Prepared for: Vancouver Police Department Resident and Business Survey

Prepared for:

Vancouver Police Department

Resident and Business Survey

Prepared by: NRG Research Group

April 4, 2007

NRG Research Group 2

Resident & Business Survey

• Research Objectives & Method

• Perceptions of Neighbourhood Safety & Crime and Victimization

• Satisfaction with VPD

• Support for Tax Increases to Fund Police Services

• Recommendations to the VPD

Presentation Outline



• NRG Research has been conducting this survey among Vancouver residents and business owners since 1998

• Study is conducted biannually

• Sampling - Businesses & residential households within VPD patrol district boundaries

• Total surveyed (biannually):

– Business n=400 (+/-4.9%)

– Residential n=800 (+/- 3.4%)

Research Objectives & Method

Research Objectives

Assess resident & business perceptions of crime and feelings of safety in each of the four patrol districts

Determine the rate of victimization among residents & businesses and the extent to which crimes are reported to the police

Assess satisfaction with police services, including the behaviour of police officers and other VPD personnel

Assess awareness of VPD policing and crime-reduction initiatives

Gauge support for tax increases to fund police services

Gather recommendations from residents & businesses regarding how VPD could improve police services in the community


Perceptions of:

- Neighbourhood Safety - Neighbourhood Crime - Crime City-Wide


Residential

30%

34%

30%

29%

27%

34%

33%

39%

35%

35%

18%

22%

25%

28%

2%

2%

2%

2%

3%

9%

7%

6%

11%

10% 22%1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

1, ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS 2 3 4 5, ONE OF THE SAFEST


• Trend toward residents & business owners feeling safer in their neighbourhoods.

Business

7%

6%

13%

12%

34%

31%

28%

26%

30%

35%

31%

32%

16%

20%

23%

5%

6%

11%

14% 15%2000

2002

2004

2006

1, ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS 2 3 4 5, ONE OF THE SAFEST

Q7Q11 - Impression of how safe you feel your neighbourhood is when compared to other neighbourhoods in the city.

Neighbourhood Safety

‘06 Top Box +/- ’06 vs ‘04

District 1 - 66% +4%




‘06 Top Box +/- ’06 vs ‘04

District 1 - 54% same


District 3 - 49% +13%


63% 55%



• Decrease in the percentage of residents & business owners feeling that there has been an increase in neighbourhood crime from 2004 to 2006.

Q8/Q12 - In the past 12 months, would you say the level of crime in your neighbourhood has…

Business

6%

8%

8%

5%

15%

14%

17%

16%

61%

60%

59%

62%

6%

7%

9%

8% 2%

3%

2%

1%

5%

4%

9%

10%2000

2002

2004

2006

INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLYINCREASED SOMEWHATSTAYED ABOUT THE SAME

DECREASED SOMEWHATDECREASED SIGNIFICANTLYDON'T KNOW/ HASN'T OPERATED IN CITY OF VAN. LONG ENOUGH

Residential

6%

6%

5%

7%

19%

14%

15%

18%

13%

58%

60%

62%

56%

65%

6%

7%

5%

9%

9%4%

1%

1%

2%

1%

3%

8%

10%

11%

6%

10%1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY

INCREASED SOMEWHAT

STAYED ABOUT THE SAME

DECREASED SOMEWHAT

DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY

DK/ HAS NOT LIVED IN HERE LONG ENOUGH

Perceptions of Neighbourhood Crime

‘06 Top Box +/- ’06 vs ‘04

District 1 - 24% -17%

District 2 - 20% -5%

District 3 - 16% -11%


‘06 Top Box +/- ’06 vs ‘04



District 3 - 13% -14%


17% 21%



• Residents’ & business owners’ perceptions of crime in Vancouver as a whole contradict perceptions at the neighbourhood level.

Q9/Q13 In the past 12 months, would you say the level of crime in the City of Vancouver has .... ?

