Residents asked to rate police; Police chief: Survey will help improve 
the department

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DIXON – The Dixon Police Department wants to know how it’s doing.

The department, in conjunction with Western Illinois University, sent surveys today to about 1,014 Dixon residents to try to get a read on how the community rates its police department and to determine what crimes people are most afraid of, Police Chief Dan Langloss said.

“If we see that the community perceives us as weak when it comes to investigating crimes, or we’re seeing a high level of fear in the community, we can start to address those problems,” Langloss said.

Among the 34 questions are those requesting basic demographic information, such as age, gender, race and income.

That information is important to help the department determine which programs can be targeted to fulfill the needs of different groups, he said.

Participants also are asked questions regarding crime victimization, fear of crime, community policing and citizen service.

Each survey will include a pre-addressed prepaid envelope; participants are asked to mail it back within 5 days. All surveys are anonymous.

Once the results are in, Langloss will present the findings to the Dixon City Council and to the community, probably by January or February.

The survey also is one step the department must take to become accredited.

Accreditation helps it reduce its risk of being successfully sued – an accredited department has demonstrated internationally recognized standards for law enforcement.

To become accredited, the department must develop a comprehensive, uniform set of written policies and an emergency preparedness program, and develop a relationship with the community.

A citizen satisfaction survey must be conducted every 3 years to help accomplish this goal, Langloss said.

Survey questions

These are some of the questions the Dixon Police Department’s citizen satisfaction and crime survey asks:

Police contacts

■ Have you ever had contact with the Dixon Police Department? If yes, were you satisfied with the service provided?

■ Have you ever been arrested by the Dixon Police Department? If yes, were you treated with respect?

Crime information

■ How safe do you feel walking alone during the day? How safe do you feel walking alone at night?

■ Do you feel safe when you are at home alone at night?

Attitudes toward the Dixon Police/citizen service

■ Does the Dixon Police Department do a satisfactory job of investigating crimes?

■ Does the Dixon Police Department do a satisfactory job of handling the “drug problem”?

Community policing

■ Should the Dixon Police Department School Resource Officer program be continued in the public schools?

■ Should the Dixon Police Department continue to provide the program of checking the homes of individuals on vacation?

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