Brooklyn Park, Minnesota
Increasing Collective Efficacy at Crime Hot Spots Using Patrol Force
Project Overview
The Brooklyn Park, MN SPI - the Assets Coming Together to Take Action (ACT) Initiative —aimed to reduce crime at hot spots by garnering greater cooperation and collaboration with the public in addressing crime problems. The intervention was also designed to increase collective efficacy among citizens residing in the hot spots, and improve their evaluations of police legitimacy. A key innovation of ACT was the involvement of the entire patrol force in delivering the program: all patrol officers were expected to undertake the activities described below during their discretionary time when they were not responding to 911 calls, taking breaks, or report writing.
Methods and Findings
Research Design
The research partner evaluated ACT using a partially block-randomized controlled trial in which 42 identified hot spots were matched into groups according to their crime rates and overall land use of the site (e.g., commercial, residential). The hot spots were then randomly allocated into treatment (ACT) or control (policing as usual) conditions within their matched groups.
Findings
- Sufficiently staffed police department, unallocated patrol time can be used to to develop a concentrated community based problem solving efforts at crime hot spots.
- Officers implemented the intervention with fidelity.
- The program’s emphasis on community collaboration with the police led to increased reporting of crime.
