Police infrastructure, police performance, and crime: Evidence from austerity cuts

Utilizing newly compiled granular data on 7 million criminal incidents within a large police force, I examine the impact of police deployment on crime occurrence, reporting, police investigations, and overall citizens’ welfare. Focusing on a wave of austerity cuts which resulted in the closure of 70% of the police stations (while preserving total police strength), I show that the closures persistently increased violent crimes in census blocks near the defunct stations. Consistent with lower deterrence and police effectiveness, I document reduced clearance rates, reduced reporting of non-violent offences, and lower local house prices in the most deprived areas. The policy appears not to be cost-effective.