Community Survey on Public Safety and Law Enforcement

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office invites you to take this Community Survey on Public Safety and Law Enforcement. It will take approximately five minutes of your time and is completely confidential and anonymous. Your participation will help WCSO to improve services, processes, and reputation.

The survey is designed for WCSO to gather opinions and experiences from members of the community. The survey assesses five key components that involve WCSO:

• Community involvement;

• Safety;

• Procedural justice;

• Performance; and

• Contact and satisfaction

You may come into contact with multiple law enforcement agencies within Washington County, but please answer the questions thinking only about WCSO. Please indicate your response to each item by selecting the appropriate answer based on your feelings, opinions, and experiences. This is not a test and there are no right or wrong answers. Please answer each question honestly.

The “Community Survey on Public Safety and Law Enforcement” was developed by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) with the support of ICF International and law enforcement experts.

Below is the survey. Thank you for taking the time to help improve your Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

Sincerely,

Chief Deputy Mark A. Warden

In what community do you belong?(required)

To what extent does WCSO regularly communicate with community members (e.g., websites, e-mails, or public meetings)?(required)

To what extend does WCSO develop relationships with community members (e.g., residents, organizations, and groups)?(required)

To what extent does WCSO make it easy for community members to provide input (e.g., comments, suggestions, and concerns)?(required)

To what extent does WCSO work together with community members to solve local problems?(required)

Do you have any suggestions on making it better?

Community policing involves officers in WCSO working with the community to address the causes of crime in an effort to reduce the problems themselves through a wide range of activities. Based on this definition, to what extent do you think WCSO practices community policing?(required)

How can we do better?

To what extent do you feel safe in your community when you are outside alone during the day?(required)

To what extent do you feel safe in your community when you are outside alone at night?(required)

Why?

Over the last 12 months, to what extent have your feelings of safety in your community increased, decreased, or stayed the same?(required)

Why?

No Names please, Can you give an example?

If you answered one of the 1st three responses, tell us how we change that.

If you had contact with an officer in WCSO during the past 12 months, to what extent did the officer sufficiently explain his or her actions and procedures?(required)

What do you want to see addressed?

How many times in the past 12 months have you had contact with WCSO for traffic issues?(required)

If you answered 0 times in the last question, skip to the next question. To what extent are you satisfied with your interaction(s) with WCSO?

How many times in the past 12 months have you had contact with WCSO for 911 emergency calls?(required)

If you answered 0 times in the last question, skip to the next question. To what extent are you satisfied with your interaction(s) with WCSO for 911 emergency calls?

How many times in the past 12 months have you had contact with WCSO for non-emergency calls (e.g., to report a crime or suspicious activity)?(required)

If you answered 0 times in the last question, skip to the next question. To what extent are you satisfied with your interaction(s) with WCSO for non-emergency calls?

How many times in the past 12 months have you had contact with WCSO for other contacts or interactions (e.g. attend a community meeting or talk to an officer on patrol)?(required)

If you answered 0 times in the last question, skip to the next question. To what extent are you satisfied with you interaction(s) with WCSO for other contacts or interactions?

How many years have you lived in your community?(required)

What is your gender?(required)

Male Female Prefer not to answer

Thank you for your input.

Chief Deputy Mark A. Warden