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Main Aims:

The main aims of the survey were to:

• Identify which specific strategic and operational priorities should be a priority in local areas
• Identification of main problems in local area
• Whether respondents have been a victim or witness to any of the problems identified
• Expectations on police to tackle problems effectively
• Ways in which success of police is measured in relation to specific issues/types of crime
• Perceived value for money for specific policing services
• Influences on value for money perceptions
• Willingness to pay increases in council tax for policing

In summary...

Identify which specific strategic and operational priorities should be a priority in local areas

• In relation to the strategic priorities, ‘protecting individuals and communities, especially those who are vulnerable’ is considered to be the most important,
• In relation to operational objectives, ‘violent crime’ was considered the most important priority.

Identification of main problems in local area

• The main local neighbourhood problem cited was: ‘groups of young people hanging around’.
• A third of respondents did not think there were any problems in their neighbourhood.

Whether respondents have been a victim or witness to any of the problems identified

• Respondents were most likely to have been a witness of 'groups of young people hanging around' and 'rowdy behaviour'.  
• Respondents were more likely to have been a victim of domestic burglary, theft from or of a vehicle damage to property/vandalism, and threats of violence/harassment.

Expectations on police to tackle problems effectively

• Irrespective of the specific problem they were talking about, respondents overwhelmingly mentioned ‘increase police presence’followed by the suggestion that the police ‘take action against criminals’.

Ways in which success of police is measured in relation to specific issues/types of crime

•  ‘Providing local policing that is visible, accessible and responsive’ success measured via police presence in terms of the number and frequency of officers/PSCO’s seen in their local area
   
•  ‘Dealing with anti-social behaviour’ success measured via their perceptions of levels of ASB in the area, seeing or hearing about reductions in ASB and local TV and press coverage.
   
•  ‘Protecting individuals and communities, especially those who are vulnerable’the main measures of success were from local TV and press coverage and having been or knowing someone who had been a victim or a witness’.
   
•  ‘Reducing the risk of harm to those using the roads in Lancashire’ success measures included; ‘local TV and press coverage, police crime statistics and the number of officers/PCSO’s seen patrolling in vehicles.
   
• ‘Providing quality service to victims of crime and those who have witnessed a crime’ The main two ways of measuring success were to have been or know someone who had been a victim or witness and to use local TV and press coverage.
   
•  ‘Bringing offenders and offences to justice’, the overwhelming way in which success was measured was from local TV and press coverage.
   
• In terms of police success in 'tackling crime' itself, results show that the biggest indicator of success is actually seeing a reduction in crime in their local area. In addition, the other two main indicators were seeing/hearing positive news about crime in the local press and hearing about reductions in crime in their area. Surprisingly, seeing or hearing about people being arrested were least likely to be considered indications of success in tackling crime.

Perceived value for money for specific policing services

• When considering value for money for various policing services, results show that the 999 emergency service and level of service received when face-to-face contact is made were the services for which the highest number of respondents felt they were getting value for money.
   
• The services considered to be delivering the least value for money (those with the highest number of respondents disagreeing that they were getting value for money) were those relating to visibility and accessibility of officers/PCSO’s in local areas, being given the opportunity to influence local policing and police response to non-emergencies.

Influences on value for money perceptions

• The main influences on value for money were; visibility of officers/PCSO’s in local area, reduced rates of crime in local area, accessibility of officers/PCSO’s in local area and police response to non-emergencies.

Willingness to pay increases in council tax for policing

• Over two thirds of respondents are willing to pay increases in council tax for policing of £3.66 or above.