This really a story about less police and what it takes to keep the community safe.
Mamdani’s new department can work if done right.
— Read on www.vitalcitynyc.org/community-safety-police-reform-nyc-mamdani/
Tag: Police Management
Reducing Crime in Memphis
Inside the federal and state law-enforcement operation turning one of America’s most dangerous cities around
— Read on www.city-journal.org/article/memphis-safe-task-force-crime
“Why Was I Stopped?”
Police can legally question citizens without reasonable suspicion or probable cause in “mere encounters.” Do citizens know they’re free to walk away?
— Read on thephiladelphiacitizen.org/cpoc-mere-encounters/
Chicago Police Failed to Place Troubled Cop Under Strict Supervision Before He Fatally Shot Partner – Illinois Answers
Carlos Baker was referred to a program that subjects officers to intense oversight. But Baker wasn’t enrolled before he shot Officer Krystal Rivera because a supervisor didn’t respond to an email.
— Read on illinoisanswers.org/2026/07/17/chicago-police-carlos-baker-krystal-rivera-personnel-program/
Why ShotSpotter Case Clearance Depends on More Than Tech – PoliceResearchHub
Key Takeaways
Cameras and gunshot sensors, alone or together, did not improve case clearance for fatal or nonfatal shootings in Chicago. A 15-year, matched quasi-experimental study of 6,068 fatal and 64,884 nonfatal shootings (2005 to 2019) found null results across every treatment condition tested.
Shootings exposed to gunshot detection technology (GDT) were actually cleared at lower rates than matched control incidents (25.9% vs. 39.2% for fatal shootings; 25.1% vs. 30.6% for nonfatal shootings), though once the researchers controlled for other factors, the difference wasn’t statistically significant.
Camera coverage (CCTV) showed essentially no relationship to clearance for gun violence, consistent with prior research showing CCTV’s investigative benefits concentrate in theft and disorder cases, not shootings.
The one bright spot: Chicago’s Strategic Decision Support Centers (SDSCs), district-level hubs that combine technology with dedicated staff and crime analysts, were linked to 19% to 24% higher odds of clearance in nonfatal shooting cases.
— Read on policeresearchhub.com/why-shotspotter-case-clearance-depends-on-more-than-tech/
Vital City | An Agenda for New York City’s Sidewalks
The city’s most important shared spaces need a new strategy.
— Read on www.vitalcitynyc.org/nyc-department-of-sidewalks-agenda/
Buffalo-area police making extensive use of license plate readers : Investigative Post
Twenty local police agencies have installed license plate readers and conduct thousands of searches a week of motorists — Cheektowaga in particular. Officials say the technology helps them fight crime, but critics call it unwarranted surveillance.
— Read on investigativepost.org/2026/07/16/drivers-beware-police-are-tracking-your-movements/
How community groups, activists and local media turned Camden, New Jersey, into a model of police reform
Camden, New Jersey’s homicide rate in 2025 was four times the national average – still high, but a marked change from when it was 18 times the national average in 2012.
— Read on theconversation.com/how-community-groups-activists-and-local-media-turned-camden-new-jersey-into-a-model-of-police-reform-282835
Did a “Minneapolis Effect” and Later De-Policing Cause Firearms Crimes to Spike in 2020?
My essay on the topic collects the available empirical research. There is support for the theory that, as police across the nation pulled back from some forms of proactive policing after protests surrounding George Floyd’s killing in Minneapolis, homicides and gun violence increased as a result.
— Read on reason.com/volokh/2026/07/14/did-a-minneapolis-effect-and-later-de-policing-cause-firearms-crimes-to-spike-in-2020/
Widespread Misuse of Crowd-Control Weapons by Law Enforcement | Research UC Berkeley
Open-source investigation documents many incidents of misuse and injuries across 16 U.S.
— Read on vcresearch.berkeley.edu/news/widespread-misuse-crowd-control-weapons-law-enforcement
