Police survey small town USA, page 1

Grayelf2009

posted on Nov, 19 2009 @ 11:45 PM

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mod....wasent sure if this was right forum , so move if needed.peace!

A couple months ago over 300 people in Ellis Kansas signed a petition to have one of our new police officers removed from his job because harrassament ....numerous complaints....he actually ran through a crosswalk at the grade school to stop a teenage driver to make sure they had a seatbelt on...stoped a kid that has MS because he though they were walking funny....the list goes on and on. All of our protest to the mayor and the petition giving to the city council has been ignored. The town in question has "A" stop light...we dont ebven need that .....1800 residents...no crime to really speak of and yet we have 7 cops...heavy sigh.

Anywho this survey shows up and thought I wouold run it by you folks to see what you think about the questions. I feel it goes to a way too far.At first it seems harmless.....

Here is part of the cover page explaining it....

Dear Ellis Resident,

On behalf of the City of Ellis Police Department,Fort Hays State University is conducting a random, representative survey within the City of Ellis in order to help ensure a representative cross-section of Ellis adults. The City of Ellis Police Department would like to know citizens' attitudes about various aspects of the Department's services, as well as collect information about emergency preparedness of local residents.Your most accurate answers are very important in order for the City of Ellis Police Department to make future decisions. Please help the Ellis Police Department by completing this brief questionnaire.

Beginning November 2, 2009 households selected at random to participate in this survey will be contacted by Fort Hays State University students either in person or by having the survey left on their front door. In order to help ensure a random sample of adults is achieved, the adult in the household with the most recent birthday should participate in this survey.

Im just gonna list the questions,most are yes and no. There are some that need to have the choices listed as you will see. If there is a demand to see the documents as is,I will scan and paste. Ok here is the survey.

"City of Ellis Law Enforcement Needs Assessment Survey"
1 Do you know the names of your neighbours?

2 Does your household have a house evacuation plan in case of a fire?

3 Does your house have a fire extinguisher?

4 Does your home have smoke detectors installed?

5 Does your home have carbon monoxide dectors installed?

6 Is anyone in your household certified for CPR?

7 Have you had a professional contact with a City of Ellis Police Department officer within the last two years?

8 Using a scale of 1 to 4 , please rate the City Of Ellis Police Officer with whom you had your most recent interaction:
a.The officer acted in a professional manner.
b.The officr was neat and clean in appearance.
c.The officer seemed knowledgeable about laws.
d.The officer seemed able to carry out duties.

9 If this most recent interaction was a traffic stop did you believe it was justified?

10 Would you feel comfortable contacting the City of Ellis Police Cheif if you had a and complaints about the police department?

11 Would you feel comfortable contacting the City of Ellis Police Cheif if you had positive comments about the police department?

12 Would you feel comfortable contacting the City of Ellis Police Cheif if you had suggestions for the police department?

13 The following is a list of programs that are currently conducted by the Ellis Police Department.For each of the following please tell us whether you think it should be Continued or Eliminated.
a.Child car seat inspections
b.5th grade DARE Golf Tournament
c.Health Fair Ident-A-Kid
d.Bi-Yearly High School accident awareness
e.School Bike Saftey
f.K-4 grade DARE

14 The following is a list of programs that the Ellis Police Department might consider implementing at some point in the future. Please tell us whether you think each program is Very much needed, Somewhat,or Not At All Needed.
a.Citizens Advisory Committee
b. Teen Court
c. Citizen's Academy
d.School Resource Officer Program
e. McGruff "The Crime Dog"
f. Neighborhood Watch Initiatives.

