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Main Authors: Medina, Angela Zorro, Hackett, David, Green, Devin, Vargas, Robert
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.15140
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author Medina, Angela Zorro
Hackett, David
Green, Devin
Vargas, Robert
author_facet Medina, Angela Zorro
Hackett, David
Green, Devin
Vargas, Robert
contents This study provides the first empirical evidence that private donations to police departments can influence officer behavior. Drawing on the psychology of reciprocity bias, we theorize that public donations create social debts that shape discretionary enforcement. Using quasi-experimental data from Chicago, we find that after 7-Eleven sponsored a police foundation gala, investigatory stops, particularly of Black pedestrians, increased around its stores. These findings reveal a racialized pattern of donor bias in policing and call into question the consequences of private donations to public law enforcement.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2504_15140
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Evidence of Donor Bias in Chicago Police Stops
Medina, Angela Zorro
Hackett, David
Green, Devin
Vargas, Robert
General Economics
Economics
Applications
This study provides the first empirical evidence that private donations to police departments can influence officer behavior. Drawing on the psychology of reciprocity bias, we theorize that public donations create social debts that shape discretionary enforcement. Using quasi-experimental data from Chicago, we find that after 7-Eleven sponsored a police foundation gala, investigatory stops, particularly of Black pedestrians, increased around its stores. These findings reveal a racialized pattern of donor bias in policing and call into question the consequences of private donations to public law enforcement.
title Evidence of Donor Bias in Chicago Police Stops
topic General Economics
Economics
Applications
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.15140