The latest violence in Minneapolis comes as the city is set to launch a new public survey tool to try to build trust with members of the community.
If you live in Minneapolis, and you have a phone or other mobile device, you might see an ad that invites you to take a survey online, asking you about how you feel about how police are doing in your neighborhood.
"The responses will help us learn and understand priorities, so we as leaders can make informed decisions that are transparent," says Safety Commissioner Todd Barnett. "And these decisions will make Minneapolis safer."
Michael Simon is with Zen City, the technology company that created the tool.
"This is a great day, because you manage what you measure, and as of now, we are now measuring and tracking how this agency is doing meeting the needs of the public," says Simon.
The Minneapolis Police Department is launching a new public survey tool to better understand local residents’ concerns, attitudes, and trust in their police officers. The survey, launched in partnership with Zencity, will appear to Minneapolis residents on their mobile devices. The tool will enable the MPD to more holistically understand local neighborhood safety issues and enhance their responsiveness to community priorities.
In October, the Minneapolis City Council approved a three-year contract with Zencity. Beginning in December, the survey began gathering responses from residents in Minneapolis.
Zencity is a global technology company that specializes in community engagement and public safety, and works with hundreds of municipalities across the U.S., including the Chicago, Phoenix, Seattle, Tulsa, Louisville, Greensboro, NC and San Diego departments.
“We are always open to deploying tools that will help us better understand the needs and the concerns of the communities we serve. Zencity is a great resource used by many of the most prestigious police departments around the world,” said MPD Chief Brian O’Hara. “Utilizing Zencity goes beyond a consent decree or a settlement agreement—it’s the right tool to help the residents of Minneapolis. I’m excited to learn more as surveys continue to roll out.”
Along with policy changes, federal, state and local law-enforcement partnerships, and ongoing public-engagement sessions, this is the latest effort by the MPD to build community trust and to use department resources more efficiently.
“Re-envisioning community safety means listening to our residents and working alongside them to shape the future,” said Mayor Jacob Frey. “This perception survey will give us real-time, honest, and objective feedback as we continue to find ways to strengthen community-police relations and shift the culture of our police department. With this initiative, Chief O’Hara and the MPD are going above and beyond the requirements of the settlement agreement – and they will be doing the hard work to better understand our communities’ views and figure out ways to deepen the trust in the MPD for many generations to come.”
The survey is offered in English, Spanish, Hmong, Somali, Amharic, Oromo Lao, and Vietnamese. The survey will appear to residents with digital ads in various locations, such as news websites, social media platforms and other applications. Based on responses, the survey will measure resident satisfaction regarding their feelings of safety and trust in police, while also identifying key concerns residents want the MPD to address.
In under five minutes, residents can tell the MPD and local government leaders how they feel.
Questions asked include:
When it comes to the threat of crime, how safe do you feel in your neighborhood?
To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement? In general, the police in my area…
Treat everyone fairly regardless of who they are.
Provide the same quality of service to all individuals.
Would treat you with respect if you had contact with them for any reason.
Treat local residents with respect.
Are approachable.
Listen to and take into account the concerns of local residents.
How willing would you be to contact the Minneapolis Police Department if you were a victim of crime or were worried about something?
Is Minneapolis PD an open and transparent organization?
What is the number one issue or problem on your block or in your neighborhood that you would like the police to deal with? Please be specific. [Open-ended response]
In keeping with the Department’s commitment to transparency and accountability, survey results will be shared with the public quarterly as they become available.
