NCJ Number
161492
Date Published
1994
Length
33 pages
Annotation
A survey of a random sample of 368 citizens in Camden, Maine. sought to determine public attitudes and priorities toward the police, community policing, and crime.
Abstract
Results revealed that 70.4 percent of the citizens rated the performance of the Camden Police Department as excellent or good, while only 4.2 percent rated it as poor or very poor. The public also believes that the police cooperate well with other social and human service agencies and respond quickly to both emergency and nonemergency calls. More than half the participants reported having some contact with the Camden police in the last 2 years. This contact ranged from informal contacts such as asking for directions to being arrested for a criminal violation. Police received uniformly high ratings for their overall demeanor, respect for citizens, courteousness, response to the initial call, knowledgeability, and providing appropriate updates. A total of 73.1 percent reported that they regard Camden as either extremely safe or very safe. They regard their own neighborhoods as safer than Camden as a whole. They do not believe that any major increase has occurred in the Camden rate. Participants also believed that a comprehensive approach is needed to reduce crime. They see a link between drugs, alcohol, and crime and emphasized the desirability of increased cooperation between the police and citizens. Figures, tables, and appended methodological information