Designing Out Crime
Research Findings: The impact of high visibility patrols on personal robbery
The findings of this report, are based on the evaluation of a high visibility foot patrol (HVP) scheme in Humberside designed to improve community engagement, and raise the profile of the police. It examines the impact of additional foot patrol on specific types of notifiable offences in Humberside and the UK for the period April 2000 to March 2001.
Title: The impact of high visibility patrols on personal robbery
Author: Bethan Jones and Nick Tilley
Series: Research Findings: Findings 201
Date published: March 2004
Number of pages: 4
Key findings
There was a 16% year-on-year reduction in 2001 of personal robbery in the city centre compared to an increase of 5% across the force and 15% across the UK.
Personal robbery reduction 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.
High Visibility Patrol (HVP) schemes
The project was based on the evaluation of a high visibility foot patrol scheme in Humberside. The HVP scheme took place in Hull – where the population is just under 258,000. The enhanced patrol aimed to:
reduce alcohol-related disorder
reduce street crime
improve police visibility
address quality of life issues including fear of crime and reassurance.
The additional patrol took 2 forms: public order foot patrol on Friday and Saturday nights in the city centre, and daily foot patrol in the city centre during working hours. The main remit of officers was actively to engage the public, be accessible, challenge anti-social behaviour and deal with offenders.
The 2 types of high visibility patrol were:
public order foot patrol 8pm–4am Friday and Saturday in Community Action Team (CAT) Area 1 – an area of 3 wards which included Hull city centre
general foot patrol from 8am–10pm daily in police division 4, which covers all of the city of Hull.
This evaluation was commissioned by the police force and undertaken by Home Office researchers between 2001 and 2002. 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.
The research shows the potential value of additional high visibility foot patrol, particularly in areas with high concentrations of recorded personal robbery. This £1m initiative paid for an additional 44,104 hours of police activity which was used as follows, with the majority of patrol performed by PCs:
54% (23,952 hours) spent on high visibility patrol.
47% of HVP (11,170 hours) undertaken on a Friday and Saturday
remaining hours spent on community involvement and dealing with arrests and incidents
in total, 38% (16,937 hours) of the grant was allocated to CAT area 1.
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Last update: Tuesday, August 05, 2008