The Regina Police Service has released the report of the findings of the most recent “Community Perceptions of the Regina Police Survey, 2019”, carried out in Regina last fall between September 4th and October 3rd, 2019. To maintain objectivity and reduce bias, the survey was designed by Dr. Nicholas A. Jones and Dr. Rick Ruddell of the University of Regina, Department of Justice Studies. This is the 5th time this survey has been conducted over the last ten years.
The telephone survey of 455 Regina residents reveals that the public expresses much higher levels of trust, confidence and satisfaction with the Regina Police Service since the first City of Regina surveys were conducted in 2005. The key findings of the 2019 survey are:
- Four-fifths of respondents somewhat or strongly agree that the RPS was an organization with integrity and honesty
- 78.3% somewhat or strongly agree that the RPS demonstrates professionalism in their work
- 78.66% of respondents somewhat or strongly agree that the RPS is sensitive to the needs of their ethnic group
- 77.44% of respondents reported being highly or very satisfied with the level of service provided by the RPS
- 92.3% of respondents somewhat or strongly agree with having confidence in calling 911 in emergency situations
Of the 455 residents who responded to the survey, 45% reported having contact with RPS personnel in the previous year, and most of these interactions were initiated by the respondent.
Of the respondents who interacted with the Regina Police Service, 76% reported being satisfied or very satisfied with the level of service they received. Average satisfaction increased from 3.58/5 in 2006 to 4.11/5 in 2019.
When asked about their feelings of safety in the community, the average response from citizens surveyed was 3.24/5. A response of 1 being very unsafe; a response of 5 being very safe.
The survey also highlights areas where members of the public feel there can be improvements.
Like the results reported in the national-level and Regina community surveys carried out since 2011, the average perceptions of overall trust and confidence for Indigenous persons were lower than non-Indigenous respondents.
When asked about priorities for RPS, respondents indicated that Regina should have a greater police presence, including hiring more officers; that more police attention be paid to high crime areas; that a priority be placed on responding to gangs, drugs, property, and petty crimes; and enforcing traffic laws.
In addition to the basic demographic information collected from respondents, the survey solicited responses about the following issues:
- Public Information and Social Media
- Police Visibility and Presence
- Perceptions of Trust/Confidence
- Perceptions of Contact (Responsiveness)
- Perceptions of Fear of Crime
- Perceptions of the RPS Quality of Service
The entire 2019 survey report can be found here. All of the previous Community Perceptions Surveys can also be found on the Regina Police Service website at: http://reginapolice.ca/community-perception-survey/.
