IDAHO FALLS POLICE

DEPARTMENT
Public Opinion Survey
Fall 2014

Research Team: Junior Analyst: Amber Waite Research Associates: Benjamin

Brownlee, Kylee Despain, Camron Despain, Jason Plaisted, Nic Hargraves,
Michael King, Zac Ellis

EASTERN IDAHO
ENTREPRENEURIAL CENTER

Executive Summary
This report provides methodology for distributing a public opinion survey to the
Idaho Falls community as well as an analysis of the survey results. Methods of
analysis include: cross tabulation, t-test, p-value tests, and excel formulas.
The following was found to be statistically significant through an analysis of 437
respondents from the Idaho Falls area:
-

97% of respondents reported that they feel safe

o Culture of Idaho Falls is the biggest reason
The three main services the community would like to see the Idaho Falls
Police Department (IFPD) improve are:
o Assaults/threats/stalking investigations and responses
o Community relations
o Theft/robbery/burglary investigation and responses
People who have developed their perceptions about the IFPD through local
media tend to have a better perception about the IFPD than those whose
perception was formed through other sources
The people who live in the zip code 83406 are the most likely to think that
the Idaho Falls Police Department has too little presence in the
community
People who have had interactions with the IFPD are more likely to have a
negative perception
Out of the qualities friendly, helpful, fair, respectful of rights, and
adequately forceful, adequately forceful is the quality that the IFPD is
rated the most poorly on

The perception of the IFPD ranges from very good to very bad throughout the
community. However, the people who perceive the IFPD very poorly are outliers
as there is a general positive feeling within the community of IFPD.
To have a confidence level of 95% with a confidence interval of 5, a total of 382
surveys were to be collected. These surveys were collected. However there is a 5%
probability that conclusions were drawn based on data that are incorrect.

2|Page

T ABLE OF C ONTENTS
Objective & Scope ..................................................................................................... 4
Objective ........................................................................................................................... 4
Scope ................................................................................................................................. 4
Research Plan ................................................................................................................... 4

Methodology ............................................................................................................. 6
Building The Survey ......................................................................................................... 6
Pilot Survey ....................................................................................................................... 6
Survey Changes................................................................................................................. 7
Survey Approach .............................................................................................................. 8
Places The Survey Was Distributed ................................................................................. 9
Surveying The Hispanic Population............................................................................... 10
Total Surveys Per Week ................................................................................................... 11

Analysis .................................................................................................................... 11
Survey Analysis ....................................................................................................... 13
Safety ............................................................................................................................... 13
Public Perception of Police ..............................................................................................18
Interest In Classes .......................................................................................................... 33

Key Findings ........................................................................................................... 37

Appendix A ............................................................................................................. 39
Appendix B ............................................................................................................. 44
Appendix C ............................................................................................................. 49

3|Page

O BJECTIVE & S COPE

O B JE C T IV E
Determine the public perception of the Idaho Falls Police Department.

S C O P E
Develop and conduct a public opinion survey and analysis of the Idaho Falls
population.

R E S E A R C H P L A N
I.

Market Analysis (Idaho Falls Citizens)

a. Primary Research (Qualtrics, Microsoft Office, Public Opinion
Survey)
i. Research Focus
1. The City of Idaho Falls
ii. Demographics
1. Categorize results
a. Age
b. Gender
i. Male
ii. Female
c. Ethnicity
i. American Indian or Alaska Native
ii. Asian/Pacific Islander
iii. Hispanic or Latino
iv. Caucasian (non-Hispanic)
v. Middle Eastern or Arab American
vi. African-American (non-Hispanic)
d. Socio-Economic
i. Annual income
e. Occupation
iii. Perceptions of Idaho Falls Police Department
1. Police conduct/interactions
2. Community safety
3. Crime prevention
4. How to improve feelings of safety
5. How have citizens formed their views of the IFPD
a. Local media/news
b. National media/news
c. Social media
d. Information from
friends/family/coworkers/etc.
4|Page

e. Personal contact
f. Past experiences with officers in other locations
6. Educational pieces offered by the department
a. Are citizens interested in any of the following?
i. Drug education
ii. Home/Business security
iii. Internet safety
iv. Using Crimemapping/AlertID
v. Property Crime Prevention
vi. Frauds/Scams/Identity Theft
vii. Police Tactics Education
viii. SWAT Response
ix. Anti-bullying
x. Emergency Response
xi. Car Seat Safety
xii. Reporting Crimes
xiii. Bicycle Safety
b. Administering Survey
i. Time
1. All different times of day
ii. Places
1. In Person
a. Idaho Falls
i. Mall intercept
1. Groceries stores
2. Mall
3. Parks
4. Boo at the Zoo
5. Deseret Industries
6. Coffee shops
7. Gas stations
2. Social Media
a. IFPD website
c. Data Analysis (Qualtrics, Microsoft Office, Public Opinion Survey)
i. Analyze data
1. What is the general perception?
2. Do community members feel safe?
3. What educational pieces would people be interested
in?
ii. Analyze trends
1. Gender
2. Socio-economic standing
3. Age
4. Zip code
5|Page

