Boise Police Department 2007 Neighborhood Survey Report - 1 -
TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 3 BACKGROUND AND EVALUATION PROCESS...3 BOISE POLICE DEPARTMENT OVERALL SURVEY RESULTS.4 BENCH AREA NEIGHBORHOOD SURVEY RESULTS...10 BROOKHOLLOW AREA.11 EDGEVIEW WALDEN POND..14 FAIRMONT (FAIR MEADOWS)..17 BORAH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION...20 THE NORTH EAST CURTIS/FAIRVIEW....23 MORRIS HILL....26 VISTA..30 VALLEY AREA NEIGHBORHOOD SURVEY RESULTS.34 GILLIS/PRESCOTT 35 NORTH END..39 DOWNTOWN BOISE ASSOCIATION.42 SUMMERSET RIDGE 46 FOOTHILLS EAST/SUNSHINE DRIVE..49 SOUTH BOISE VILLAGE.53 COLUMBIA VILLAGE..56 RESOURCES BEGIN.60 APPENDIX A: SURVEY INSTRUMENT 61 APPENDIX B: FLYER INSERT MAILED TO CITIZENS..74 APPENDIX C: MAP OF 2007 NEIGHBORHOOD SURVEY LOCATIONS..75-2 -
INTRODUCTION In May 2007, the Boise Police Department initiated its second biennial Community Neighborhood Survey project. A total of 19 different neighborhoods throughout the City of Boise were surveyed. Approximately 12,350 flyers were mailed out to Boise City residents as an insert in their utility bills. The light green flyer insert in the utility bills provided instructions for Boise citizens to go on line to complete the electronic survey. Citizens who did not have the capability of completing the survey on line were provided a paper copy. The paper copy survey was mailed directly back to the Boise Police Department Planning and Training Section and entered into the database. The survey remained open for two months (from May through June) to collect data on neighborhood concerns. The survey was closed on June 30, 2007. BACKGROUND AND EVALUATION PROCESS In early 2007, Boise Police Department members met to revise and enhance the original neighborhood survey that was completed in 2005. The survey was approved with minor revision and disseminated to selected neighborhood addresses throughout the City. These survey projects were designed to build the foundation for open communication and problem-solving cooperation between the citizens and their police department. (See Appendix A: 2007 BPD Neighborhood Survey instrument.) The City of Boise is divided into ten different geographic police beat areas. In each of these areas, different neighborhoods were surveyed. The neighborhoods were selected to be surveyed by the Neighborhood Contact Officers assigned to that beat location. Citizens in all 19 neighborhoods returned surveys. Five neighborhoods, to include Malibu, Sunrise Rim, Glendale, Park Hill/Hill Creek and Lakewood Neighborhoods, had fewer than five responses. These neighborhoods were not included in this analysis. Fourteen of the neighborhoods surveyed were reviewed and an analysis provided in this report. The following neighborhoods were surveyed: Bench Beat Areas Brookhollow Edgeview Walden Pond Fairmont (Fair Meadows) Borah Neighborhood Association The North East Curtis/Fairview Morris Hill Malibu* Vista Sunrise Rim* Valley Beat Areas Glendale* Gillis/Prescott North End Downtown Boise Association Summerset Ridge Park Hill/Hill Creek* Foothills East/Sunshine Drive South Boise Village Columbia Village Lakewood* *Not included due to low number of responses See Appendix B: Map of 2007 BPD Neighborhood Survey locations. - 3 -
BOISE POLICE DEPARTMENT OVERALL SURVEY RESULTS Neighborhood Responses: In total for 2007, 872 surveys were completed by the residents of the City of Boise out of the 12,350 that were disseminated through the utility billing, a 7% response rate. We received an increase of 449 surveys from respondents in this report or a 106% increase from the 2005 survey project. Of the 872 surveys returned for 2007, 241 surveys (28%) were completed by respondents from the Valley districts to include 10 different neighborhoods. 354 surveys (40%) were completed by respondents from the Bench districts with 9 different neighborhoods surveyed. The remaining 277 surveys (32%) were completed by respondents from other neighborhoods throughout the City. These neighborhoods will be identified as possible neighborhoods to include in the next neighborhood survey report. A total of 595 responses were received from respondents in the 19 neighborhoods surveyed. Again, five of the neighborhoods received are not included in the report analysis. This brings the number of usable responses to 580 in 14 different neighborhoods. The majority of the respondents (159 respondents, 26.7%) in these neighborhoods identified that they lived in the Borah Neighborhood Association while 71 of the respondents (11.9%) live in the North End Neighborhood and 61 of the respondents (10.3%) live in Vista Neighborhood. These 350 three neighborhoods received the highest number of responses to the survey. All 300 responses are listed in the chart above by neighborhood. 250 Number of Respondents Which neighborhood do you live in? # of Responses % of Responses Borah Neighborhood Association 159 26.7% North End 71 11.9% Vista Neighborhood 61 10.3% Columbia Village 53 8.9% Foothills East/Sunshine Drive 45 7.6% North East Curtis/Fairview Neighborhood 40 6.7% Morris Hill 39 6.6% Brookhollow 22 3.7% Gillis/Prescott 20 3.4% Downtown Boise 17 2.9% Fairmont (Fair Meadows) 16 2.7% South Boise Village 15 2.5% Edgeview/Walden Pond 12 2.0% Summerset Ridge 10 1.7% Total 580 Neighborhoods with low response rates Glendale 4 0.7% Malibu Neighborhood 3 0.5% Park Hill/Hill Creek 3 0.5% Lakewood 3 0.5% Sunrise Rim 2 0.3% Total 595 100.0% To what extent are you fearful that someone will... Rob You Physically Attack You Break into Your Home Damage Home/Property Break into Your Car Hurt Your Kids When respondents were asked 200 to what extent they were fearful or concerned that a specific 150 crime incident may occur in their neighborhood, we received 566 100 responses for each of the six crime categories. The six crime categories are: rob from you, physically attack 50 you, break into your home, damage your home, steal your car, or hurt 0 Very Concerned Somewhat Concerned A Little Concerned Not Concerned at All Don't Know your children. The majority of the Rating Scale respondents were not concerned at all with someone trying to rob them, physically attack them or hurt their children while in their neighborhood or outside in the area. This is consistent with the survey results - 4 -
