The use of public attitude surveys: what can they tell police managers?

In recent times, police policy makers have been encouraged to use public op inion surveys to identify, and target the allocation of resources to, activ ities that members of the public believe are important. However these surve ys have concentrated on the types of problems that the public would the add ressed, and have not determined what types of activities they would prefer the police to be undertaking. In the present study, a comprehensive list of police activities formed the basis of a survey used to examine attitudes t oward police priorities in Australia. Comparisons were made between police and public understanding of the police role, and between present and prefer red priorities The results suggest that the public has an understanding of policing which differs front that of police officers. However, the picture of what they want police to be doing is similar to that of the police, albe it giving higher priorities to almost all of the activities. Police manager s may need to educate the public about the functions of the police service, emphasizing functions other than investigating crime and providing advice. At the same time, the police may need to alter their resource allocation a nd modify organizational structure and reward systems to encourage operatio nal officers to be more involved in the activities that the public see as h igh priority. This should result in better lies with the community, a bette r understanding within the community of the police role, and more realistic expectations on both sides of the outcomes of policing.