The impact of high visibility patrols on personal robbery r201

The research findings are based on the evaluation of a high visibility foot patrol scheme in Humberside designed to reduce alcohol-related disorder and street crime, improve community engagement and raise the profile of the police. It examines the impact of additional foot patrol on specific types of notifiable offences (including personal robbery, car crime, burglary and vandalism) in Humberside and the UK for the period April 2000 to March 2001.

Key findings:
 
• An additional 23,952 hours of high visibility patrol (HVP) were provided as a result of the project of which 11,170 officer hours were provided on Fridays and Saturdays and 10,537 officer hours were provided in the area which includes the city centre.
• Two types of high visibility patrol were funded:
   • Public order foot patrol 8pm-4am on Friday and Saturday nights in the city centre.
   • Daily general foot patrol from 8am-10pm in the city centre and surrounding division.
• There was a 16% year-on-year reduction in 2001 in personal robbery in the city centre compared to an increase of 5% across the force and 15% across the UK.
• The impact of the high visibility patrol was liked to the density of personal robbery.
• The reduction in personal robbery was greatest in areas that received high levels of additional HVP and had high levels of personal robbery per square mile.
• Personal robbery increased in areas which received low levels of additional HVP.