Decline in positive perception of Regina police for 1st time in more than 15 years no surprise: Bray
Pandemic, killing of George Floyd had a major effect, police chief says
A new survey of Regina residents has found that positive perceptions of the Regina Police Service have declined for the first time in more than 15 years.
The results of the community perceptions survey were released in a report presented to the city's Board of Police Commissioners on Tuesday.
In multiple categories, the opinion of the public has shifted, including whether police are sensitive to the needs of ethnic groups, or whether individuals have confidence in calling 911 in an emergency.
For one of the men who helped design the survey, the shift was not a surprise.
"Are these drops concerning? I don't think so," said Nick Jones, a professor with the department of justice studies at the University of Regina.
"I think this was a reflection of a whole bunch of things going on in society in general because we saw it across virtually every police service in the country."
Jones, along with fellow University of Regina professor Rick Ruddell, helped conduct this iteration of the public perception survey on behalf of police from Sept. 8 to Oct. 21, 2021.
Ruddell told CBC News on Monday there was around a five per cent decline in almost all survey categories, including trust and confidence, and quality of service.
The researchers say the 2020 killing of George Floyd in the United States and the resulting protests calling for justice, as well as as the COVID-19 pandemic, are subjects that helped to shift public perception on police since 2019.
Mayor Sandra Masters said the decline in the positive perception of Regina police makes sense when you look at the larger context.
"I don't know if you've noticed, but generally speaking, there seems to be a bit of a polarization within society, and I think that puts pressure on people's attitudes and beliefs in institutions and the social institutions that serve them," Masters said.
In previous surveys, Regina police have performed well above other police services.
On Tuesday, Jones and police Chief Evan Bray said that was why it was just a matter of time until their numbers dropped.
"Seeing this decrease, which is indicative of what's happening in the world and across Canada, I think it adds validity to how accurate this survey has been in the past in in really reflecting what the perceptions are in our community," Bray said.
Individuals who identified as Indigenous in the the 2021 survey consistently indicated they had lower confidence and trust in the police.
Bray says that's why building partnerships and working with organizations in the community are important to increasing trust among diverse populations.
"It's just been intentional steps forward to build that understanding, listen to what some concerns are and finding ways that we can address those concerns so that they feel heard," Bray said.
He admits that the service has faced challenges in recruiting new officers as a result of the shifting perception in police.
A break down of responses
According to the survey, about 85 per cent of respondents agree they would have confidence in calling 911 in an emergency situation requiring police presence. That's down about seven per cent from the 2019 survey.
Almost 72 per cent of people agree the police service is sensitive to the needs of their ethnic group, a decline of about seven per cent compared with 2019.
More than 46 per cent of respondents felt Regina police treat people fairly, while about 12 per cent felt the force does a poor job.
In comparison, more than 58 per cent of respondents felt Regina police treated people fairly in 2019.
Thirty-nine per cent of survey respondents had some form of contact with the police service in the past year. A majority (69 per cent) said they initiated contact with police. About nine per cent of respondents were Indigenous, a decline of one per cent compared with 2019 and 2017.
The telephone survey is conducted every two years with the latest version asking 450 residents on their thoughts about the Regina Police Service.
The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus five per cent, 95 times out of 100.
With files from Yasmine Ghania