15 Using a scale of 1-4, please indicate your opinion for each of the following statements.
a.The Ellis Police Department should take an active role in school saftey.
b.The Ellis Police Department has a reputation for courteous and professional conduct when dealing with the public.
c.I am confident that the Ellis Police Department can protect and serve the citizens of Ellis.
d.I believe that it is important for the City of Eliis to have an up-to-date police department.
e.I often see police offiers contributing to local community events and event planning.
f.I have seen City of Ellis police officers engaged in unethical behavior when off-duty.
g.I think that it is important for the City of Ellis Police Department to work with other local and state law enforcement agencies to better carry out its duties.
h.I feel that City of Ellis police officers are approachable if I have a problem or concern.
i.I feel that there is adequate patrolling in Ellis by the police officers on-duty.
j.I feel that it is acceptable to use unmarked police cars if law enforcement is engaged in the investigations of drug activity.
k.I would like the officer assigned to my area of town to introduce him or herself to me so that I know that officer by name.
l.The Ellis Police Department Community Policing initatives are intrusive to my privacy.
m.Pleas list any saftey concerns that you feel are not being addressed adequately by the City of Ellis Police Department.

16 How often do you wear your seat belt? ( in Kansas it the law , even if you are going 20 mph)

17 Do you have guns in your home?
b.If yes, are the guns secured in a child-safe location?
c.If you have any handguns in your home,do you use saftey locks in all of the triggers?

18 Using a scale of 0-10, please rate how much of a problem each of the following is in the City of Ellis.
a.Drunk Driving
b.Methamphetamine making/dealing
c.Teenage Driving Fatalities
d.Elder Abuse/Neglect
e.Child Neglect/Abuse
f.Vehicles speeding in School Zones
g.Domestic Violence/Abuse
h.Noise Complaints/Vipolations
i.Abandoned & Unlicensed cars
j.School Bus saftey
k.Speeding
l.Farm Vehicles on the Roadways
m.Gun saftey in the Home
n.Use of illegal Drugs
o.Saftey of Children while in School

19 What is your age?

20 Are you male/female?

21 What is your current marital status?

22 Please indicate the highest level of education that you have completed

23 Please circle the category that best describes your total HOUSEHOLD INCOME from all sources before taxes in 2008

24 How many people live in your household?

25 Are you registered to vote in Ellis County,Kansas?

26 Did you vote in the last general election in Ellis County?

27 Do you or anyone in your household work for the City of Ellis Police Department?

There ya go...I tried to type it like it was printed.

What say you? A little intrusive? Looking forward to seeing what everyones thoughts are on this?

12.21.12

posted on Nov, 19 2009 @ 11:54 PM

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It looks like a PR thing and nothing more.

But just to make sure. Answer the questions in a way that does not convey that you are interested in enhancing law enforcement or giving it any aditional responsibilities.

That is unless your town is out of control and needs more cops.

jam321

posted on Nov, 19 2009 @ 11:54 PM

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I would write NUNYA on every one of those questions.

You would think that with a town that small, the police would merely need to perk their ears to get a sense of what the town's opinion of the police department is.

dolphinfan

posted on Nov, 20 2009 @ 12:39 AM

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reply to post by Grayelf2009

There is no way I would fill out that survey. Not beause I think there is anything going on, but because it is none of their business. If they wanted that kind of input they could simply mail the deal out and have a paid return envelope for you to mail it back to them. The questions themselves are mostly banal, but most of them, like marital status and income have absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the efficacy of the police or town government.

It is the attribution of the answers of the questions to individuals that is the problem

AlienChaser

posted on Nov, 20 2009 @ 01:12 AM

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Hmmm.

Some of the questions are pretty intrusive, and the shear volume of repetitive areas make it clear that they are creating a database. Perhaps for legitimate use, perhaps not. There are a lot of seemingly innocent questions surrounding some of the more intrusive ones, almost certainly by design. It goes from questionable

14 The following is a list of programs that the Ellis Police Department might consider implementing at some point in the future. Please tell us whether you think each program is Very much needed, Somewhat,or Not At All Needed.
a.Citizens Advisory Committee
b. Teen Court
c. Citizen's Academy
d.School Resource Officer Program
e. McGruff "The Crime Dog"
f. Neighborhood Watch Initiatives.

To unacceptable

17 Do you have guns in your home?
b.If yes, are the guns secured in a child-safe location?
c.If you have any handguns in your home,do you use saftey locks in all of the triggers?

Again, quickly followed by B and C to calm any red flags the question itself may have raised.

If I received one of these I would make an anonymous call condemning such a personal inquiry and then I would throw it away. I would also write a letter to the local paper, name and address withheld of course.

endisnighe

posted on Nov, 20 2009 @ 01:17 AM

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As some of have said before me, do not even fill it out.

