Local police want to know if you’re happy with the way they’re keeping the peace in the City of Delta.
And they’re asking people some tough questions in an anonymous survey about everything from body cameras to whether the Delta Police Department treats everyone with respect and fairness and if they would help police if asked.
One question in the online survey asks people how often they think police in their neighbourhood exceed their authority.
Another part of the survey asks two questions, asking people if they think police are effective at solving violent crimes and if they think police are effective at responding to calls for help.
Another pair of questions could possibly create controversy.
The first question asks residents if they think Delta police are doing a good job.
Then the second asks the same question about policing in Canada.
“Taking everything into account, how good a job do you think the police in this country are doing?”
There’s also a section asking people to rate, on a scale of one to five, how important various police services are such as: having police officers involved in community volunteer activities; having a visible presence in the community; having police consult with the community, having urgent calls dealt with in a timely manner, having police involved in youth programs and dealing with traffic issues, violent crime and sexual assaults, property crime, and auto theft.
People are also asked how they’ve come into contact with Delta police, if they’ve been a victim of crime, or why they didn’t report a crime and how police treated complainants when police arrived on scene and what they think of police wearing body cameras.
Delta police is the first in B.C. to wear such devices.
Another question asks people to choose what they think will affect policing over the next year.
Possible responses include, homelessness, illegal drugs, population growth, an aging population, a growing economy, organized crime, and greater diversity.
When it comes to how people are informed about crime, the survey asks people to rank their main source of information, and how much they trust it, whether that be social media, mainstream media, religious leaders or Delta police themselves.
The feedback from the survey is essential in shaping the department’s future strategy and that police meet the needs of the community, said Acting Chief Guy Leeson.
The results of the survey will be made public.
Delta police Acting Insp. James Sandberg, says the city has run the survey every three years.
"This feedback is actually very important to the police department and we take the process very seriously," Sandberg said.
