Out with the Sleigh, In with the Cruiser? The Effects of Police Vehicle Presence During the Holiday Shopping Season

• In Event: Experimental Methods in Criminology (Sponsored by the Division of Experimental Criminology)

Abstract

Police vehicles fulfill multiple important functions. As part of the present research, we employed an experimental paradigm to assess the effects of police vehicle presence on calls for service and police visibility in a field setting. During the intervention period, we parked randomly assigned police vehicles outside of shopping malls in several different Canadian cities during specified hours. We then compared the volume of calls for service received by police during the intervention period to the weeks immediately before and after such period. We also compared self-reported sightings of police vehicles by mall patrons across periods. Preliminary analyses reveal several interesting patterns in results. We discuss these results from our multi-site, research-practitioner collaboration with respect to both policing research and practice.

Authors

• Rylan Simpson, Simon Fraser University

• Madison Charman, Barrie Police Service

• Rich Johnston, Barrie Police Service

• Michelle Brander, West Vancouver Police Department

• Nick Bell, West Vancouver Police Department

• Katherine Hancock, Edmonton Police Service

• Patrick Ruzage, Edmonton Police Service