A recent survey found the #MiddletownRI Police scored high marks in the community, although there is work to be done in some areas. Police leaders said the results will be used to help shape the department moving forward.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Matt Sheley at (401) 842-6543 or msheley@middletownri.com
MIDDLETOWN POLICE EARNS STRONG MARKS
IN INDEPENDENT SURVEY
MIDDLETOWN, R.I. (JUNE 24, 2024) – An independent community survey reaffirmed what most already know — the Middletown Police Department is doing an excellent job.
According to the recent results of the “Middletown Police Department Community Survey” run by seniors with the Salve Regina University Criminal Justice and Criminology program, the Valley Road based department earned high marks across the board.
While happy with the results, department leaders said there were areas cited by the more than 300 respondents that needed work, particularly with speeding, motor vehicle violations and driving under the influence.
“The insights provided by the survey will undoubtedly guide us in making informed decisions that will benefit our community for years to come,” Patrol Officer Jean Young said, the department’s Accreditation Manager.
Of the 314 responses, 103 were submitted online, with the remainder done in paper form. The survey ran between January 2024 to April 2, 2024. Young said with any survey, it’s important to provide an air of impartiality.
“We want the results of our survey to be unbiased,” Young said. “We need the public to know that we want and need their input, both positive and negative. By using a third party, such as Salve Regina University, we are able to have all the data accurately analyzed and interpreted to the command staff.”
The results showed the public’s interactions with officers and Police Department staff was overwhelmingly positive, particularly patrol officers.
They also indicated an “excellent” performance from the department in the following criteria: “professional,” “courteous,” “helpful” and “knowledgeable.”
To review the survey results, visit https://ri-middletown.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/12927/Middletown-Police-Department-Citizen-Satisfaction-Survey online. For a Powerpoint presentation, go to https://ri-middletown.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/12930/Middletown-Police-Department-Citizen-Satisfaction-Survey-Powerpoint online.
“During this survey, the agency utilized both random physical survey distribution as well as electronic QR code,” Young said. “We are continuously looking for ways to reach all populations of our community and we will continue to utilize advancing technology in future surveys.”
Young said the results of the survey will be provided to Middletown Police personnel and posted throughout the community.
Moving forward, she said the goal was to do a similar survey every two years to provide regular independent updates about the Police Department.
The last time a similar study was conducted by Salve Regina University was October 2019.
“As an accredited agency, we appreciate and value the input from the members of our local and visiting community,” Young said.
Document Link: https://mdl.town/NYCU-MPD-Survey