Business

10%

10%

24%

31%

38%

41%

43%

38%

12%

5%

12%

9%

1%7%

10%

12%

10%

30%

25%

1%

1%

10%

14%2000

2002

2004

2006

INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLYINCREASED SOMEWHATSTAYED ABOUT THE SAMEDECREASED SOMEWHATDECREASED SIGNIFICANTLYDON'T KNOW/ HASN'T OPERATED IN CITY OF VAN. LONG ENOUGH

Residential

11%

10%

28%

33%

33%

37%

41%

37%

9%

6%

10%

11%

1%

1%

9%

8%

12%

17%

34%

32%

10%

7%2000

2002

2004

2006

INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLYINCREASED SOMEWHATSTAYED ABOUT THE SAMEDECREASED SOMEWHATDECREASED SIGNIFICANTLYDK/ HAS NOT LIVED IN HERE LONG ENOUGH

Perceptions of Crime in Vancouver

‘06 Top Box +/- ’06 vs ‘04





‘06 Top Box +/- ’06 vs ‘04




District 4 - 50% +15%

43% 41%


Experiences with Victimization



• The incidence of victimization has decreased from 2004 to 2006 among both residents and business owners.

Q12/Q17. In the past 12 months, while at your place of business, has any member of the staff including yourself, a client or a customer been the victim of any crime (e.g. vandalism, theft, physical assault or a break & enter)?

Q13/Q19. Was (this/the most recent) crime reported to the police?

Experience with Victimization

Residential

21% 15%

15%

36%25%10%

2004 2006

DIDN'T REPORT CRIME

REPORTED CRIME

Business

28% 24%

17% 16%

45% 40%

2004 2006


Overall Satisfaction with VPD &

Perceptions of VPD Officers



• Overall satisfaction with the VPD remains relatively high with four out of five residents & business owners expressing satisfaction with the service provided by the VPD.

Q6/Q9. Overall, how satisfied are you with the service provided by the Vancouver Police Department?

Overall Satisfaction with the VPD

Residential

56% 52%

23% 28%

80% 79%

2004 2006

VERY SATISFIED

SOMEWHATSATISFIED

Business

58% 55%

27% 29%

84% 84%

2004 2006



• Evaluations across seven key attributes of officer effectiveness remain strong.

Q4. What qualities best describe Vancouver Police officers when they are responding to the public.

Perceptions of VPD Officers – Residential only

B. PROFESSIONAL

E. COURTEOUS

D. KNOWLEDGEABLE IN THEIR JOB

F. TRUSTWORTHY

G. HARDWORKING

C. EASY TO APPROACH

A. FAIR

Residential

39%

41%

42%

42%

39%

41%

44%

42%

38%

39%

36%

33%

49%

47%

49%

46%

44%

41%

47%

43%

41%

41%

46%

46%

46%

48%

33%

32%

87%

83%

84%

82%

80%

78%

82%

82%

84%

85%

86%

87%

88%

85%

2006

2004

2006

2004

2006

2004

2006

2004

2006

2004

2006

2004

2006

2004

SOMEWHAT AGREE STRONGLY AGREE

1

#REF! #REF!

1

#REF! #REF!

1

#REF! #REF!

1

#REF! #REF!



• A higher percentage of business owners gave officers "top of the scale" rating in 2006, indicating that confidence in officers has increased.

Q7. What qualities best describe Vancouver Police officers when they are responding to the public.

Perceptions of VPD Officers – Business only

B. PROFESSIONAL

E. COURTEOUS

F. TRUSTWORTHY

G. HARDWORKING

A. FAIR

C. EASY TO APPROACH

D. KNOWLEDGEABLE IN THEIR JOB

Business

35%

38%

36%

45%

35%

41%

32%

37%

28%

37%

40%

45%

30%

37%

55%

55%

54%

43%

54%

47%

54%

46%

58%

49%

46%

40%

56%

48%

93%

88%

88%

84%

87%

84%

85%

86%

86%

86%

86%

89%

90%

90%2006

2004

2006

2004

2006

2004

2006

2004

2006

2004

2006

2004

2006

2004

SOMEWHAT AGREE STRONGLY AGREE

1

#REF! #REF!

1

#REF! #REF!

1

#REF! #REF!

1

#REF! #REF!


Satisfaction with Contact with the VPD

& Communicating with the Public



• Overall, the incidence of residents contacting the VPD regarding crime or public safety problems has decreased from 2004.

• The incidence of contact has remained stable among business owners.

Q15/Q21. Whether you were a victim or not, at any time during the last 12 months have you personally had contact with the Vancouver Police Department about a crime or public safety problem?

Residential

31% 28% 25%36% 31%

1998 2000 2002 2004 2006

YES

Contact with the VPD

Business

41% 36% 36% 38%

2000 2002 2004 2006

YESYes – had contact with VPD in the last 12 months Yes – had contact with VPD in the last 12 months



• Courtesy is a particular strength

Q18A-C. Thinking about this last contact, how would you rate the service you received? / Q20. Thinking again about this last contact, how satisfied overall were you with the service you received for the Vancouver Police Department?

