past, the Chief of Police was not specialized in community policing," Breen says. "They were crime fighters, not proactive. Now we are preventing crime."

Although top-level officers at the department were once apprehensive, it is now easy to find strong supporters of Anderson and his methods throughout the department.

"I've worked under many chiefs, and he is the best," says Breen, who had been with the department for 32 years. "Even at my age I'm learning things from him. We are much more efficient."

Controversy has surrounded Anderson outside the department as well. Cambridge's first commissioner threatened to resign after the city manager pressured him to hire eight recruits with arrest records.

The uproar ended when state officials mandated that the new officers must all come form the "reserve list," officers from other area departments who were previously laid of.

The crisis was averted, and although the issue was rendered moot, Anderson says he believes his standards prevailed.

"This was a victory for the community," Anderson says with a smile. "The strength of the Police Department increased during the whole affair. You can't have pride in a department unless the members have the highest integrity."

And it appears that many Cambridge citizens gave their backing to Anderson during the struggle with the manager's office.

"Everyone I spoke to supported the commissioner," says Noel A. Serpa, a member of the Citizen Advisory Board--a committee which makes recommendations about policies and procedures of the department. "He is trying to bring the best individuals without regard for their political connections."

But Anderson says he foresees more tension with city councillors in the future, in particular Councillor William H. Walsh, whom he "answers to more than others."

"I'm not looking for a honeymoon," Anderson says, a frown replacing the smile. "I have a three year contract. If they don't renew it, I'll move on."

The city has avoided the controversy which plagued police departments throughout the country after the Rodney King verdict and ensuing race riots.

And the Cambridge force may likely have escaped the worst of the backlash because of the positive relationship that Anderson has been able to develop with the community over the past year.

"There was some negative feedback," says Anderson. "But we had police in the schools and attending meetings to temper the mood," Anderson says.

In fact, just one month after Los Angeles erupted, Cambridge citizens held a well-attended parade to salute the department. "This is a phenomenal community," Anderson says. "I've never seen a community adjust to a police department so well."