Abstract
The release of dashcam footage showing a Chicago Police Department (CPD) officer fatally shooting 17-year-old Laquan McDonald in 2015 placed extraordinary scrutiny on CPD to avoid another controversial case of police misconduct. Using data on arrests as well as traffic stops and searches, we assess whether the quantity and quality of policing in Chicago changed after the video documenting this vivid incident of deadly force was released. We find that while both felony and misdemeanor arrest rates declined after Laquan’s murder was publicized, this event had no discernable impact on traffic stop rates, contraband hit rates, or the ratio of felony to misdemeanor arrests. Supplemental analyses reveal that declines in felony arrest rates were most pronounced in majority-Black districts due to reductions in drug possession and firearm arrests. Our findings provide nuanced evidence of a depolicing effect that may reflect attempts by CPD to reclaim legitimacy following this pivotal event.
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