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OPCC community engagement results

On this page you will find information and results relating to polls and surveys conducted by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner as the Commissioner has sought the views of the public to aid decision making.

Precept survey (January 2022)

A survey run by the OPCC over a two-week period from December 23, 2021 to January 9, 2022 collected 5,316 responses from members of the public. You can see the results which are set set against responses from two focus groups made up of Devon and Cornwall residents here.

Annual policing survey (November 2020 - January 2021)

The aim of Commissioner Hernandez launching her annual policing survey was to survey a representative sample of residents on their views and experiences of policing in their communities. Collecting information in this way would enable any commissioner to inform the next Police and Crime Plan and assist with decision making related to the 2021/22 policing and commissioning budgets.

Because of the Covid-19 pandemic the face-to-face engagement used to promote surveys and polls of previous years was not possible so there was a greater reliance on using traditional media, social media and email newsletters to engage participants.

The digital survey ran from November 6, 2020 to January 3, 2021.

Summary of results:

  • A total of 5,330 people took part in the survey
  • The survey was completed by 4,130 people, giving a completion rate of 77%
  • Most respondents were either Not aware at all or Slightly aware of Police and Crime Commissioner initiatives funded by 2020/21 council tax
  • Most of those (52%) who had contact the police in the 12 months prior to taking the survey were either very satisfied or satisfied with their chosen method.
  • In relation to policing priorities Question 6, Where do you perceive that policing needs greater investment? Preventing crime remained the most popular choice (as it was in 2019/20, when the same question was posed in our annual survey). On our Roads was second most popular choice and On the Streets Where I Live was in third place. These were third and second place respectively in the previous year’s survey.
  • Antisocial behaviour, drug dealing and road traffic offences were the crimes types that participants felt most need dealing with in their communities.
  • In terms of national policing priorities reducing neighbourhood crime was participants’ highest priority, with disrupting drug supply in second place and reducing serious violence in third (of six priority areas).
  • Most participants (64%) were not aware that 24-hour victim care services were available for residents of Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

The full reults can be found here.

Road safety and enforcement survey (September 2020)

The Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) launched a national survey to seek views on road safety and enforcement and to inform a submission to the Department for Transport’s Call for Evidence on roads policing.

  • You can view the full national results to the survey here
  • You can view the full Devon and Cornwall results to the survey here

 

 

Priorities (May 2019 - September 2019):

At 37 events across Devon and Cornwall and online, the OPCC communications and engagement team asked the public what their spending priorities for policing would be. They gave members of the public three coins/votes each and asked them the following:

"To feel safer, I would like more policing..." with the answer options of in my neighbourhood; on the internet; on the roads; on preventing crime; preparing for national emergency and other.

A total of 25,988 coins were dropped at the events (26,625 when including online) which equates to approximately 8,666 people (8,875 including online response).

Results were as follows:

Precept survey (January 2019):

The PCC conducted an online survey asking members of the public whether they would support a 'pay more to get more' approach to policing. The survey consisted of questions tailored for each property banding noting how much the increase would be for them.

A total of 4,617 people took part in a precept poll and results indicated there was support, with 54% voting in favour of the additional investment if it was devoted to frontline officers.

Speeding (November 2018 - January 2019):

A total of 2,680 people took part in the online survey run by the PCC relating to speeding. The results show overwhelming support for more stringent enforcement of road traffic laws (85% in favour), stiffer penalties for those caught speeding (80% in favour) and for a proportion of the money from fines to come locally for road safety initiatives and enforcement (88% in favour).

Question 3: do you agree that a proportion of the money raised through the road traffic fines should be reinvested into local road safety and police enforcement rather than taken by the Government.

Road safety (May 2018 - September 2018):

The OPCC communications and engagement team asked members of the public face to face at 25 events what their two biggest road safety concerns were. Members of the public were asked to use two coins to answer the following question:

"Which two of the following are of the biggest concern to you?" with the answer options of road condition; speeding; distraction driving (including mobile phone use); drink/drug driving; inexperienced motorists on rural roads and other.

Approximately 5,122 people took part in the coin drop with distraction driving (including mobile use) coming out on top with 58%, closely followed by drink/drug driving with 53%.

Merger (June 2018 - August 2018):

The chief constables of Devon & Cornwall Police and Dorset Police with both PCCs conducted a survey to explore the possibility of merging the two forces. Please vist the Future Policing website for more information about the merger and the survey results.

Precept survey (January 2018):

The PCC asked the public through a policing precept poll whether they think policing in Devon and Cornwall requires more investment and whether they would be prepared to pay an additional £1 per month to support policing.

Out of the 4,109 individuals who took part, 87% believed that our police force needs more investment and 71% said they would be willing to pay an additional £1 per month for local policing.

Question 2: would you be prepared to pay an additional £1 per month to support policing in Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly

External surveys

In their January 2020 resident survey, Cornwall Council asked residents "what one thing Cornwall Council should improve". The highest response (17%) given by residents was to increase the number of police on patrol/improve the crime rate in Cornwall. The full results from Cornwall Council's resident survey (January 2020) can be found here.