completed in 2005. The respondents were a little concerned that someone may try to break into their home, damage their home/property or steal/damage their car. This is also consistent with the survey results completed in 2005. Additionally, the Borah Neighborhood Association had the highest number of respondents answer that they too were a little concerned about these same issues. Included in the analysis of this report will be each neighborhood s crime statistics for reference. (Crime statistics of each neighborhood are not inclusive but are provided for reference.) A total of 566 responses were received from respondents when asked how satisfied they felt about their neighborhood as a place to live overall. The majority (72.1%) of respondents were very satisfied to somewhat satisfied with their neighborhood as a place to live. The responses were as follows: 294 respondents (51.9%) felt very satisfied 192 respondents (33.9%) felt somewhat satisfied 44 respondents (7.8%) felt neutral 27 respondents (4.8%) felt somewhat unsatisfied 9 respondents (1.5%) felt very unsatisfied Additionally, the majority of respondents (72.1%) felt that their neighborhood had become a better place to live or that it has stayed about the same over the last year. The satisfaction level of the area residents with their neighborhoods has remained consistent since 2005. Neighborhood Problems and Concerns: A total of 556 responses were received from respondents identifying the list of problems that have affected their neighborhood. Respondents were asked to describe the extent to which these items were a big problem, somewhat of a problem, little problem, or no problem in their neighborhood. Of the 14 neighborhoods surveyed, the highest ranked category of concern identified by the majority of the neighborhoods as somewhat of a problem was speeding or aggressive driving. This was the same concern identified by the majority of the neighborhoods in the 2005 survey report. Respondents also identified that they felt a little problem with barking dogs, overgrown weeds, owners not picking up after their pets and loud car stereos and mufflers. The following is a list of the highest ranked category of concerns identified by each neighborhood: Bench Beat Area Highest Ranked Neighborhood Category of Concern Brookhollow Edgeview/Walden Pond Fairmont (Fair Meadows) Borah Neighborhood Association North East Curtis/Fairview Morris Hill Vista Neighborhood Owners not picking up after their pets Speeding or aggressive driving Speeding or aggressive driving and overgrown weeds Speeding or aggressive driving Speeding or aggressive driving Speeding or aggressive driving Speeding or aggressive driving Valley Beat Area Highest Ranked Neighborhood Category of Concern Speeding or aggressive driving and overgrown Gillis/Prescott weeds Speeding or aggressive North End driving Speeding or aggressive driving and parking Downtown Boise rules being ignored Summerset Speeding or aggressive Ridge driving Foothills East/Sunshine Unwanted door to door Drive sales South Boise Village Columbia - 5 - Speeding or aggressive driving and parking rules being ignored Speeding or aggressive driving
The open-ended responses received from respondents, when asked to identify any other types of problems in the neighborhood or anything that they are concerned with, identified the highest ranked category associated with traffic, speeding and parking control. Again, speeding or aggressive driving is the highest ranked category of concern for the majority of the neighborhoods reviewed in this survey. Respondents also indicated that they were concerned with their property appearance and the number of rental properties in their neighborhoods. Boise Police Department (BPD) Services: A total of 554 responses were received from respondents when asked how effective the Boise Police Department has been in dealing with the neighborhood problems. The majority (56.5%) of the respondents felt that the Boise Police Department officers were very How do you feel Police Officers in this area treat people? effective to somewhat effective in dealing with neighborhood problems. In general, the majority (53.6%) of those surveyed felt that police officers in the area treat people very reasonably while (13.9%) felt somewhat reasonably. A few respondents (2.5%) felt police officers treated people somewhat unreasonably and a small minority (2.2%) felt people were treated very unreasonably. (See pie chart at the side.) 2.2% 2.5% 12.6% A total of 554 responses were received from respondents when asked what services they have used in the past with the Boise Police Department. The top three ranked services citizens have used were as follows: 1. Telephone Report Unit 2. Neighborhood Contact Officers 3. Boise Police Department s Website 13.9% 15.2% 53.6% Very Reasonably Somewhat Reasonably Neutral Somewhat Unreasonably Very Unreasonably Not Sure Of all the services offered by Boise Police Department, the majority of the respondents (63.6%) indicated that they would like to see more Neighborhood Contact Officers. However, a large majority of respondents also indicated they did not know the name of their Neighborhood Contact Officer or how to get a hold of him/her. Several open-ended responses were received in the survey indicating that many residents would like to see an increase in police presence during all hours of the day and week, and additional police enforcement in their neighborhoods. The 2007 survey report findings are consistent with the 2005 survey report findings in that respondents continue to report that the services provided by Boise Police Department have been very effective to somewhat effective and that police officers treat people reasonably. Additionally, respondents identified again that they would like an increase in police presence throughout their neighborhoods. Effectiveness of Neighborhoods: A total of 552 responses were received from respondents when asked how effective they felt area rental property managers and owners were in dealing with the problems of the neighborhood. 26 respondents (4.7%) felt the property managers and owners were very effective while 82 respondents (14.9%) felt somewhat effective. 86 respondents (15.6%) felt they were neutral. 98 respondents (17.8%) felt they were somewhat ineffective while 111-6 -
