Testing Application-Based Tasking and Hotspots Policing: A Two-in-One Randomised Trial

Abstract

Purpose Test the impact of mobile application-targeted patrols of Joint Operations Unit officers at hotspots of violent crime on levels of patrol conducted, and levels of violence in those locations. Methods Crossover-randomized experiment, with hotspots (n = 45) randomly allocated using a mobile phone-based tasking application, with half allocated each day. Impact on levels of patrol and of violent crime were examined using t and chi-squared tests. Results Tasking via app led to dramatically increased officer time in hotspots. An 8.74% decrease in violent crime was seen but was non-significant, and with lower effect sizes than have been found elsewhere. Conclusion Using a tasking application provided a cost-effective mechanism for achieving hotspots patrols using business-as-usual resources. Traditionally designed hotspots didn’t appear optimal for policing violent crime in Thames Valley, and these need to be redesigned to work for the geography and crime density in Thames Valley. Further research should test redesigned hotspots.