Whose Help Is on the Way? The Importance of Individual Police Officers in Law Enforcement Outcomes

Emily K. Weisburst

Journal of Human Resources, 2024, vol. 59, issue 4, 1122-1149

Abstract: Police discretion has large potential consequences for public trust and safety; however, little is known about the extent of this discretion. I show that arrests critically depend on which officer responds to a 911 call. One standard deviation increase in officer arrest propensity raises arrest likelihood by 40 percent. High†arrest officers are more likely to be white and have less experience. I find mixed evidence that arrest propensity is related to arrest quality. High†arrest officers use force more often and make more low†level arrests, while they also have a higher share of low†level arrests that result in conviction.

JEL-codes: J45 K40 K42 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
Note: DOI: https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.0720-11019R2
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:uwp:jhriss:v:59:y:2024:i:4:p:1122-1149

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