This study tests the hypothesis that larger police agencies are able to clear a larger proportion of reported crimes due to larger staff, more resources, and other factors associated with agency size.
Study findings do not support this hypothesis. Based upon the standardized beta coefficients, the study found that the relationship between agency size and crime clearance is negative in nearly every category. Only the size coefficients in the analysis of murder and larceny are positive; however, for the crimes of robbery, felony assault, and vehicle theft, as agency size increases, the percentage of the crimes cleared decreases. More in-depth research is needed to determine why smaller agencies are more successful at clearing some types of crime; as well as the role of several community policing tactics in solving crimes. Using data from the 2003 Uniform Crime Reports (UCR), Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS), and U.S. Census Bureau data, the study examined the impact of police agency size on the percentage of crimes cleared. The study used both the number of sworn officers and the total number of employees as the independent variable, and it examined their impact on the clearance rates of seven Part I crimes: murder, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, larceny, and vehicle theft. The study also controlled for a variety of community, workload, and agency variables. 3 figures, 24 tables, and extensive references