respondents (20.1%) felt they were very ineffective. 105 respondents (19.0%) felt that they did not know of any rental property owners or managers in their neighborhood. When respondents were asked to what extent they felt area residents were organized and committed to improving their neighborhood conditions the following responses were received: 37.3% felt area residents were somewhat organized and committed 17.8% felt area residents were neutral 16.1% felt area residents were very organized and committed 10.0% felt area residents were somewhat unorganized and not committed 9.8 felt area residents were not sure 9.1% felt area residents were very unorganized and not committed A total of 552 responses were received from respondents when asked to what degree residents are fearful of retaliation from other citizens from working with the police in addressing crime and other problems in the neighborhood. Responses were as follows (pie chart below): 208 respondents (37.7%) felt not fearful at all 170 respondents (30.8%) felt not sure 81 respondents (14.7%) felt some residents are fearful 78 respondents (14.1%) felt only a few are fearful 15 respondents (2.7%) felt almost all residents are fearful In general, the majority of the respondents (61.6%) felt the overall physical appearance and cleanliness of their neighborhood was excellent to good where some minor improvements were necessary. Are residents fearful of retailiation from other citizens when working with police? 30.8% Of the 549 responses received, the majority (83.1%) felt that their better place to live or that it will stay about the same a year from now. 2.7% 14.7% 14.1% 37.7% Not fearful at all Only a few are fearful Some residents are fearful Almost all resident are fearful Not sure neighborhood will be a Several open-ended responses were received from respondents when asked if they had any other comments or suggestions for their neighborhood or for the Boise Police Department. Again the respondents identified their top ranked category to be an increase in police presence during all hours of the day. This is for routine patrols to control speeding, loitering as well as frequent checks around school grounds, etc. The respondents identified the need for more Neighborhood Contact Officers and Neighborhood Watch Coordinators to assist in increasing community involvement. Generally speaking, the neighborhood effectiveness results of the survey mirror those of the 2005 survey findings. Again, the survey respondents felt that area rental and property managers have not been as effective as residents would like to see. Respondents felt residents have been generally organized and committed to improving their neighborhood conditions. The overall appearance and cleanliness of their neighborhoods was reported as excellent to good and they felt their neighborhoods would be a better place to live a year from now. Overwhelmingly, the neighborhood respondents of the City of Boise indicated they would still like to see more Neighborhood Contact Officer and Neighborhood Watch Coordinators. Demographics Listed by Respondents: Out of a total of 547 responses, the ages of the respondents were as follows: - 7 -
37 respondents (6.8%) were 20-30 YOA 111 respondents (20.3%) were 31-40 YOA 118 respondents (21.5%) were 41-50 YOA 130 respondents (23.8%) were 51-60 YOA 151 respondents (27.6%) were 61 YOA + The majority (85.7%) of the respondents were not a victim of crime in the past year while the minority (14.3%) were victims of crime. Of the respondents (14.3%) who were victims of crime, the majority (57.7%) were satisfied with the services they received while (21.8%) were somewhat unsatisfied. A smaller minority (20.5%) of respondents felt neutral on the services they received from Boise Police Department. The majority (56.8%) indicated they were female and (43.2%) indicated they were male. The ethnicities indicated by respondents were as follows: White/Caucasian (94.1%) Multiple Ethnicities (2.6%) Latino/Hispanic (1.8%) Asian/Pacific Islander (1.1%) American Indian (0.2%) How long have you lived in this neighborhood? African-American (0.2%) The majority of the respondents (95.6%) indicated they were homeowners. When asked how long they have lived in their neighborhoods, the majority (51.6%) of respondents indicted they have lived in their respective neighborhood from (0-10 years (see 5.3% pie chart to side). 3.1% 14.7% 30.4% The majority (88.6%) also indicated they were not planning to move from their neighborhoods, reinforcing that the residents were happy with their neighborhood and don t plan to move out of it. 12.6% 0-5 years 6-10 years 11-15 years 16-20 years 21-25 years 26-30 years 30 years+ CONCLUSION In all, the community is very supportive of the Boise Police Department and its efforts. A large majority of Boise residents feel safe in and are satisfied with their neighborhoods. Again, traffic enforcement to control speeding and aggressive driving is still one of the biggest requests from citizens along with a request for increased officer presence in the neighborhoods as identified in the 2005 and 2007 community surveys. Residents like to see police officers on their streets at all hours of the day, working with the community to solve problems and reduce crime. In the Neighborhood Contact Officer Unit, officers take a systematic approach to deal with neighborhood issues. Neighborhood Contact Officers (NCOs) evaluate the problem and try to identify the root cause. This is accomplished by meeting with the stakeholders and opening up the communication lines. Once the NCOs have identified the cause, they formulate a plan to come up with a long term solution. They then put the plan into action. Lastly, they evaluate the outcome to see if they have achieved the desired result. If the result is not obtained, they will start the process all over again. As with the speeding complaints, NCOs meet with the stakeholders to evaluate the issue or problem identified. If warranted, they will meet with ACHD and look at the street or intersection in question. The NCOs will determine if - 8-12.6% 21.2%
