Public Given Chance to Voice Opinion on Policing

The people of South Yorkshire are getting their chance to show what they think about policing issues in their area.

South Yorkshire Police and South Yorkshire Police Authority have sent their ‘Your Voice Counts’ survey to more than 48,000 households in the region to gather vital information and monitor public perception on neighbourhood policing.

The survey asks questions on a number of police matters ranging from anti-social behaviour, criminal justice, and also gauges opinion on value for money.

Charles Perryman, chair of South Yorkshire Police Authority said: "The ‘Your Voice Counts’ survey is a very important indicator to us of what the public feel they want and are receiving from the Police and its Authority.

"South Yorkshire is divided into 23 Safer Neighbourhood Areas (SNA’s), and by covering all of them we can gauge what the public think the police, and ourselves at the Police Authority, should prioritise in the area they live in."

The survey’s results from the previous three years have seen increasingly positive feedback about public confidence in how South Yorkshire is policed.

In 2009 when asked whether the police and local council were dealing with crime and anti social behaviour, the figures of those who responded with ‘Strongly Agree/Agree" was up to 44 percent compared with 37 percent in 2008.

Med Hughes, Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police added: "The Police and the Police Authority are fully committed to community consultation as a means of identifying priorities and improving services.

"What ‘Your Voice Counts’ surveys do is help us build a clear picture of what the public think they would like from us in the future, so we urge everyone who receives the survey to answer the questions and return the form."

Over a quarter of those randomly surveyed last year responded, and this year the Police and Police Authority want even more people to provide their opinions.

As an incentive to reply, questionnaires returned will be entered into a prize draw to win a choice between an iPod Nano, Nintendo DS Lite, digital camera, mobile phone or shopping vouchers worth £100.