I grew up in a town of 2101, we had one police officer for the entire time.

It sounds like you live in Gestapo USA. Welcome to the NWO.

And we use to think USSR was bad. They are now known as Russia and we are known as USSA. # is getting trippy hugh?

chiron613

posted on Nov, 20 2009 @ 01:24 AM

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I can't see how this survey has anything to do with trying to fire a bad cop. If this cop is a knucklehead, it really doesn't matter if I have a carbon monoxide monitor in my home. Who cares? The guy should be canned, if he's as incompetent as described.

I don't know what I'd do with that questionnaire. If I answered it at all, I'd simply ignore any intrusive question. If it had any sort of unique number on it, I'd refuse to answer because they could easily keep track of what number was sent to which address,

This whole thing stinks. I think I'd probably bring it to the attention of the news media, rather than answering it. There's something mightly odd about it that likely needs a closer look.

burdman30ott6

posted on Nov, 20 2009 @ 02:15 AM

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The following is my opinion as a member participating in this discussion.

I was reading through the questions think to myself "Dang, this survey is actually a great idea. It seems to acknowledge that the taxpayer actually should have some input in the use of their tax dollars as well as a way to voice their opinion on how those dollars are being used in the world of local law enforcement. I was particularly impressed with the opportunity to suggest which programs should not be eliminated and which ones should be initiated by the department... then I reached question 16 and the alarm in my head went off. Had I been holding the physical survey, it would have been shredded and thrown away upon reading question 17. It is very curious and probabaly not coincidental that the first half of the survey lulls the citizen into a sense of community security and responsibillity before going for the big questions about firearms in the home, crimes you may be committing, and what your annual income is. In many ways this almost seems too invasive and improper to have been the brainchild of local law enforcement in a small community... I wouldn't be surprised if the idea and questions originated from some HHS memo or guidelines "Big Sis" had sent out to the departments (ala the memo they sent out about people with 3rd party candidate bumper stickers and American flags on their cars.)

Thank you for sharing this information with us! extra DIV

DataWraith

posted on Nov, 20 2009 @ 04:26 AM

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Looking at those questions ( being from the UK btw) all I can see is loaded questions, none are allowed apart from 1? to leave negative feedback and even that one is " would you fell comfortable reporting negatively?".

Sorry but thats not a proper survey.

All I can I see is " did we do good? or did we do good?". and 2009 homes and the OP states 1800 people? erm slight discrepancy there I think, how many are dead that respond to this survey me thinks?

.

edited to add:

McGruff the 'crimedog'? WTF is that all about, crimedog? what does he do , sniff out the bad guys? tackle deviants? O h I can see it now,
Nasty perp smoking a joint, with a T-shirt saying 'Obama sucks' , geting chased down by McGruff, a fellow officer tazers the perp and as he struggles on the floor the officer slaps the cuffs on and says " Well done McGruff, another collar", McGruff then urinates on the prone 'criminal' .
Job done McGruff saves the day YAY....

[edit on 20/11/09 by DataWraith]

Vitchilo

posted on Nov, 20 2009 @ 04:30 AM

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Yeah answer those questions badly and you will get harassed and raided... so I suggest you do not fill it in...

I suggest that you 300 people who signed the petition kick the mayor out at the next election and kick this crazy nut in a blue uniform out as soon as your candidate is in office...

BTW, is it possible to be elected in a town like this and have NO police? If people don't want police, why would we have one?

burdman30ott6

posted on Nov, 20 2009 @ 11:08 AM

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Originally posted by DataWraith
McGruff the 'crimedog'? WTF is that all about, crimedog?

McGruff is a cartoon bloodhound in a detective's trenchcoat that has been used in the USA for the last 30 years to teach little kids about avoiding drugs, not talking to strangers, traffic safety, etc. His motto is "Help take a bite out of crime" by teaching children personal responsibillity to protect themselves on their end, in other words he teaches kids how to not be a victim of crime. They used to have McGruff signs that good, background checked people could get from the local law enforcement and put on their house to tell kids that house was a safe house if they were in trouble.