there are any engineering issues. Sometimes, intersection lights can be extended to better facilitate the flow of traffic. This will reduce the vehicles that use the side streets and go through the neighborhoods. In other cases, signs and or speed bumps can be added to slow traffic. To resolve many problems, officers will often use the radar trailer to educate the public. In this way, motorist will become aware of the speed limit and their speeds. This is usually followed up with enforcement by the Motor Unit, Patrol Officers as well as NCOs. At the conclusion of the project(s), the success will be gauged and a decision made whether the operation will need to be continued. The Police Department will continue to use the same framework to deal with any problem identified by local area residents. Communications is our number one priority and we will continue to obtain feedback to assist our community in resolving these problems. - 9 -
BENCH AREA NEIGHBORHOOD RESULTS BROOKHOLLOW AREA EDGEVIEW WALDEN POND FARIMONT (FAIRMEADOWS) BORAH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION THE NORTH EAST CURTIS/FAIRVIEW MORRIS HILL VISTA - 10 -
BENCH AREA NEIGHBORHOOD RESULTS: Brookhollow Area (Bench One) In total, 22 surveys were returned from the Brookhollow Neighborhood in the Bench One area. The Brookhollow Neighborhood resides within reporting district (RD) 72. RD 72 has lower amounts of crime (4%) of the 13 reporting districts in the Bench One area. This reporting district is also very small compared to the other reporting districts. Crime Type 7/1/06 to 6/30/07 Count Aggravated Assault/Battery 1 Simple Assault/Battery 4 Residential Burglary 4 Vehicle Burglary 5 Larceny/Theft 5 The majority of the respondents (57.1%) were not concerned at all with someone trying to rob them or Arson Vandalism 1 11 (66.7%) with being physically attacked. The majority of respondents (66.7%) were concerned that someone may steal or damage their car. This is consistent with the type of crime reported in the area, however not in this neighborhood. The majority (95.3%) of the Brookhollow residents were concerned that someone may try to damage their home or property, or (90.5%) that someone may try to break into their home, which is consistent with the type of crime reported throughout the Bench One area. The majority of the respondents (57.2%) indicate little to no concern that someone will hurt their children while they are outside in the area. This is consistent with the type of crime within RD 72 and the Bench One area. The majority of respondents (81.0%) were very to somewhat satisfied with their neighborhood as a place to live. Additionally, the majority of respondents (66.7%) felt their neighborhood has become a better place to live or has stayed about the same in the past year. Overall, the concerns and satisfaction level of the area residents with their neighborhood has remained consistent since 2005. Brookhollow Neighborhood Problems and Concerns: The highest ranked category of concern that respondents identified as a little problem that affects the Brookhollow neighborhood is that the owners do not pick up after their pets (47.6%). This was not identified in the 2005 survey report but speeding and aggressive driving and overgrown weed were. 42.9% of the respondents identified each additional concern as a little problem in the neighborhood. The responses were as follows: speeding and aggressive driving barking dogs burglary of homes loud car stereos and mufflers overgrown weeds Boise Police Department (BPD) Services: Of those surveyed in Brookhollow, the majority (57.2%) felt BPD officers were very to somewhat effective in dealing with the problems of the neighborhood, which is consistent with the overall results. - 11 -
In general, as shown on the pie chart, the majority of the respondents (66.7%) felt that Boise Police Officers treated people either very reasonably to somewhat reasonably. One respondent (4.8%) felt neutral while (28.6%) were not sure. Consistent with the overall findings, respondents of Brookhollow identified the top three ranked services they have used through Boise Police Department were as follows: Telephone Report Unit Bose Police Department Website Neighborhood Contact Officer Boise Police Department 0.0% 0.0% 4.8% 28.6% How do you feel Police Officers in this area treat people? 14.3% Very Reasonably Somewhat Reasonably Neutral Somewhat Unreasonably Very Unreasonably Not Sure Again, the majority of the respondents (73.3%) felt they would like to see more Neighborhood Contact Officers which is consistent with the overall 2007 survey results and consistent with the 2005 survey report. Effectiveness of Neighborhood: Respondents were asked how effective they felt area rental property managers and owners were in dealing with problems of the neighborhood and the majority, (33.3%) do not know of any rental property owners/manager in their neighborhood while (23.9%) felt either very effective to somewhat effective. (23.8%) of respondents felt somewhat ineffective while (4.8%) felt very ineffective. 14.3% were just not sure. When respondents were asked to what extent they felt area residents were organized and committed to improving their neighborhood conditions, the following responses were received (see pie chart to the side): How are area residents organized & committed to improving neighborhood conditions? 14.3% 0.0% 52.4% 42.9% felt area residents were somewhat organized and committed 23.8% felt neutral 19.0% felt area residents were very unorganized and not committed 14.3% felt not sure 19.0% 0.0% The majority of the residents (61.9%) were not fearful at all from other citizens from working with the police in addressing crime and other problems in the neighborhood. 23.8% 42.9% Very organized & committed Somewhat organized & committed Neutral Somewhat unorganized & not committed Very unorganized & not committed Not sure In general, the majority of the respondents (76.2%) felt the overall physical appearance and cleanliness of their neighborhood was excellent to good where some minor improvements were necessary. Additionally, (90.5%) respondents felt the neighborhood would be a better place to live or it would stay about the same over the next year. Overall, these findings are very similar to those in the 2005 survey report. Demographics Listed by Respondents: - 12 -
