The influence of traffic stop policy changes on assaults against officers: A quasi-experimental approach

Abstract

AbstractThis study investigates whether the Fayetteville (NC) Police Department’s (FPD) prioritization of safety traffic stops and de-prioritization of investigatory stops from 2013 to 2016 impacted assaults on the police officers. Time series models found a statistically significant decrease in assaults on officers within the FPD following their traffic stop policy changes. The comparison police departments did not experience a significant effect of assaults on police officers during the same timeframe. Although the FPD increased the aggregate number of traffic stops from 2013 to 2016, their prioritization of safety stops, and subsequent de-prioritization of investigatory traffic stops resulted in a reduction in assaults on police officers. Since investigatory traffic stops are agued to be more confrontational and have relatively low ‘hit rates,’ de-prioritizing (yet not completely withdrawing from) such type of stops may impact assaults on officers in the aggregate. Several policy implications are discussed.