Survey: Most Yumans happy with YPD

Department, AWC cooperate on project

Yuma residents are happy with police officer conduct, but they worry about traffic, property crimes, drugs and stray animals, according to a survey.

Police Chief John Lekan tasked Sgt. Robert Wright with developing a citizen survey that would measure the level of the public’s satisfaction with the police department and the community’s view of crime in the city.

“This type of project had never been done by YPD,” Wright said.

He determined that the best and most cost-effective method for the survey would be by telephone and conducted by an independent third party. He wanted an organization with a community connection.

“The Yuma community is unique unto itself. The culture, the economic, community factors and additional items we felt needed value and needed understanding by the survey provider even though they weren’t being evaluated,” Wright said.

Wright reached out to Arizona Western College and asked if it was interested in participating. Faculty and students were “excited and eager to participate.”

Through a formal bid process, AWC was awarded $6,500 to conduct the survey and compile the results. “That might seem like a lot to some. I can assure you that amount is far lower than any of the other preliminary bids we received.”

Professor Bertha Avila was responsible for coordinating and supervising the project with help from professors Robyn Smith and Timothy Smith. Dr. Mary Schaal and Dr. George Montopoli helped with the research.

Seven administration of justice students participated: Daizie Nuñez, Enrique Marquez, Leslie Perez, Salvador Puentes, Daniel Ramirez Amezola, Ernesto Ramirez and Diana Solis. The students each received $857 in scholarships for their participation.

They decided the easiest way to survey residents would be when they called the police department’s non-emergency number. At the end of the call, they would be would asked if they were willing to take the survey.

Between September and December, a total of 85 surveys were completed, greater than the goal of 60.

The results revealed that most residents feel safe in their neighborhoods and predominantly think Yuma police is doing a good job of maintaining order and working to reduce crime and were satisfied with police service in their neighborhoods.

Most residents (the lowest rating was 87 percent) indicated very high levels of satisfaction with police officer conduct, demeanor, professionalism and behavior with no significant differences by gender, ethnicity, education or income.

Respondents also indicated the magnitude of problems in their neighborhoods. A majority indicated “not at all” for each except for traffic (45 percent “not at all”). The lowest problems (“not at all”) in ascending order were prostitution (93 percent), lack of organized activities for youth (81 percent), lack of community involvement to solve area problems (80 percent; perceived as a higher problem in lower-income neighborhoods), rundown properties, weeds/garbage or abandoned cars (74 percent), loud noise (70 percent) and violent crimes (70 percent; males saw it as a higher problem) in their neighborhoods.

The highest reported neighborhood problems in descending order were traffic (25 percent “small,” 30 percent “big”), property crimes (29 percent “small,” 16 percent “big”), lack of police presence (24 percent “small,” 20 percent “big”), drugs (22 percent “small”, 17 percent “big”; particularly by male and non-Hispanic respondents), and stray animals (24 percent “small,” 14 percent “big,” particularly by non-Hispanics).

Most respondents felt “very” or “somewhat” safe during day (98 percent) and night (72 percent), though women had “significantly lower feelings of safety than men.”

Ninety-eight percent rated police “very” or “somewhat” responsive to community concerns (lower ratings by men); 87 percent reported that police are doing a “very good” or “good” job of maintaining order (lower ratings by men).

Most (55 percent “very much,” 37 percent “somewhat”) thought that police were working with the community to reduce crime (lower rankings by Hispanic/Latino respondents and higher-income respondents); and 90 percent were “very” or “somewhat” satisfied overall with the level of police service in their neighborhoods.

The following statistically significant differences were found by gender:

• More males reported violent crimes as a problem in their neighborhood (46 percent small/big problem combined) than females (14 percent).

• Fewer females (34 percent) reported drugs as a neighborhood problem than males (36 percent), including 28 percent of males that rated drugs as a big problem (compared to 7 percent of females).

• Significantly more women (21 percent) than men (15 percent) felt less than very safe (somewhat safe/ somewhat unsafe) in their neighborhoods during daytime hours.

• Conversely, males reported lower levels of police responsiveness (33 percent) than women (24 percent). Likewise, more men ranked police maintenance of order on the streets as fair (23 percent) than women (5 percent).

Differences by ethnicity included: Fewer Hispanic respondents (29 percent) reported drugs as a problem than non-Hispanic respondents (44 percent). Likewise, significantly fewer Hispanic respondents (29 percent) reported stray animals as a problem than non-Hispanic respondents (59 percent).

Also, 48 percent of Hispanic/Latino respondents reported lower rankings on the extent to which police are working with the community to reduce crime compared to 44 percent of non-Hispanic respondents.

Respondents with incomes below $45,000 (28 percent) reported a lack of community involvement to solve problems compared to only 12 percent of more wealthy respondents.

Conversely, respondents with incomes over $45,000 reported inadequate public infrastructure as problematic (48 percent) compared to 23 percent among the lower income group. Finally, 48 percent of higherincome respondents reported lower rankings on the extent to which police are working with the community to reduce crime compared to 40 percent of lower income respondents.

Wright noted the survey identified many areas where the department is doing a good job and some areas that it could improve.

“Overall I believe the survey shows the public is very supportive of the police department and the services it provides them. We should continue to strengthen relationships by building what we already have established,” Wright said.

He also noted that this project brought together two entities in the community for a common goal. “Both sides learned valuable lessons and now have a greater understanding of the community as a whole.

“I’m really proud of the students and faculty who participated in this project … This is a win-win in my opinion,” Wright said.