Police Federation Ipsos MORI survey into public perception of policing
Nearly two thirds of the public have revealed they would feel less safe in their local area if the government continues to cut police budgets.
The Ipsos MORI poll of 1,828 people, commissioned by the Police Federation of England and Wales, showed that 63 per cent of the public would feel less safe if the government continues to cut the funding it gives police forces.
More than nine out of ten (93 per cent) of those surveyed said the number of police officers was important in affecting how good a job the police service can do. And 55 per cent said their feelings of safety were influenced by the number of officers available to their local force, with 19 per cent unsure.
The total government funding settlement for the 43 forces in England and Wales in 2014-15 has been announced at £8.5bn, compared with £8.7bn in 2013-14 and £9.7bn in 2010-11. Total central funding is projected to fall by around 20 per cent in real terms between 2010/11 and 2014/15, as originally planned in the 2010 spending review. Officer numbers have fallen by 16,000 since 2010.
Steve Williams, chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said: ‘This survey surely dispels any lingering doubt that the public would be alarmed about the effect that falling numbers of police officers will have on their personal safety.
‘If British policing is to be able to operate to its capacity and bring justice to the millions of victims of crime, then it is vital that we protect and increase officer numbers. Without sufficient numbers of officers, it will be ever more difficult to perform our vital role.
‘The public is clearly – and rightly - concerned that without sufficient numbers of police officers, the ability of forces to protect and serve the public will be severely hampered.
‘British police officers are the finest in the world. It is vital that we protect and nurture those who keep the country safe.’
A total of 71 per cent of respondents said they were confident or very confident that their local police would keep them safe, while 66 per cent said they trusted the police to tell the truth.
The survey, carried out online between 9 and 12 May 2014, found that 90 per cent of the public felt safe in their local area with more than half - 56 per cent – saying keeping people safe was, for the most part, the police’s responsibility.
Exactly half – 50 per cent - said their local police were doing an excellent or good job, with 34 per cent describing their performance as fair.
Other findings:
- Over three quarters (78 per cent) of the public said they would feel much less safe or less safe if it was agreed that the police stopped dealing with the full range of crimes due to budget cuts.
- The respondents identified murder/violent crime; sexual crime/rape; burglary of people’s houses; and organised crime as the top four police priorities.
- The respondents identified illegal betting/gaming; use of cannabis/marijuana; sale of cigarettes/alcohol/pornography to under-18s; and supply of cannabis/marijuana as the four least important areas for the police to focus on.
Ipsos MORI survey technical details:
- Topline results were based on 1,828 responses to the Ipsos MORI iOmnibus.
- Respondents were adults aged 16-75 who have joined the Ipsos MORI Access Panel.
- Fieldwork took place online between 9 - 12 May 2014.
- The survey data were weighted by age, gender, region and social grade, working status and main household shopper to be nationally representative of GB adults aged 16–75.
