Minneapolis Foot Patrol Experiment

Summary

The Minneapolis foot patrol experiment was designed partly to test whether the Kansas City and Philadelphia results generalized to a third city with different crime patterns, demographics, and police culture. The 22% reduction in violent crime at target micro-locations, with no measurable displacement, is consistent with both prior studies. The key innovation in the Minneapolis design was its spatial precision: patrol was assigned at the street segment level (typically one block), not by neighborhood or precinct. The absence of displacement — long the chief counterargument to hot spots strategies — replicates the Philadelphia finding. Together, these three studies provide unusually consistent evidence for a single intervention across three distinct urban environments.

Research question

"Does directed foot patrol at high-crime micro-locations reduce violent crime while minimizing displacement to surrounding areas?"

Methodology

Result

Positive

Violent crime at target segments: −22%; no statistically significant displacement detected within 2 blocks; non-violent crime: not significantly affected

Evidence strength

Strong

Randomized trial, replicated across multiple sites or studies.

Replication status

Replicated