Out of a total of 21 responses, the respondents ages were as follows: 2 respondents (9.5%) were 31-40 YOA 6 respondents (28.6%) were 41-50 YOA 4 respondents (19.1%) were 51-60 YOA 9 respondents (42.9%) were 61 YOA + The majority (85.7%) of the respondents were not a victim of a crime in the past year while the minority (14.3%) were victims of crime. Of the respondents (14.3%) who were victims of crime, the majority (66.6%) were satisfied with the services they received while (33.3%) felt neutral on the services they received. The majority (52.4%) indicated they were male and (47.6%) indicated they were female. The ethnicities indicated by respondents were as follows: White/Caucasian (95.2%) Multiple Ethnicities (4.8%) How long have you lived in this neighborhood? 10% 0% All respondents (100%) in the Brookhollow Neighborhood indicated they were homeowners. When asked how long they have lived in their neighborhoods, the majority (42.0%) of respondents indicated they have lived in their respective neighborhood for 16-20 years (see pie chart to side). 5% 24% 0-5 years 6-10 years 11-15 years 16-20 years 21-25 years 26-30 years 30 years+ The majority (95.2%) also indicated they were not planning to move from their neighborhood, reinforcing that the residents were happy with their neighborhood and don t plan to move out of it. 42% 14% Conclusion: 5% The Neighborhood Contact Officer(s) continue to address many of the issues identified by respondents in the Brookhollow neighborhood. The officers conduct random directed patrols to combat chronic speeders in the neighborhood as well as loud car stereo complaints. Ongoing education and mediation for local residents is completed to combat noise complaints regarding barking dogs. Enforcement action is taken when and if necessary to resolve these issues. The Neighborhood Contact Officers also continue to strengthen the neighborhood watch and work with crime prevention to facilitate neighborhood communication as well as providing resident the tools to prevent burglaries. - 13 -
Edgeview/Walden Pond (Bench One) In total, 12 surveys were returned from the Edgeview Neighborhood located in the Bench One area. The Edgeview Neighborhood resides within a quarter of one reporting district (RD) 109. RD 109 has one of the lowest amounts of crime which is approximately 1.0% of the crime of the 13 reporting districts in the Bench One area. The majority of the respondents (75.0%) were not concerned at all with someone being physically attacked or (58.3%) with being robbed while outside, this is consistent with the amount of crime reported. The majority of those surveyed (91.7%) were concerned that someone may try to break into their home or (83.4%) that someone may damage their home or property. This is also consistent with the type of crime reported in this neighborhood, but should be noted they are low in comparison to the rest of the area. Crime Type - 7/1/06 to 6/30/07 Count Simple Assault/Battery 2 Residential Burglary 2 Vehicle Burglary 1 Larceny/Theft 1 Arson 1 Vandalism 4 The majority (75.0%) of the Edgeview residents were concerned that someone may try to steal or damage their car and (66.7%) that someone will hurt their children while they are outside in the area. This is not consistent with the type of crime reported in this neighborhood. All the respondents (100.0%) were very to somewhat satisfied with their neighborhood as a place to live. Additionally, the majority (91.7%) of respondents felt the neighborhood has stayed about the same in the past year. Overall, the concerns and satisfaction level of the area residents with their neighborhood has pretty much remained consistent since 2005. Edgeview/Walden Pond Neighborhood Problems and Concerns: The highest ranked categories of concern that respondents identified as a big problem that affects the Edgeview/Walden Pond Neighborhood are speeding and aggressive driving. This is consistent with the 2005 survey report. However, the respondents concern has decreased indicating the problem is not as serious. The additional problems identified in 2005 were junk vehicles and overgrown weeds which are now no longer a problem. For 2007, respondents identified additional concerns as somewhat of a problem in the neighborhood. The responses were as How do you feel Police Officers in this area treat people? follows: owners not picking up after their pets 9.1% 0.0% parking rules being ignored 9.1% loud car stereos and mufflers Boise Police Department (BPD) Services: Of those surveyed in Edgeview, the majority (45.5%) felt BPD are very to somewhat effective in dealing with the problems of the neighborhood, which is consistent with the overall results. In general, as shown on the pie chart, the majority of the respondents (81.8%) felt that Boise Police officers treated people either very reasonably or somewhat reasonably. This is an increase from the 2005 survey report. 9.1% 72.7% Very Reasonably Somewhat Reasonably Neutral Somewhat Unreasonably Very Unreasonably Not Sure Consistent with the overall findings, respondents identified the top three ranked services they have used through Boise Police Department were as followings: - 14 -
Telephone Report Unit Neighborhood Contact Officer Bose Police Department Website Again, the majority of the respondents (71.4%) felt they would like to see more Neighborhood Contact Officers which is consistent with the overall results of the survey. Overall, the concerns respondents identified in 2005 have been reduced or eliminated. Area residents have reported they felt Boise Police Officer treat people reasonably and they request an increase in a Law Enforcement presence in their neighborhood. Effectiveness of Neighborhood: Respondents were asked how effective they felt area rental property managers and owners were in dealing with problems of the neighborhood and the majority were split between, (27.3%) felt very effective and (27.3%) felt they did not know of any rental property owners/managers in their neighborhood. A smaller majority (18.2%) felt they were very ineffective while (9.1%) felt they were somewhat ineffective and (9.1%) were not sure. The effectiveness of the area rental property managers and owners has increased slightly from the 2005 survey report. When respondents were asked to what extent they felt area residents were organized and committed to improving their neighborhood conditions, the following responses were received (see pie chart to the side): How are area residents organized & committed to improving neighborhood conditions? 