The effect of highly publicized police killings on policing: Evidence from large U.S. cities

Cheng Cheng and Wei Long

Journal of Public Economics, 2022, vol. 206, issue C

Abstract: Do highly publicized police killings of civilians have a widespread effect on policing activities? Focusing on such incidents in the United States during 2014–2016 and adopting different identification strategies, we study the effect in large U.S. cities. We conduct a single-city analysis of St. Louis and a multi-city analysis of 60 large cities. Our regression discontinuity and difference-in-differences estimates provide consistent and strong evidence that those high-profile killings reduced policing activities, including police self-initiated activities and arrests. The estimated reduction in self-initiated activities shows that police officers proactively withdrew from law enforcement activities, providing direct evidence of de-policing.

Keywords: Highly publicized police killings; Policing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: K42 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:pubeco:v:206:y:2022:i:c:s0047272721001936

DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2021.104557

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