Have your say on the state of policing in Lincolnshire

A survey by Lincolnshire Police will let residents’ voices be heard when they appraise the service.

Everyone across the county will have the opportunity to answer questions on a range of subjects including police funding, experience of crime, effectiveness of police response and methods of reporting incidents.

Each respondent will also be invited to sign-up to a special panel, called Lincolnshire’s Safer Together Research Panel, and be invited to take part in further surveys throughout the year.

The new survey and panel has been launched by Lincolnshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Marc Jones, who said the opinions voiced would play an influential role in shaping how the county is policed.

Participation in the survey – will be open to all residents in Lincolnshire over the age of 15.

Signing up will require members to provide some basic personal information to ensure that the panel is as representative as possible. All of the answers that members give to surveys they participate in will be anonymous.

“At the very heart of my role is ensuring that the views and priorities of the people and communities of Lincolnshire are reflected in the way our great county is policed,” said Mr Jones.

“So this year I have taken the decision to extend and enhance the methods of consultation to build up my understanding and appreciation of the needs, attitudes and opinions of Lincolnshire residents, when it comes to preventing and tackling crime.

“Members of the panel will be invited to provide opinions on topical and important crime and policing issues that affect our county and their views and opinions will inform the decisions I take in setting out the direction for community safety, policing and criminal justice in Lincolnshire, over both the short and the long term.”

A survey launched last year received nearly 3,000 responses in just three weeks.

This year the survey is timed to coincide with the annual budget setting and will remain open until January 16, 2019.

The inaugural ten-minute questionnaire covered issues ranging from people’s actual experience of crime versus their fear of crime, to where they would deploy extra officers if they were available.

• Police said the findings revealed by last year’s survey helped shape several new initiatives including:
• The launch of a new Safer Roads Team in response to concerns raised about speeding traffic and helped inform the transformation and extension of the Community Speed Watch Scheme
• Recruiting 2,000 residents to help fight scams, cyber-crime and identity theft
• Convening a multi-agency group to develop an action plan to combat drug use in the city of Lincoln
• Consulting with councillors, businesses and chief police officers on ways to reduce fear of crime in the south of the county
• Findings were shared with all district councils and the county council to help inform their community safety plans.

  To complete the survey, visit https://lincolnshirecrimeandpolicingsurvey2018.questionpro.com