M ETHODOLOGY
B U IL D IN G T H E S U R V E Y
To create a public opinion survey for Idaho Falls Police Department, previous
studies done by police departments in different areas of the world were
researched to compare survey questions and results with the objectives and
desired information of the Idaho Falls Police Department survey.
One study that was particularly useful was conducted in Afghanistan.1 This study
was done to determine the perception held by the citizens in Afghanistan about
the police department. The study asked questions about public safety, perception,
demographics, etc. and included the analyzed results. The research team
integrated ideas from the Afghan survey into the Idaho Falls Police Department
survey to bring more clarity to the questions. The study done by the Afghan police
department included all methodology and was clear and concise.
E Center staff and a Brigham Young University- Idaho professor, Beth Hendricks,
were also consulted about the best methods in creating a survey. Beth Hendricks
teaches a survey creation class on campus and creates surveys professionally.
To determine how to ask questions about age, ethnicity, gender, and income,
questions from the US Census were researched. The survey was made to include
the same age ranges, ethnicity options, gender options, and income ranges as the
US Census so the demographics could be compared to national data if needed.
An online survey was created using Qualtrics, a surveying database, and a
printable survey was also created for distribution when no Internet access was
available.

P IL O T S U R V E Y
After the survey was completed, a focus group was brought together by the Idaho
Falls Police Department to analyze the survey and give advice and input. Many
small changes were made after the focus group such as: punctuation errors and
correcting confusing questions.

(The Afghan Perspective 2010)

6|Page

A trip to Idaho Falls was made the following weekend where 25 surveys were
collected from Idaho Falls residents. The results were analyzed to determine
errors, unclear questions, as well as the drop out rate for survey takers.

S U R V E Y C H A N G E S
The Idaho Falls community members were willing to take the survey, but in many
cases, they informed the research team that the survey was too long and they
didnt have the time necessary to complete the survey. Participants who were
taking the survey answered the questions on the first page, but on the second and
third pages they would drop out or draw a line through the neutral category. The
results on Qualtrics showed that the survey had a 40 percent dropout rate for the
questions:
-

Idaho Falls Police Officers are generally:

Please indicate your opinions about the following statements:
If the Idaho Falls Police Department were to offer the following classes,
how likely would you be to attend?
What is your occupation?

These questions are located on the second and third page (See Appendix A).
The surveys results were skewed because of the length of the survey, so the Idaho
Falls Police Department was consulted and the decision was made to cut out four
of the survey questions on the paper survey to make its length closer to 2 pages
instead of 3. (See Appendix B)
The questions that were removed are as follows:
-

What do you think are the primary responsibilities of the Idaho Falls
Police Department? Please write 3 responsibilities and rank them 1-3.
How well do you think the Idaho Falls Police Department is meeting its
responsibilities?
If you chose 1 or 2 for any responsibility in the previous question, how can
the Idaho Falls Police Department better meet those responsibilities? If
you chose 3-5 for all, please skip this question.
What is your occupation?

The question What do you think are the primary responsibilities of the Idaho
Falls Police Department? was removed because the results showed people were
7|Page

not answering the question like it was stated. Most results showed respondents
writing Serve and Protect for all 3 responsibilities.
The question How well do you think the Idaho Falls Police Department is
meeting its responsibilities? was removed because the same results were
received from the question What are the top 3 services you would like to see the
Idaho Falls Police Department improve? just in a different format.
The question If you chose 1 or 2 for any responsibility in the previous question,
how can the Idaho Falls Police Department better meet those responsibilities? If
you chose 3-5 for all, please skip this question. was removed because it was a
follow-up to the previous question that was removed.
The question What is your occupation? was removed because the results for
that question showed that only 24% of people answered it.
The surveys on Qualtrics were left the same length so that when there was
Internet connection or when the survey was sent to people over the Internet,
those individuals would still be able to answer all of the questions.

S U R V E Y A P P R O A C H
Before asking people to take the survey, the questions Are you 18 years old or
older? as well as Are you an Idaho Falls citizen or are you in Idaho Falls at least
once a week? were asked to make sure that people were eligible to take the
survey. The people would only be surveyed if they answered yes to both
questions.
In approaching potential survey participants, the question Are you willing to
take a survey to help better the safety of the community? was asked. It was
found that starting a conversation with an individual before asking them to take
the survey worked best.
After taking the survey and getting to question 52 people knew that the survey
was for the Idaho Falls Police Department, and they seemed irritated they were
not notified beforehand. The approach was changed to include that the survey is
anonymous and was being done for a government institution that will be made
known as the survey is being completed.

