Title: Public Perceptions of the Wilmington Police Department

Dates: February 6-11, 1999

Number of Respondents: 482

Margin of Error: +/- 4.6%

Method: Telephone Survey (Random Number Generation)

Conducted By: Survey Research Laboratory, University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Principal Investigators: Drs. Randy LaGrange, Rick Dixon, Ron Everett, and Stephen Meinhold

Hello, I'm <first and last name>, a <_______> major at UNCW. We are

calling about 400 adult residents living in Wilmington whose phone

numbers were randomly selected. This survey is a class project in

which we interview people about the Wilmington Police Department and

other issues facing Wilmington. Your participation is voluntary and

your answers are anonymous. The survey will take less than 10 minutes.

Are you 18 years of age or older?

Q1 First, do you live --->

(1) in a newly annexed area of Wilmington,

(2) within the previous boundaries of Wilmington,

(3) or outside of the city limits?

<99> don't know or no answer

RES1 How long have you lived in Wilmington?

<< ___ ___ ENTER THE NUMBER OF YEARS >>

<< IF LESS THAN 1, ENTER AS 0 >>

<< IF HALF YEAR, ROUND TO NEAREST EVEN YEAR >>

<< ENTER 9999 IF DON'T KNOW OR REFUSED >>

RES2 Do you live in --->

(1) an apartment or duplex,

(2) a condominium or townhouse,

(3) a single-family home,

(4) a trailer home,

(5) or some other living arrangement?

<99> don't know/refused

RES3 Do you own or rent the place where you live?

(1) own

(2) rent

<99> don't know/refused

At one time or another, most of us have experienced fear

about being the victim of a crime. We are interested in

finding out how afraid you are of being a victim of

several different types of crime. First, . . .

FOC1 How afraid are you of...

BEING ATTACKED BY SOMEONE WHO HAS A WEAPON--->

(1) not afraid at all,

(2) somewhat afraid,

(3) or very afraid?

<99> don't know/refused

FOC2 how afraid are you of...

BEING ROBBED WHILE ON THE STREET--->

(1) not afraid at all,

(2) somewhat afraid,

(3) or very afraid?

<99> don't know/refused

FOC3 how afraid are you of...

BEING RAPED OR SEXUALLY ASSAULTED--->

(1) not afraid at all,

(2) somewhat afraid,

(3) or very afraid?

<99> don't know/refused

FOC4 how afraid are you of...

HAVING SOMEONE BREAK INTO YOUR HOME--->

(1) not afraid at all,

(2) somewhat afraid,

(3) or very afraid?

<99> don't know/refused

FOC5 how afraid are you of...

HAVING YOUR PROPERTY STOLEN--->

(1) not afraid at all,

(2) somewhat afraid,

(3) or very afraid?

<99> don't know/refused

FOC6 Is there any area right around your home

- that is, within a mile - where you would

be afraid to walk alone at NIGHT?

(1) yes

(2) no

<99> don't know/no answer

FOC7 Is there any area right around your home

- that is, within a mile - where you would

be afraid to walk alone during the DAY?

(1) yes

(2) no

<99> don't know/no answer

FOC8 How safe do you feel being alone at night in your home--->

(1) very safe,

(2) somewhat safe,

(3) somewhat unsafe,

(4) or very unsafe?

<99> don't know/no answer

FOC9 In the past year, would you say your fear of crime has--->

(1) gone up,

(2) gone down,

(3) or remained about the same?

<99> don't know/no answer

C1 In the past year, have you or anyone else

in your household been the victim of crime?

(1) yes

(2) no

<99> don't know/no answer

C2 Have any of your neighbors been the victim

of crime in the past year?

(1) yes

(2) no

<99> don't know/no answer

C3 In the past year, would you say that crime in

your neighborhood has--->

(1) gone up,

(2) gone down,

(3) or remained about the same?

<99> don't know/no answer

There are a number of things people sometimes

consider to be problems in their neighborhoods.

Please tell me how great a problem each of the

following items is in your neighborhood.

INC1 How great a problem is...

TRASH AND LITTER LYING AROUND IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD...is it--->

(1) not a problem,

(2) somewhat of a problem,

(3) or a serious problem?

<99> don't know/no answer

INC2 how great a problem are...

DISRUPTIVE NEIGHBORS...are they--->

(1) not a problem,

(2) somewhat of a problem,

(3) or a serious problem?

<99> don't know/no answer

INC3 how great a problem is...

GRAFFITI IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, is it--->

(1) not a problem,

(2) somewhat of a problem,

(3) or a serious problem?

<99> don't know/no answer

INC4 how great a problem are...

VACANT HOUSES IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, are they--->

(1) not a problem,

(2) somewhat of a problem,

(3) or a serious problem?

<99> don't know/no answer

INC5 how great a problem are...

PEOPLE DRUNK OR ON DRUGS IN PUBLIC IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, are they--->

(1) not a problem,

(2) somewhat of a problem,

(3) or a serious problem?

<99> don't know/no answer

INC6 how great a problem are...

SUSPICIOUS STRANGERS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, are they--->

(1) not a problem,

(2) somewhat of a problem,

(3) or a serious problem?

<99> don't know/no answer

INC7 how great a problem is...

SPEEDING OR RECKLESS DRIVING IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, is it--->

(1) not a problem,

(2) somewhat of a problem,

(3) or a serious problem?

<99> don't know/no answer

Now I am going to ask you some questions about

the Wilmington Police Department. Please tell

me, IN GENERAL, whether you strongly agree,

agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with

the following statements.

POL1 the Wilmington Police Department is...

POLITE AND COURTEOUS--->

(1) strongly agree,

(2) agree,

(3) disagree,

(4) or strongly disagree?

<99> don't know/no answer

POL2 the Wilmington Police Department is...

EFFECTIVE AT KEEPING ORDER ON THE STREETS--->

(1) strongly agree,

(2) agree,

(3) disagree,

(4) or strongly disagree?

<99> don't know/no answer

POL3 the Wilmington Police Department is...

EFFECTIVE AT APPREHENDING CRIMINALS--->

(1) strongly agree,

(2) agree,

(3) disagree,

(4) or strongly disagree?

<99> don't know/no answer

POL4 the Wilmington Police Department is...

EFFECTIVE AT USING ITS PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT--->

(1) strongly agree,

(2) agree,

(3) disagree,

(4) or strongly disagree?

<99> don't know/no answer

POL5 the Wilmington Police Department is...

EFFECTIVE AT ENFORCING TRAFFIC REGULATIONS--->

(1) strongly agree,

(2) agree,

(3) disagree,

(4) or strongly disagree?

<99> don't know/no answer

POL6 the Wilmington Police Department is...

FAIR WHEN DEALING WITH PEOPLE IN GENERAL--->

(1) strongly agree,

(2) agree,

(3) disagree,

(4) or strongly disagree?

<99> don't know/no answer

POL7 the Wilmington Police Department is...

FAIR WHEN DEALING WITH MINORITIES--->

(1) strongly agree,

(2) agree,

(3) disagree,

(4) or strongly disagree?

<99> don't know/no answer

POL8 the Wilmington Police Department is...

FAIR WHEN DEALING WITH TEENAGERS--->

(1) strongly agree,

(2) agree,

(3) disagree,

(4) or strongly disagree.

<99> don't know/no answer

POL8A the Wilmington Police Department is...

FAIR WHEN DEALING WITH COLLEGE STUDENTS--->

(1) strongly agree,

(2) agree,

(3) disagree,

(4) or strongly disagree.

<99> don't know/no answer

POL9 How often do you see the police patrolling

your neighborhood...do you see them--->

(1) less than once a month,

(2) several times a month,

(3) about once a week,

(4) several times a week,

(5) or everyday?

<1> never

<99> don't know/no answer

POL10 Do you think the Wilmington Police Department

should patrol your neighborhood--->

(1) more often,

(2) less often,

(3) or about the same as now?

<99> don't know/no answer

POL11 Overall, how satisfied are you with the

Wilmington Police Department--->

(1) very satisfied,

(2) satisfied,

(3) dissatisfied,

(4) or very dissatisfied?

<99> don't know/no answer

POL12 Is there anything the Wilmington Police Department

should do differently, or better, than they

are currently doing?

(1) yes

(2) no

<99> don't know/no answer

POL13 What is that?

Now I have just a few final questions so that we can make

comparisons among all of the people in our survey.

BG1 In what year were you born?

<< 19 ___ enter the last two years of the year of birth >>

<< enter 9999 if don't know or refused >>

NOTE: CONVERTED INTO AGE

BG2 Which of the following racial groups

would you say includes you--->

(1) black or African-American,

(2) white American,

(3) American Indian,

(4) Hispanic or Latino,

(5) or another racial group?

<99> don't know/no answer

BG3 Would you describe yourself politically as--->

(1) very liberal,

(2) somewhat liberal,

(3) somewhat conservative,

(4) or, very conservative?

<5> middle of the road/moderate <<only if respondent VOLUNTEERS>>

<99> don't know/no answer

BG4 Which of the following best describes the highest level

of formal education that you have completed--->

(1) less than high school,

(2) high school or GED,

(3) some college or technical school after high school,

(4) a four year college degree,

(5) or, some education beyond a four year college degree?

<99> don't know/no answer

BG5 I'm going to read you a list of income groups.

Please stop me when I get to the group that includes

your annual household income--->

(1) up to $10,000,

(2) $10,000 to $20,000,

(3) $20,000 to $30,000,

(4) $30,000 to $40,000,

(5) $40,000 to $50,000,

(6) $50,000 to $60,000,

(7) $60,000 to $70,000,

(8) $70,000 to $80,000,

(9) $80,000 to $90,000,

(10) $90,000 to $100,000,

(11) or over $100,000?

<12> refused

<99> don't know/no answer

BG6 How many adults age 18 and older live

in your household, including yourself?

<<___ ___ enter number of adults>>

<<Enter 9 if 9 or more>>

<99> don't know/no answer

BG7 How many children under age 18 live in your household?

<<___ ___ enter number of children>>

<<Enter 9 if 9 or more>>

<99> don't know/no answer

BG8 What is your zip code?

(1) 28401

(2) 28403

(3) 28405

(4) 28409

(5) 28412

(6) OTHER

<99> don't know/no answer

ZIP01 Do you live--->

(1) north of Market Street,

(2) between Market Street and Dawson Street,

(3) or south of Dawson Street?

<99> don't know/no answer

ZIP03 Is that north of Oleander Dive or south?

(1) north

(2) south

<99> don't know/no answer

ZIP03A Are you on the UNCW side of College Road

or the downtown side?

(1) UNCW side

(2) downtown side

<99> don't know/no answer

ZIP12 Is that on the river side of Carolina Beach Road

or the ocean side?

(1) river side

(2) ocean side

<99> don't know/no answer

BG9 Now our instructions are to ask each

person we talk to if they are--->

(1) a male,

(2) or a female?

<99> don't know/no answer

That is all the questions we have tonight.

Thank you for your time. Good bye.

EVALUATE Evaluate overall how well this interview went--->

(1) Went very well - respondent was friendly,

willing to answer questions, cooperative,

I enjoyed the interview.

(2) Went well - respondent usually paid attention

to my questions, seemed to understand what was

being asked, seemed sure of the responses,

business-like, matter-of-fact.

(3) Went poorly - respondent didn't seem to be

paying attention to me and I had to repeat my

questions, didn't understand some of the

questions, seemed unsure of how to respond.