Ohio Criminal Justice Survey Overview

Police-Community Surveys: Rebuilding Trust

The role and benefits of community surveys in helping law enforcement reconnect with their communities.

Why surveys are Important

Identifying the thoughts of the community can help agencies revise their training to improve police interaction in those areas
Improves transparency
Demonstrates to the community the commitment to improving their partnership
Strengthen the relationship between the police and the community
Helps agencies ascertain the wants and needs of the community

Survey your Community

At Ohio Criminal Justice Consulting, we can help you develop a unique survey to understand the needs of your community. With our help, you can:

Choose from a list of premade questions or develop new questions, or both to create your survey (the survey can be accessed via QR Code or web address)
We will send the survey out to households in your community
We will analyze the data to develop insight into how the community views your department. We will create a presentation that is given to your agency or city council.

Benefits of Surveys

Helps officers understand the community's needs
Helps training officers develop programs specific to your community's needs
Demonstrates to the community that the police are taking steps to build trust through transparency
Can help reduce tensions after an officer-involved critical incident because of the relationships you build through the survey
Identifying specific areas where your agency can improve their effectiveness
Receive a certificate indicating that you have completed the community survey
A completed, high-quality report, detailing the results from your community along with comments in a printable format. Presentations for community leaders are also available
Expert testimony is available to detail the step your city has taken to identify ways of reconnecting with your community upon completing the survey

Question Development

The questions for the survey will focus on five key areas identified from the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) from the U.S. Department of Justice that will help us understand the needs of your community:

Community involvement
Safety
Procedural justice
Performance
Contact and satisfaction

You will select several survey questions from each category and we will create a unique survey for your community.

A sample survey can be found here: https://form.jotform.com/222276790065156

Over the past decade, police have steadily lost their connection with their community. High-profile incidents have created tension, even in communities that have not experienced these incidents. The majority of agencies in Ohio have witnessed a decline in the number of people applying to open positions. Police departments are struggling to find ways to reconnect with their communities. To rebuild trust, police need to understand how their community perceives them to adjust the policing style to meet the needs and expectations of the community. It is through this adjustment that police will begin to rebuild their relationship with their communities. Where do we start..."Community-Wide Surveys"

"Strong relationships of mutual trust between police agencies and the communities they serve are critical to maintaining public safety and effective policing. Police officials rely on the cooperation of community members to provide information about crime in their neighborhoods, and to work with the police to devise solutions to crime and disorder problems. Similarly, community members’ willingness to trust the police depends on whether they believe that police actions reflect community values and incorporate the principles of procedural justice and legitimacy".

U.S. Department of Justice, 2018

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse