For information
25 July 1997

Provisional Legislative Council
Panel on Security

Customer Satisfaction Survey of the Police Force

Purpose

This paper reports on the findings of an independent customer satisfaction survey commissioned by the Police Force.

Background

2.The Force Strategy on Quality of Service (FSQS) was formally launched in March 1995 to foster a customer based culture through a service quality approach. The FSQS is divided into five phases including awareness, understanding, favour, involvement and commitment for implementation within a five year period. The Police Force Service Quality Wing has made a number of presentations and publicity within the Force to promote the concept of service quality since mid-1995.

3.In December 1995, the Force commissioned a Public Opinion Survey to identify the perception of the"man in the street" towards the Force and its performance. The results of that survey was published in early 1996. The Commissioner of Police also launched the Force Vision and Statement of Common Purpose and Values in December 1996 to provide clear organisational objectives and a strong sense of direction to members of the Force.

Customer satisfaction survey

4.As part of a continuing need to assess the appropriateness of the Force's service to the community, it is also necessary to survey the opinions of "customers" - persons who have had direct and recent contact with Police services. One of the main objectives of research of this nature is to identify where there is potential for improvement to services.

5.The survey, carried out by the same independent professional survey company which carried out the 1995 Public Opinion Survey, was carried out by telephone interviews with randomly selected respondents who had been victims, witnesses or complainants of recent cases of non-violent crime, nuisance, dispute, minor assaults and traffic accidents involving damage only. The survey interviewed people who had made reports to Police in February this year. A total of 804 people were interviewed.

6.Respondents, who had contact with Police officers at the scene of incidents, called the '999' console, telephoned Police station report rooms or made reports in person at police stations were asked to rate Police performance. The key dimensions measured in the survey were the speed and timeliness in processing reports and enquiries, the performance of Police officers in terms of their professionalism, knowledge and caring attitude and the relevance of follow-up contact.

7.The survey indicated that 72% or 579 respondents considered the police standard of service quite good or very good and 21% or 169 respondents considered it to be average. Only 5% or 40 respondents rated the service as quite poor or very poor, with a higher proportion of 8% or 11 respondents in nuisance and assault cases. Majority of the respondents made their initial contact with the Police by calling 999 (43%), followed by going to Police stations (23%), contacting Police officers at the scene (20%), calling Police stations (9%) and going to the Police Traffic Report Rooms (4%).

8.On the performance of officers at individual contact points, 87% of respondents who had used the 999 console rated the performance very good or quite good. Only 3% rated performance quite poor or very poor. Promptness in receiving telephone call receives highest rating with a good rating of 92%, followed by speed and efficiency (77%) and clarity of information provided (71%).

9.On the performance of the police station report room staff, 70% of respondents who had visited police report rooms considered the service as very good or quite good. 8% thought that service was quite poor or very poor. Aspect of performance receiving the highest rating is courtesy (69% rated this aspect good) while the one receiving lowest rating is speed and efficiency (19% rated this aspect poor).

10.On the performance of officers at the scene, 78% of those who had contact with officers at the scene of the incident rated the standard of service as quite good or very good while 6% rated it quite poor or very poor. Views on individual performance of the officers attended the scene were positive except that 13% considered that officers were slow in attending to them. Respondents were also asked to rate the officers' ability to take control of the situation at the scene and 66% rated this aspect as good with 5% rated it poor.

11.On suggestions of improvement, 8% or 64 respondents suggested officers could arrive at the scene more quickly while 7% or 56 respondents considered that officers could be more polite and gentle. 6% or 48 respondents considered that officers should have a more caring attitude while another 6% suggested officers should provide more information on progress of the case.

Conclusion

12.The survey help provide focus future strategies to improve the quality of service provided to the public. At the local level, Divisional and District Commanders are now studying the findings and will be considering:

1. areas for improvement in promptness, speed and efficiency in handling cases;

2. reception processes for telephone calls and actual visits to Police report rooms; and

3. improvement in officers' closing contacts with the public by, for example, giving clear indication of follow-up actions.

13.The implementation of the Force Strategy on Quality of Service is part of an on-going commitment to improve the quality of services to the public. The Force will build upon existing successes and identify and strengthen areas that require improvement.

Security Bureau
24 July 1997