Sudbury·Audio

Sudbury police poll public on services, priorities

Police in Sudbury are again turning to the public for feedback as they design their business plan — and set their priorities.
Sudbury police are quizzing people about what they think of policing in the city—and what ideas they have to improve it. (oraclepoll.com)

Police in Sudbury are again turning to the public for feedback as they design their business plan — and set their priorities. 

Every three years, police are bound by law to issue such a plan.

This year, the service has hired Oraclepoll Research Limited  to survey about 600 Sudburians. Issues include how to reduce non-violent crime, whether civilian employees could respond to non-violent crime, and whether people would pay more for service.

The poll is open to anyone in Sudbury, and there is a different questionnaire for business owners.
(CBC)

Staff Sergeant Craig Maki said, in the last police survey, people weighed in on what policing matters were of the most concern to them, and police took it seriously.

"In the last business planning process we had, we had reducing impaired driving and coming up with ideas on how to deal with that such as public education," he said. 

"Now we go to schools, we talk to youth in high schools. Those are the types of ideas we're looking for."

In addition to the survey, police are also meeting with neighbourhood groups for feedback.

"Chief Pederson believes that community safety is a community responsibility," Maki said.

"We can't do it ourselves. We're looking for help from various partnerships. That's why we're reaching out to all the local agencies that we can."

Maki said a survey will also be done internally to see what police themselves think should be a priority.

A report that includes those survey results will be released in the spring.

Click here to take the Greater Sudbury Police Service survey.