Mini Police Substation
Definition
Small neighborhood police office (approximately 5,000 square feet) where 6 officers work rotating shifts for 24/7 coverage, assigned to walk and bike patrols in the immediate area. Not a traditional distant precinct – more like a neighborhood police post. Officers work out of here and patrol on foot so you see them and know them by name.
My Plan:
- At least one mini substation in EVERY ZIP code
- 4-year rollout: Phased implementation starting with highest-need areas
- Cost: about $1.27M per station annually (six officers LMPD already employs, plus rent, utilities, equipment and vehicles); $80.01M at full deployment of 63
- Staffing: 6 officers per station, rotating shifts for 24/7 coverage
- Expected results: 20-30% crime reduction (research bibliography)
Why this matters: When officers walk the same beat daily, they know residents by name, understand neighborhood dynamics, and can prevent crimes before they happen. This is not experimental – Boston saw a 63% drop in young homicide victims (ages 24 and under) (Kennedy, Braga, Piehl & Waring 2001, National Institute of Justice report NCJ 188741), and Oakland’s Ceasefire program was associated with an estimated 31.5% reduction in gun homicides, measured against 12 comparison California cities (Braga et al. 2019, Oakland Ceasefire Evaluation: Final Report, Northeastern University).