9.1% 0.0% 0.0% 18.2% 18.2% felt area residents were very organized and committed 72.7% felt area residents were somewhat organized and committed 9.1% felt area residents were neutral Very organized & committed Somewhat organized & committed Neutral Somewhat unorganized & not committed Very unorganized & not committed Not sure The majority of the residents were split when asked to what degree they were fearful of retaliation from other citizens from working with the police in addressing crime and other problems in the neighborhood either (36.4%) 72.7% were not fearful at all or (36.4%) were not sure. The minority (9.1%) felt only a few are fearful while 8.2% felt some residents are fearful. In general, the majority of the respondents (90.9%) felt the overall physical appearance and cleanliness of their neighborhood was excellent to good where some minor improvements were necessary. Additionally, all the respondents (100%) in the Edgeview area felt the neighborhood would be a better place to live or it would stay about the same over the next year. Overall, these findings are very similar to those in the 2005 survey report. Demographics Listed by Respondents: Out of a total of 11 responses, the respondents ages were as follows: 4 respondents (36.4%) were 31-40 YOA 5 respondents (45.5%) were 41-50 YOA 2 respondents (18.2%) were 61 YOA + - 15 -
The majority (81.8%) of the respondents were not a victim of a crime in the past year while the minority (18.2%) were victims of crime. Of the respondents (18.2%) who were victims of crime, they indicated they were split on how satisfied they were with the services they received. Half of the respondents (50%) felt very satisfied and half (50%) felt somewhat unsatisfied. The majority (72.7%) indicated they were female and (27.3%) indicated they were male. The ethnicities indicated by respondents were as follows: White/Caucasian (90.9%) Latino/Hispanic (9.1%) How long have you lived in this neighborhood? All respondents (100%) in the Edgeview/Walden Pond Neighborhood indicated that they were homeowners. When asked how long they have lived in their neighborhoods, the majority of the respondents were split and indicated they have either lived in neighborhood for 0-5 year (45.5%) or have lived the neighborhood for 6-10 years (45.5%) (see pie chart on the side). 9% 0% the in 46% The majority (90.9%) also indicated they do not have plans to move from the neighborhood, reinforcing that the residents were happy with their neighborhood and don t plan to move out of it. 45% 0-5 years 6-10 years 11-15 years 16-20 years 21-25 years 26-30 years 30 years+ Conclusion: The Neighborhood Contact Officer(s) continue to address many of the issues identified by respondents in the Edgeview/Walden Pond Neighborhood. The officers conduct random directed patrols to combat chronic speeders and parking complaints in the neighborhood as well as loud car stereo complaints. Ongoing education and mediation for local residents is completed to curtail owners not picking up after their pets. Enforcement action is taken when and if necessary to resolve these issues. - 16 -
Fairmont (Fair Meadows) Bench Two In total, 16 surveys were returned from the Fairmont (Fair Meadows) Neighborhood in the Bench Two area. The Fairmont (Fair Meadows) Neighborhood resides within a portion of one reporting district (RD) 46. RD 46 has one of the higher amounts (10%) of the total reported crime of the 15 reporting districts within the area. Some of the contributing factors of reported crime are the two schools (Fairmont Jr. High and St. Mark s), one park (Fairmont) and being connected to two main arterial roadways (Fairview Avenue and Cole Road). The majority of the respondents (50.0%) were not concerned at all with being physically attacked while outside. The majority of the respondents (87.6%) indicated little to no concern of being robbed or (68.2%) that someone may steal or damage their car. This is consistent with the type of crime reported in this area. The majority of those surveyed (68.8%) were a little concerned that someone will hurt their children while outside in the area. This is not consistent with the type of crime reported in the area. However, this feeling is understandable given the high amount of other reported crimes and activity in this area. The majority of the respondents (87.6%) were concerned that someone may try to break into their home. The concern for residential burglary is not consistent with the type of crime reported in this neighborhood. (87.6%) of the respondents felt concerned that someone may try to damage their home or property. The concern for vandalism is consistent with 5% being reported in this neighborhood and 7% for the area. Crime Type - 7/1/06 to 6/30/07 Count Forcible Rape 2 Robbery 3 Aggravated Assault/Battery 3 Commercial Burglary 9 Residential Burglary 8 Vehicle Burglary 9 Larceny/Theft 98 Arson 1 Vandalism 25 The majority of the respondents, (87.5%) are very satisfied to somewhat satisfied with their neighborhood as a place to live. Additionally, the majority (68.8%) of respondents felt the neighborhood has become either a better place to live or stayed about the same in the past year. Overall, the concerns and satisfaction level of the area residents with their neighborhood has remained somewhat consistent since 2005. The respondents did indicate a higher concern that someone may hurt their children while outside in the area. Again, this is not consistent with the type of crime reported in the area. Fairmont (Fair Meadows) Problems and Concerns: The highest ranked categories of concern that respondents identified as somewhat of a problem that affects the Fairmont neighborhood are speeding and aggressive driving, and overgrown weeds. This is consistent with the 2005 survey report. Respondents identified additional concerns as somewhat of a problem in the neighborhood. These were not identified in the 2005 survey report. The responses were as follows: parking rules being ignored loud car stereos and mufflers Boise Police Department (BPD) Services: Of those surveyed in Fairmont, the majority (68.8%) felt BPD was either very to somewhat effective in dealing with the problems of the neighborhood, which is consistent with the overall results. - 17 -
