Satisfaction with campus police services: A community policing initiative

Problem: Higher education has seen dramatic increases in student enrollments, diversity and crime rates during the past 25 years. These changes have created the need for new approaches from campus law enforcement agencies. There has been a movement toward community oriented policing (COP) policies and practices by campus police departments to address these changes. A vital step as part of a comprehensive COP strategy is to gather information from its community members. Method: This study collected survey responses from 557 students at a mid-sized university on information regarding victimization, contact with campus police, satisfaction with campus police services, and overall feeling of safety. Results: There was a low crime rate on campus and those that were a victim of crime did tend to report it to a university official. Students were highly satisfied with campus police services and felt safe on campus. Conclusions: This survey represents an initial step toward developing a foundation for a community policing initiative. Implications of the findings are discussed.