Satisfaction with Contact with VPD – Residential only

Residential

COURTEOUS

KNOWLEDGEABLE

THOROUGH

SERVICE RECEIVED (LAST CONTACT)

25%

22%

34%

33%

34%

32%

35%

33%

65%

65%

53%

49%

48%

45%

46%

39%

87%

81%

77%

72%

81%

82%

87%

90%2006

2004

2006

2004

2006

2004

2006

2004

SOMEWHAT SATISFIED VERY SATISFIED

1

#REF! #REF!

1

#REF! #REF!

1

#REF! #REF!

1

#REF! #REF!



• Relative to 2004, business owners in 2006 were more likely to give "top of the scale" ratings to the VPD.

Q24A-C. Thinking about this last contact, how would you rate the service you received? / Q26. Thinking again about this last contact, how satisfied overall were you with the service you received for the Vancouver Police Department?

Satisfaction with Contact with VPD – Business only

Business

COURTEOUS

KNOWLEDGEABLE

THOROUGH

SERVICE RECEIVED (LAST CONTACT)

19%

18%

24%

28%

25%

29%

18%

32%

72%

80%

72%

63%

63%

58%

67%

54%

98%

91%

87%

86%

85%

88%

96%

91%2006

2004

2006

2004

2006

2004

2006

2004

SOMEWHAT SATISFIED VERY SATISFIED

1

#REF! #REF!

1

#REF! #REF!

1

#REF! #REF!

1

#REF! #REF!



• Communicating to the community regarding major arrests, crackdowns and crime reduction programs remains an aspect of the VPD that residents & business owners do not evaluate highly.

Q24B/Q35 Where 5 is excellent & 1 is poor, how would you rate the job of the Vancouver Police Dept at informing & communicating to the public regarding major arrests, crime reduction projects, drug crackdowns & crime prevention programs?

Business

43% 35%

14%14%

57%49%

2004 2006

4 5, EXCELLENT

Communicating with the Public

Residential

35% 36%

12% 15%

47% 51%

2004 2006

5, EXCELLENT

4


Support for Tax Increases to Fund Police Services &

Recommendations to the VPD



• Residents & business owners are generally supportive of a property tax increase to maintain the current level of police services.

Q26A/Q36. If it became necessary to increase the police budget to maintain the current level of police services in Vancouver, would you be prepared to support an increase in property taxes to cover the cost?

Business

62% 66%

2004 2006

YES, SUPPORT INCREASE

% = yes, support increase - Residential

62%

46%

66% 61%

2006

DISTRICT 1 DISTRICT 2 DISTRICT 3 DISTRICT 4

% = yes, support increase - Business

72%58% 60% 64%

2006

DISTRICT 1 DISTRICT 2 DISTRICT 3 DISTRICT 4

Support for Tax Increases to Fund Policing Services

Residential

61% 61%

2004 2006

YES, SUPPORT INCREASE



Residents• MORE VISIBLE/ MORE

PATROLS/ MORE PRESENCE

• MORE INVOLVEMENT/ COMMUNICATION WITH COMMUNITY

• INCREASE FOOT &/OR BIKE PATROL (GET OUT OF CARS)

• DO SOMETHING ABOUT PANHANDLERS & STREET PEOPLE

• TOUGHER DRUG ENFORCEMENT

• BETTER TREATMENT OF PUBLIC/ MORE RESPECT/ FRIENDLIER

Business Owners• MORE VISIBILE/ MORE

PATROLS/ MORE PRESENCE

• BETTER COMMUNICATION/ OUTREACH TO BUSINESSES

• TRAIN OFFICERS FOR BETTER SERVICE/MORE COURTEOUS/ BETTER PR

• DO SOMETHING ABOUT PANHANDLERS & STREET PEOPLE

• GET TOUGHER ON CRIME

Recommendations to the VPD


QUESTIONS?

For further information please contact:

Adam Di Paula, Ph.D.

Senior Vice President

NRG Research Group

T: 604.676-5641

E: [email protected]

www.nrgresearchgroup.com

NRG Research Group | Market & Public Opinion Research

Documents

Prepared for: Vancouver Police Department Resident and Business Survey