Firing and replacing an entire police department isn't necessarily crazy

This city disbanded its police department 7 years ago. Here's what happened next

Camden, New Jersey, may be the closest thing to a case study they can get.

The city, home to a population about 17% of Minneapolis' size, dissolved its police department in 2012 and replaced it with an entirely new one after corruption rendered the existing agency unfixable.

Before its police reforms, Camden was routinely named one of the most violent cities in the US.

Now, seven years after the old department was booted, the city's crime has dropped by close to half.

Officers host outdoor parties for residents and knock on doors to introduce themselves.

It's a radically different Camden than it was even a decade ago. 

Here's how they did it.