In general, as shown on the pie chart, the majority (62.6%) of the respondents felt that Boise Police Officers treated people either very reasonably to somewhat reasonably. 12.5% of felt neutral while 18.8% 6.3% felt very unreasonably. 18.8% were just not sure. How do you feel Police Officers in this area treat people? Respondents of Fairmont identified the top three ranked services that they have used through Boise Police Department as the following: Telephone Report Unit Abandon Vehicle Services Neighborhood Contact Officer 6.3% 0.0% 12.5% 43.8% Very Reasonably Somewhat Reasonably Neutral Somewhat Unreasonably Very Unreasonably Not Sure Again, the majority of the respondents (71.4%) felt they would like to see more Neighborhood Contact Officers which 18.8% is consistent with the overall 2007 survey results and consistent with the 2005 survey report. Effectiveness of Neighborhood: Respondents were asked how effective they felt area rental property managers and owners were in dealing with problems of the neighborhood while the majority (43.8%) felt neutral on this issue some felt split between 18.8 % who felt they were somewhat effective and 18.8% felt they were very ineffective. The remaining respondents felt 6.3% were very effective while 6.3% did not know of any rental property owners/managers in their neighborhood. When respondents were asked to what extent they felt area residents were organized and committed to improving their neighborhood conditions, the following responses were received (see pie chart below): 6.3% felt the residents were very organized and committed 12.5% felt area resident were somewhat organized and committed 6.3% felt area residents were neutral 31.3% felt area residents were somewhat unorganized and not committed 25.0% felt area residents were very unorganized and not committed 18.8% felt area residents were not sure 25.0% The majority (50.0%) of the residents were not sure to what degree the local residents were fearful of retaliation from other citizens from How are area residents organized & committed to improving neighborhood conditions? 31.3% working with the police in addressing crime and other neighborhood. 25.0% indicated they were not fearful at all while 12.5% indicated only a few are fearful. 12.5% felt some residents are fearful. 18.8% 6.3% 12.5% 6.3% Very organized & committed Somewhat organized & committed Neutral Somewhat unorganized & not committed Very unorganized & not committed Not sure problems in the In general, the majority of the respondents (87.5%) felt the overall physical appearance and cleanliness of their neighborhood were good to fair with, some minor improvements necessary. Additionally, (68.8%) of the respondents in the Fairmont area felt the neighborhood would either be a better place to live or it would stay - 18 -
about the same over the next year. Overall, findings were somewhat consistent with 2005 survey report in that area residents felt neutral or they were split about the effectiveness of the rental property owners and managers and they felt area residents were somewhat unorganized and not committed to their neighborhood. However, the majority of the respondents felt the overall physical appearance and cleanliness of their neighborhood was good to fair and this is an increase from the 2005 survey report. Demographics Listed by Respondents: Out of a total of 16 responses, the respondents ages were as follows: 2 respondents (12.5%) were 20-30 YOA 2 respondents (12.5%) were 31-40 YOA 3 respondents (18.8%) were 41-50 YOA 6 respondents (37.5%) were 51-60 YOA 3 respondents (18.8%) were 61+ YOA The majority (81.3%) of the respondents were not a victim of a crime in the past year while the minority (18.8%) were victims of crime. Of the respondents (18.8%) who were victims of crime, all (100%) were satisfied with the services they received. 6.3% How long have you lived in this neighborhood? 6.3% 6.3% 18.8% 0-5 years 6-10 years 11-15 years 16-20 years 21-25 years 26-30 years 30 years+ 18.8% The majority of respondents indicated they (62.5%) were female and (37.5%) indicated they were male. The ethnicities indicated by respondents were as follows: 31.3% 12.5% White/Caucasian (87.5%) African-American (6.3%) Multiple Ethnicities (6.3%) The majority of the respondents (93.8%) indicated that they were homeowners. The majority of the residents (31.3%) have lived in the Fairmont neighborhood for 16-20 years (see pie chart above). The majority (81.3%) also indicated they do not have plans to move from their neighborhood, reinforcing that the residents were happy with their neighborhood and don t plan to move out of it. Conclusion: The Neighborhood Contact Officer(s) continue to address many of the issues identified by respondents in the Fairmont (Fair Meadows) Neighborhood. The officers conduct random directed patrols to combat chronic speeders and parking complaints in the neighborhood as well as loud car stereo complaints. Enforcement action is taken when and if necessary to resolve these issues. - 19 -
Borah Neighborhood Association (Bench Three) In total, 159 surveys were returned from the Borah Neighborhood Association in the Bench Two area. This is the first year this neighborhood has been included in the police department s community survey report. The Borah Neighborhood resides within two reporting districts (RD) 32 and 33 within the Bench Two area. RD 32 and 33 have a higher amount of reported crime which combined is 30% of the nine reporting districts. Some of the contributing factors of reported crime are the three schools (Bishop Kelley, Borah H.S., Mckinley and Jackson Elementary), one park (Borah), and being connected to the main arterial roadways (Franklin Road, Curtis Road, Cole Road, etc.). The majority of the respondents (50.3%) were not concerned at all with someone being physically attacked or (59.5%) with being robbed, while outside in the area. Also. (54.3%) of the respondents were concerned that someone will hurt their children while outside. This is not consistent with the type of crime reported