Houston Enhanced Action Patrol: Examining the Effects of Differential Deployment Lengths with a Switched Replication Design

Abstract

Studies have tested variations of concentrated patrol combined with intense field interrogations, broken windows enforcement, Compstat accountability, and problem-oriented approaches. Although a majority of findings support the efficacy of concentrated patrol, a substantial number do not. Questions remain regarding six variables: dimension, dosage, duration, displacement, diffusion, and denouement. This study tested differential deployment lengths of geographically concentrated, proactive patrol for an additional 80 h per week in 13 high crime beats in Houston, TX. The original purpose was to identify optimal lengths of deployment periods. The study used a switched replication design with repeated treatments over deployment periods ranging from 4 to 12 weeks. Meaningful reductions in suppressible street crime occurred in only 2 of the 13 beats. The two beats were among the smallest, had among the highest crime rates, and received the highest dosage of concentrated patrol.

Keywords:

• patrol
• hot spots
• deployment
• Houston

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the command staff of the Houston Police Department for their many contributions to this study. This research would not have been possible with commitments and input from Chief of Police Charles McClelland, Executive Assistant Chief Timothy Oettmeier, and Executive Assistant Chief Kirk Munden.

Notes

¹ One experimental location was dropped from the analysis after the concentrated patrol intervention was launched because a robbery reduction initiative was instituted at the same time the experiment was taking place. Thus, the effects of the concentrated patrols would be confounded with the other crime reduction initiative.

² We are unable to provide precise information on the demographics for the 13 experimental areas due to the fact that the target areas do not share common boundaries with census tracts.

³ The sole area with a 16-week intervention duration was unfortunately the area that had to be dropped from the analysis due to a robbery reduction initiative implemented during the experimental period.

⁴ Work cards were not made available from two targeted locations because they were lost in transmission to the research team.

⁵ Information is available upon request.

⁶ Table 6 presents the results for experimental areas that showed significant effects of concentrated patrols. Results derived from all experimental areas are not presented in the interest of conserving space. The full results are available upon request.

⁷ Table 7 presents the results for two experimental areas that showed significant effects of concentrated patrols. Results from all experimental areas are not presented in the interest of conserving space. The full results are available upon request.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Larry Hoover

Larry Hoover received his PhD from Michigan State University, and directs Sam Houston State University's Police Research Center. Dr Hoover is the recipient of the Academy's 2003 Founder's Award as well as the O. W. Wilson Award from its Police Section. He was recognized by Michigan State University by induction to the School of Criminal Justice “Wall of Fame.” He is the author of Police Crime Control Strategies (2014, Delmar/Cengage).

William Wells

William Wells, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology and Director of Research in the Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas at Sam Houston State University. His recent research projects have examined the role of biological evidence in sexual assault investigations and the way police agencies utilize ballistic intelligence. His articles have recently appeared in the Journal of Quantitative Criminology, Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, and Criminal Justice and Behavior.

Yan Zhang

Yan Zhang received her PhD from Michigan State University, and is an associate professor of Criminal Justice at the College of Criminal Justice at Sam Houston State University. She specializes in quantitative research methods. Her current research interest focuses on risk factors of repeat victimization, crime mapping and crime analysis, and the social ecological contexts of immigrant delinquency, crime and victimization.

Ling Ren

Ling Ren is an associate professor in the College of Criminal Justice at Sam Houston State University. She earned her PhD from University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2006. Her research interests include policing, cross-national research on crime and delinquency, and the applications of quantitative methodology.

Jihong Zhao

Jihong Solomon Zhao is a professor in the College of Criminal Justice at Sam Houston State University. His research areas include police organizational change, officers' value orientation, job stress, and measurement in policing.