Survey of Citizens' Attitudes Toward Community-Oriented Law Enforcement in Alachua County, Florida, 1996
Description
This study sought to identify the impact of the
communication training program given to deputies in Alachua County,
Florida, on the community's attitudes toward community law enforcement
activities, particularly crime prevention and neighborhood patrols. To
determine the success of the communication training for the Alachua
deputies, researchers administered a survey to residents in the target
neighborhood before the communication program was implemented (Part
1: Pretest Data) and again after the program had been established
(Part 2: Post-Test Data). The survey instrument developed for use in
this study was designed to assess neighborhood respondents' attitudes
regarding (1) community law enforcement, defined as the assignment of
deputies to neighborhoods on a longer term (not just patrol) basis
with the goal of developing and implementing crime prevention
programs, (2) the communication skills of deputies assigned to the
community, and (3) the perceived importance of community law
enforcement activities. For both parts, residents were asked how
important it was to (1) have the same deputies assigned to their
neighborhoods, (2) personally know the names of their deputies, and
(3) work with the deputies on crime watch programs. Residents were
asked if they agreed that the sheriff's office dealt with the
neighborhood residents effectively, were good listeners, were easy to
talk to, understood and were interested in what the residents had to
say, were flexible, were trustworthy, were safe to deal with, and were
straightforward, respectful, considerate, honest, reliable, friendly,
polite, informed, smart, and helpful. Demographic variables include
the gender, race, age, income, employment status, and educational
level of each respondent.