The Northern York County Police consolidation experience: An analysis of the consolidation of police services in eight Pennsylvania rural communities Available to Purchase

Employs a quasi‐experimental design to assess the operational costs and benefits of a consolidated department. Northern York County Police Department, the experimental group, was consolidated in 1972. Uses a comparison group consisting of eight police departments in a contiguous county in rural Pennsylvania to compare the outcome variables. Finds that whereas reducing costs may be the expected benefit of consolidation other benefits such as more opportunity for training and the use of specialized units were evident.