The Dayton Foot Patrol Program: An Evaluation of Hot Spots Foot Patrols in a Central Business District

• NCJ Number: 253713
• Journal: Police Quarterly Volume: 22 Issue: 3 Dated: 2019 Pages: 247-277
• Author(s): Cory P. Haberman; Wendy H. Stiver
• Date Published: 2019
• Length: 31 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2013-DB-BX-0044
• Sponsoring Agency: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical); Report (Study/Research); Report (Grant Sponsored); Program/Project Evaluation; Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study evaluated the Dayton Foot Patrol Program (DFPP).

Abstract

The DFPP spanned 28 weeks. During the DFPP, patrol officers were asked to conduct foot patrol in six hot spots located in the downtown business district for at least 2 hours a day, but used their discretion to determine when, which hot spot, how long, and in which ways to patrol. On average, roughly 9 hours of foot patrol were conducted each day during the DFPP. Pre-post comparison statistics and pooled time series count regression models were estimated. The DFPP was linked to reductions in total crime in initial analyses, but only disorder crime incidents were statistically significantly reduced once the outcome was disaggregated into crime-specific outcomes. A diffusion of crime control benefits to nearby areas was also observed. The study's implications are that foot patrol can be implemented with fewer personnel resources and still produce crime reductions in downtown business districts. (publisher abstract modified)