Public Trust and Confidence – (A Snap-Shot in Time)
Surveys are a versatile and powerful tool for gathering actionable intelligence, engaging with the community, and driving the continuous improvement of the police service. The Winnipeg Police Service has been commissioning a community survey every other year for decades. The feedback from citizens in our community helps inform the WPS Strategic Plan and Business Plan.
The 2024 WPS Public Opinion Survey was released on March 8th to coincide with the public meeting of the Winnipeg Police Board. The perception of police has changed since our last survey. There were some positive things that I consider reassuring, and some negative trends that warrant attention.
The general perception of police is lower than previous years. Over half (54%) rated the quality of the WPS as excellent or good. What is notable this year, is the number of people who rated the WPS as average. To put this into context, think of the letter grades many educational institutions use: excellent would be graded as an A; good or very good would be graded as a B; and average would be graded as a C.
While the excellent and good rating of the police has trended down, it has not corresponded with an increase in the number of people who perceive the WPS as poor or very poor. What has occurred is that a significant number of the people surveyed rated the WPS as average. One could argue that average is a passable rating; when combined with the good and excellent rating, 90% of those surveyed gave the WPS a passing grade.
I am not satisfied with an average rating; from my perspective, it is important to try and understand what influences people’s perception of the police, and what the WPS can do to improve the public’s perception of the police. There are some consistent factors that seem to influence public perception of the police:
1. Increase in Crime
People's sense of personal safety and security is closely linked to their perceptions of police effectiveness. Increased crime or fear of crime can make individuals feel less safe, potentially leading to criticism of the police for not providing adequate protection. Here in Winnipeg, there has been a marked increase in the number of homicides, as well as an increase in violent crime. Some of the crimes that police have reported publicly have had a high profile—many involved youths or occurring in well-known locations like the Millennium Library or The Forks.
2. Operational Accountability and Transparency
The degree to which the police service is seen as accountable and transparent in its operations, especially in dealing with crime or police conduct can affect public trust. In the last few months there has been five deaths that involved the police. All of them are being investigated by the Independent Investigations Unit with WPS cooperation. These types of high-profile cases—where people are left waiting for details of the investigation—can lead to negative perceptions.
3. Media Coverage
Sensationalized or biased reporting can skew public perception. I have commented on this kind of reporting in the past.
Once an organization is provided with survey feedback, and understands why people feel the way they do, it is reasonable to expect a response. There are a number of initiatives within the 2024 Business Plan that outline decisive action that the WPS will undertake to address community concerns:
Downtown Safety
Police and cadets provide a visible, proactive presence through foot patrols. They also build relationships through engagement with the community. In partnership with downtown businesses and the Downtown Community Safety Partnership, a safety hub will be established, along with an expanded CCTV network, to improve responses to safety and wellbeing concerns. Additionally, the expansion of foot patrols will further boost community safety and provide greater visible proactive presence to deter crime. If you have been to a Winnipeg Jets game, you know what that police presence is like.
Repeat Violent Offenders
With the assistance of the provincial government, the Manitoba Integrated Violent Offender Apprehension Unit has been established to address the increase in violence in Winnipeg and throughout the province. MIVOAU is focused on identifying, locating, and apprehending violent and prolific offenders. In 2023 Q4, 211 violent offenders were apprehended. Of note, 89% of the offenders arrested were on bail, probation, or parole.
Police leaders have also fought hard for bail reform and were successful. Bill C-48 was enacted into law December 5th, 2023. The amendments of Bill C-48 strengthen Canada's bail system, particularly in relation to repeat violent offending and offences involving firearms or other weapons, such as knives or bear spray. Again, with the assistance of the provincial government the WPS will enhance its ability to monitor and track offenders who fail to comply with bail conditions.
Repeat violent offenders who refuse to comply with bail conditions cause harm and strike fear in the community. Community safety is improved when these offenders are apprehended.
People in Crisis
The Alternative Response to Citizens in Crisis (ARCC) is a partnership between the WPS and the Crisis Response Center. The whole idea is to help people before they are in crisis. The ARCC team performs mental health assessments, develops care plans, and connects individuals and their families to support within the community and healthcare system. In 2023 Q4, ARCC teams attended to more than a thousand low-risk non-criminal calls that prevented people from escalating to full-blown crisis.
Telling Our Own Story
The survey confirms that the public has a high level of trust in the WPS as a news source. The WPS issues hundreds of crime and safety media releases. Police leaders and subject matter experts engage in interviews, and publish articles that inform the public on a variety of topics that address public safety, and police policy and operations. Survey responders viewed the WPS as a more trustworthy source of local public safety news than the local media.
In addition to the commissioned survey, pay attention to surveys done by other opinion research companies that gauge public opinion about police and other institutions in Canada. Context is important:
· The Leger poll conducted in October 2023 showed 73% of respondents had high confidence in police.
· The Gallup poll conducted in October 2023 showed 78% of respondents had high confidence in police.
· The Stats Canada poll conducted in February 2024 showed 65% of respondents had high confidence in police.
· The Angus Reid poll conducted in 2022 showed 55% of respondents had high confidence in police.
Recent polls, including the WPS 2024 Public Opinion Survey, demonstrate that perceptions can fluctuate; but these polls also demonstrate that there is consistently high levels of trust and confidence in police. Another thing worth noting is that police have greater levels of public confidence than other institutions, including the courts, all levels of government, and even the media. Police services cannot thrive without public trust and confidence. The WPS must always strive to continuously improve. Survey feedback helps to inform police boards and police leaders of public perceptions, and where to focus attention.