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Staffing Levels are the Most Important Factor Influencing Police Response Times

January 2024 CrimRxiv

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

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Abstract

Objectives: To examine the factors influencing police response times, with a particular focus on staffing levels, calls for service (CFS), and proactive police work.Methods: Bayesian Holt-Winters state-space models were estimated 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 estimated 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.Results: 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.Conclusions: 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 data from Salt Lake City police to understand what factors most affect how quickly officers respond to emergency calls. They found that having adequate police staffing levels matters far more than other factors like call volume or the amount of proactive police work being done. This finding provides important evidence for police departments trying to balance their budgets and staffing decisions while maintaining effective emergency response times for the public.

(AI-generated summary, v1, January 2026)

Citation Information

Citations: 0 (as of June 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. CrimRxiv. https://doi.org/10.21428/cb6ab371.893efeb7

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 = {CrimRxiv},
  year    = {2024},
  doi     = {10.21428/cb6ab371.893efeb7},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.21428/cb6ab371.893efeb7}
}

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