A Randomized Controlled Trial on Community Infused Problem-Oriented Policing in Crime Hotspots, 2 U.S. cities, 2018-2020

This study focuses on "hot spot" or "place-based" policing, defined as focused police interventions on small areas of concentrated crime, often combining elements of community-oriented policing (COP) and problem-oriented policing (POP). COP focuses on community outcomes, such as police legitimacy and police-community relations, while POP uses a Scanning, Analysis, Response, and Assessment model to find effective solutions to problems and reduce future crime. The purpose of this project was to test whether place-based policing strategies can be implemented to both reduce crime and achieve broader benefits for the community and police agencies. Researchers measured crime, community member's perceptions of safety, perceptions of police-community relations, police legitimacy, and community collective efficacy in targeted areas. Respondents' demographic information was also collected, including residency, race, age, and employment status.