NCJ Number
79260
Date Published
1977
Length
32 pages
Annotation
Citizens in the 14 member municipalities of the West Shore Council of Governments, located in the Harrisburg, Pa., area, were surveyed to determine their attitudes toward the potential consolidation of police services in the West Shore area.
Abstract
A stratified random sample of 2,100 citizens was chosen. A total of 721 interviews were conducted by mail and telephone for a 34-percent response rate. Four-fifths of the respondents were aware of the West Shore police consolidation issue. A majority of the respondents (58 percent) believed that it is important that their own jurisdiction have its own police department. They tended to be skeptical of the ability of a larger police department to improve service. A large majority of the respondents who had been in contact with the police within the 12 months prior to the survey were satisfied with the services they received. A total of 39 percent thought that services would improve with the consolidation of adjacent or surrounding community police departments, and 32 percent thought services would improve with the consolidation of all West Shore police departments. A total of 44 percent favored consolidation of their police department with those in the surrounding communities, 36 percent were against it, and 21 percent were undecided. When asked their opinion about consolidation of all police departments, 31 percent were in favor, 45 percent were opposed, and 24 percent were undecided. If costs of police services were to decrease as a result of consolidation, a higher proportion of the respondents would favor it. Only 20 percent favored consolidation if police costs increased as a result of consolidation. Most respondents felt that citizens rather than public officials should make the decision on police consolidation. Tables, study instruments, and calculations are provided. (Author summary modified)