1997 Annual Report

Frequently, the police department likes to tout new programs that have been developed to meet the ever-changing needs of the community. Yet some of its older and established programs, having stood the test of time, are deserving of equal recognition. Last year the Lincoln Police Department held its 28th police camp at Platte River State Park under the direction of Public Service Officer Karen Cates. The camp has served as many as 48 youth at a time, lasted as long as 5 days, and been housed in various locations including the Easter Seals Camp and 4-H Camp.

Today the concept of providing a summer camp for "at risk" youth has not changed much. The goal remains much the same: provide an atmosphere for children and police to interact in a manner that sheds positive light on law enforcement. The officers who serve as camp counselors are able to build a rapport with the youth and reinforce that police are there to help in times of need.

Most of the children attending camp today are in the 10-to-11 year age group and have been referred by the school system, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, or Lincoln police officers. While at camp the youth participate in many activities including horseback riding, miniature golfing, canoeing, swimming, esteem building and team building. Funding is provided by generous donations from private citizens, businesses, and service organizations.

A letter from a social worker with the Nebraska Department of Social Services sums it up rather nicely, she wrote

"Imagine my surprise when I home visited, and Gail and Troy excitedly told me about how much fun they had at camp, and had the camp group picture to show me! Everyone in that home was so happy and proud of their camp experience!"

Community Policing Conference
After members of the Lincoln Police Department attended a community policing conference in South Carolina, the idea was born to present a conference here that showcased many aspects of our community-based policing programs. The goal was to take a comprehensive approach by providing attendees with every piece of information they would ever need to implement a similar program at their department, hence the term "Projects to Go" was created.

Captain Joy Citta spearheaded the effort and obtained funding from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Omaha. After months of planning, the Community Policing "Projects to Go" conference was held in September at the Cornhusker Hotel. Three nationally recognized speakers gave presentations on a variety of subjects including school security, responsible hospitality, and future trends in policing. Members of the Lincoln Police Department covered topics like the Santa Cop program, Citizens' Academy, Problem Resolution Team, Quality Service Audit, Volunteer Program, and bike patrol.

Several of the subjects dealt with youth issues and therefore members of the Lincoln schools were invited. In all, there were approximately 185 individuals from a five-state area who attended.

Police Web Site
The Lincoln Police Department home page was up and running in January of 1996. Since that time it has expanded to include a wide variety of topics. In an age where information is at your fingertips, we are striving to provide interesting data that previously may have been difficult to access. When you tap into our web page you will find the department Annual Report, a recruitment brochure explaining the hiring process, crime statistics spanning a ten-year time frame, an application for attending the Citizens' Academy, crime prevention tips translated into Vietnamese, and a comprehensive document on strategic planning for the prevention of gangs.

A section is also devoted to questions that we are frequently asked. Here information is provided which details how to obtain a protection order, start a Neighborhood Watch group, and even the legal requirements for child restraints.

Quality Service Audit

Since 1993 the Lincoln Police Department has been participating in a survey to gauge citizen satisfaction with the delivery of police services. The Quality Service Audit was developed in conjunction with Gallup, Inc. and it continues to be a valuable tool for both officers and administrators. Officers hired after 1991 are designated as participants in the survey and receive feedback from citizens on their performance.

The QSA is a telephone survey which is conducted by student interns and recruit officers. Contact is made with citizens who have had a recent police contact, whether they are a crime victim or the recipient of a traffic ticket. A sample of survey questions and the responses are listed below from the 3,716 surveys administered in 1997.

QUESTIONS	YES	NO
Did the officer seem to know what he or she was doing ?	3.8%	93.2%
Did the officer listen to your side of the story or your point of view ?	8.3%	87.6%
Were you treated with dignity when the officer approached you ?	4.7%	92.1%
Do you feel you were treated fairly ?	8.4%	88.5%
Was the behavior of the officer professional in every way ?	4.6%	92.7%
Was the officer considerate of your feelings during the contact ?	8.1%	87.2%
Did the officer say he would contact you again, or do something to follow up with the case ?	53.4%	46.6%
Did he re-contact you as promised ?	28.6%	70.9%
Did the officer introduce himself to you ?	15.3%	84.7%
Did the officer explain the citation and the steps you must take to comply with the law, or educate you in any way about the law ?	17.6%	82.4%

How safe and secure do you feel in the neighborhood where you live ?
always unsafe and not secure usually unsafe and not secure safe and secure sometimes safe and secure most of the time always safe and secure	2.4% 3.9% 14.8% 47.9% 28.0%
How would you rate the officer's overall performance in this situation ?
outstanding above average average below average unsatisfactory	32.3% 35.8% 22.8% 3.3% 2.7%