in this area. Crime Type 7/1/06 to 6/30/07 Count Kidnapping 2 Forcible Rape 3 Aggravated Assault/Battery 9 Simple Assault/Battery 34 Commercial Burglary 16 Residential Burglary 18 Vehicle Burglary 39 Larceny/Theft 91 Motor Vehicle Theft 16 Arson 7 Vandalism 102 The majority of those surveyed (83.6%) were concerned that someone may try to break into their home or (72.6%) that someone may steal or damage their car. This is also consistent with the type of crime reported in this neighborhood. The majority (73.8%) of the respondents were concerned that someone may try to damage their home or property. This is a valid concern as vandalism contributes to 7% of the reported crime in the area. The majority respondents (86.3%) were very to somewhat satisfied with their neighborhood as a place to live. Additionally, the majority (73.2%) of respondents felt the neighborhood has become either a better place to live or has stayed about the same in the past year. Borah Neighborhood Association Problems and Concerns: The highest ranked categories of concern that respondents identified as somewhat of a problem that affects the Borah Neighborhood are speeding and aggressive driving. Respondents identified additional concerns as a little problem in the neighborhood. As listed below: dogs off-leash barking dogs How do you feel Police Officers in this area treat people? owners not picking up after their pets Boise Police Department (BPD) Services: Of those surveyed in Borah, the majority (61.8%) felt BPD was either very effective to somewhat effective in dealing with the problems of the neighborhood, which is consistent with the overall results. 11.2% 4.6% 0.7% 13.8% Very Reasonably Somewhat Reasonably Neutral Somewhat Unreasonably Very Unreasonably Not Sure Also, the majority of the respondents (69.7%) felt that Boise Police Officers treated people either very reasonably to somewhat reasonably. A few 11.8% respondents (11.2%) felt neutral while (4.6%) felt somewhat unreasonably. A small minority (.07%) felt very 57.9% - 20 -
unreasonably and (13.8%) were just not sure. Consistent with the overall findings, respondents identified the top three ranked services that they have used through Boise Police Department were as follows: Telephone Report Unit Boise Police Department Website Neighborhood Contact Officer Again, the majority of the respondents (64.2%) felt they would like to see more Neighborhood Contact Officers which is consistent with the overall results of the survey. Effectiveness of Neighborhood: Respondents were asked how effective they felt area rental property managers and owners were in dealing with problems of the neighborhood and the majority (41.0%) felt either somewhat ineffective to very ineffective while (19.2%) did not know of any rental property owners/managers in their neighborhood. Some respondents (15.9%) were neutral while (19.2%) felt either very effective to somewhat ineffective. A small minority (4.6%) were not sure. When respondents were asked to what extent they felt area residents were organized and committed to improving their neighborhood conditions the following responses were received (see pie chart below): 15.9% felt area residents were very organized and committed 44.4% felt area residents were somewhat organized and committed 13.3% felt area residents were neutral 9.3% felt area residents were somewhat unorganized and not committed 6.6% felt area residents were very unorganized and not committed 10.6% felt area residents were not sure 9.3% How are area residents organized & committed to improving neighborhood conditions? 13.2% 6.6% 10.6% 15.9% 44.4% Very organized & committed Somewhat organized & committed Neutral Somewhat unorganized & not committed Very unorganized & not committed Not sure The majority (33.8 %) of the residents were not sure and (33.1%) were not fearful at all to what degree the local residents were fearful of retaliation from other citizens from working with the police in addressing crime and other problems in the neighborhood. In general, the majority of the respondents (55.6%) felt the overall physical appearance and cleanliness of their neighborhood was excellent to good where some minor improvement were necessary. Additionally, (80.8%) of the respondents in the Borah area felt the neighborhood would be a better place to live or it would stay about the same over the next year. Demographics Listed by Respondents: Out of a total of 150 responses, the respondents ages were as follows: 10 respondents (6.7%) were 20-30 YOA - 21 -
23 respondents (15.3%) were 31-40 YOA 32 respondents (21.3%) were 41-50 YOA 41 respondents (27.3%) were 51-60 YOA 44 respondents (29.3%) were 61+ YOA The majority (87.3%) of the respondents were not a victim of a crime in the past year while the minority (12.7%) were victims of crime. Of the respondents (12.7%) who were victims of crime, the majority (47.4%) were satisfied with the services they received while (31.6%) were unsatisfied. A small minority (21.1%) were neutral on the services they received from Boise Police Department. The majority (63.3%) indicated they were female and (36.7%) indicated they were male. The ethnicities indicated by respondents were as follows: White/Caucasian (92.0%) How long have you lived in this neighborhood? Multiple Ethnicities (4.0%) Latino/Hispanic (2.0%) 20.7% Asian/Pacific Islander (1.3%) 25.3% American Indian (.07%) The majority of the respondents (97.3%) indicated they were homeowners. The majority of the respondents (25.3%) have lived in the Borah neighborhood for 30+ years while 22.0% have lived there for 6-10 years (see pie chart to the side). 4.0% 6.0% The majority of respondents (90.0%) also indicated they were not planning to move from their neighborhood, reinforcing that the resident were happy with their neighborhood and don t plant to move out of it. Conclusion: 11.3% 10.7% 22.0% 0-5 years 6-10 years 11-15 years 16-20 years 21-25 years 26-30 years 30 years+ The Neighborhood Contact Officer(s) continue to address issues identified by respondents in the Borah Neighborhood Association. The officers conduct random directed patrols to combat chronic speeders and respond to noise complaints of barking dogs. Enforcement action is taken when and if necessary to resolve these issues. - 22 -