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Staffing levels are the most important factor influencing police response times

January 2024 Policing A Journal of Policy and Practice

Scott M. Mourtgos , Ian T. Adams , Justin Nix

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Abstract

Abstract We examine the factors influencing police response times, with a particular focus on staffing levels, calls for service (CFS), and proactive police work. We estimate Bayesian Holt-Winters state-space models for each CFS priority level. Using a novel dataset that combines data from the Salt Lake City Police Department's staffing and Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) systems at the daily level over seven years, we estimate the effects that staffing, overtime, call volume, and the level of proactive work (e.g., traffic stops, pedestrian stops, business checks) have on police response times. Our findings indicate that the impact of staffing on response times is significantly greater than that of other independent variables in the models. Furthermore, improvements in response times for higher-priority (i.e., more serious) CFS have a lower elasticity response to increases in staffing levels. As police agencies face increasingly complex challenges, the empirical evidence presented herein serves as a cornerstone for making informed decisions in the intricate balancing act of resources, officer well-being, and public safety priorities.

Summary

Researchers analyzed seven years of police data from Salt Lake City to determine what factors most affect how quickly officers respond to emergency calls, finding that having enough officers on duty matters far more than other factors like call volume or proactive policing activities. The study reveals that while adding more officers improves response times across all types of calls, the biggest improvements occur for lower-priority incidents rather than the most serious emergencies. This evidence provides police departments with concrete data to support staffing decisions and helps explain why understaffed departments struggle to maintain quick response times even when they reduce other activities.

(AI-generated summary, v1, January 2026)

Citation Information

Citations: 21 (as of July 2026)

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APA

Scott M. Mourtgos, Ian T. Adams, Justin Nix (2024). Staffing levels are the most important factor influencing police response times. Policing A Journal of Policy and Practice. https://doi.org/10.1093/police/paae002

BibTeX 
@article{mourtgos2024,
  title   = {Staffing levels are the most important factor influencing police response times},
  author  = {Scott M. Mourtgos and Ian T. Adams and Justin Nix},
  journal = {Policing A Journal of Policy and Practice},
  year    = {2024},
  doi     = {10.1093/police/paae002},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1093/police/paae002}
}

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