NCJ Number
164595
Journal
FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin Volume: 65 Issue: 12 Dated: (December 1996) Pages: 10-14
Date Published
1996
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article describes the methodology and results of the Business Survey Project of the Merriam Police Department (Kansas), which was designed to improve police service to community businesses.
Abstract
Phase one involved the identification of all city businesses through the retrieval of a computerized listing of licensed businesses from the city clerk's office. In phase two the chief developed a mail-in survey form. After a brief profile of the police department, the survey presented questions designed to solicit business owners' rating of police service to the business, their chief concern regarding crime, and suggestions for ways to improve the department's service to the business. Phase three involved education and implementation, which focused on training first-line supervisors on the purposes of and the implementation of the survey. The survey was distributed by day shift officers, who were responsible for contacting three businesses per shift. Phase four involved public relations work prior to the survey to prepare both business owners and public officials for the survey. Phase five involved follow-up measures to ensure that officers were properly implementing the survey. Phase six consisted of compiling and processing returned surveys. Survey results showed that, overall, the Merriam business community had a favorable opinion of its police department. The greatest benefit of the survey was an enhanced relationship between the police and business owners that fostered an atmosphere of cooperation that built upon the community-oriented policing philosophy.