The Kansas City Missouri Police Department began a new initiative a year and a half ago to promote open communication between the police and residents and to get feedback on our services.
We asked the commanders at each of the patrol divisions to follow up with surveys after police officers respond to calls. They created their own surveys and conducted a random sampling.
Residents really appreciate the follow-up, and the majority of people surveyed give us positive feedback—regardless if they are the victim or the suspect. In the last 60 days, we surveyed 797 incidents and of those, 97.5 percent were positive. For example, one resident told the commander that the response time of the KCPD was outstanding and they believe it prevented a shooting. Another resident (who happened to be a suspect in a crime) was surveyed and said he wasn’t happy about being arrested but was pleased with the way he was treated.
This was a new experience for both our commanders and residents. For years, the culture at the police department was focused more on crime prevention than on citizen satisfaction. Many residents were surprised when the police called them to ask if they were satisfied with our services.
Our goal is to have 100 percent follow up on all property crimes and domestic violence incidents and we get closer to that goal each month.
It has helped change the culture of the department and make us more focused on community satisfaction. Thanks to honest feedback from residents, we’re providing better service and I know that we’ll continue to see improvement.
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