See Appendix for full survey.

8|Page

P L A C E S T H E S U R V E Y W A S D IS T R IB U T E D
During the first week of survey distribution the Idaho Falls Animal Shelter, Idaho
Falls Magazine, Community Care, Golds Gym Idaho Falls, Idaho Falls Farmers
Market, and Summit Eye Care were contacted to talk about the possibility having
them post the survey on their webpage or allow surveys to be placed in their
business. Surveys were placed in Summit Eye Care in Idaho Falls, but there was
no response from the other businesses and organizations.
The parking lots of Down East, PetCo, Toys R Us, and Wal-Mart were visited for
survey distribution. The YMCA, 3 local gas stations, and Sams Club were also
used to distribute surveys. Areas on each side of town were chosen to more fully
grasp a random survey of the Idaho Falls population. All businesses were asked
before surveys were distributed.
During the second week of survey distribution, the Idaho Falls Library was visited
and surveys were passed out among individuals at the library with the permission
of the library. A writing group was meeting in the library and 20 of them were
willing to take the survey after their meeting concluded. People werent busy and
were more willing to take the time to take a survey than people surveyed in other
locations. Twenty-six surveys were completed at the library.
Les Schwab Idaho Falls allowed displays to be set up in its shop and encouraged
people who were getting their cars worked on to take the survey while they were
waiting. Someone had recently thrown a rock through Les Schwabs window and
the police department was very kind to them and helped them fix the problem, so
Les Schwab employees were motivated to do everything they possible could to
help out our team and the police department. Commercial tire also allowed for
displays in its shop.
With help from the Idaho Falls Police Department, booths were reserved in the
Grand Teton Mall on Saturday from 10am-5pm. Six members of the research
team asked people as they walked by about taking the survey. It was mall policy
to remain seated and not get up and walk around to find people to take the
survey. Donuts were purchased and given to people who took the survey. Three
people took the survey only because they got a free donut afterwards. A total of
15 surveys were collected from the mall.
The Greenbelt and the Winco parking lot were visited and shoppers and walkers
were invited to take the survey. Thirty-six surveys combined were collected at
these locations.
9|Page

During the third week of survey distribution, Deseret Industries was spoken with
to see if surveys could be distributed in front of the store. It was agreed upon that
the manager would give the surveys to their employees. Five surveys were
collected from Desert Industries.
Coffee shops and bookstores were also visited in search of people who had leisure
time to take the survey. From these locations, 55 surveys were collected.
During the fourth week of survey distribution, three additional surveys were
received from Deseret Industries.
The library was also revisited. A parenting and business group took the survey, as
well as various people throughout the library. 54 surveys were received from the
library.
The main source of surveys for the fourth week was online surveys, which came
through businesses posting the survey on their Facebook page. 102 surveys were
received through this method. Chart 1 shows where each survey was collected.
The other category includes all surveys collected in various places that were not
recorded.

Surveys Collected In Each Area

102

Online
Public Library

177

Coffee Shops/Book Stores

Grand Teton Mall
80

Desert Industries
Other

15
8

55

Chart 1

10 | P a g e

S U R V E Y IN G T H E H IS P A N IC P O P U L A T IO N
According to the U.S. Census, 12.9 percent of the Idaho Falls Population is
Hispanic.3 To represent the Hispanic population, 52 out of the 400 surveys were
required from the Hispanic population. A total of 13 survey respondents
indicated that they were Hispanic and 14 indicated, I would rather not say.
During the first two weeks of survey distribution, 47 Hispanics were approached.
Later in results, it was found five surveys indicated that their ethnicity was
Hispanic, and eight surveys indicated, I would rather not say.
During the third and forth weeks special attention was focused specifically on
getting surveys from the Hispanic population. Local Mexican restaurants were
visited and individuals who speak fluent Spanish were collaborated with to
communicate to the Hispanic population.
A survey that was translated in Spanish was used for those who did not speak
English very well.
During the third and fourth weeks, 41 Hispanics were contacted and eight took
the survey. During these weeks there were six surveys that indicated, I would
rather not say for the ethnicity question.

T O T A L S U R V E Y S P E R W E E K
A total of 382 surveys were needed to have a confidence level of 95% and a
confidence interval of 5. A total of 437 surveys were collected.
Number of Surveys
83
75
120
159

Dates
October 13th-19th
October 20th-26th
October 27th-November 2nd
November 3rd-9th
Table 1

A N A L Y S IS
The cross tabulation function was used in excel to compare the following:

(United States Census n.d.)

11 | P a g e

The publics perception of the fairness of the Idaho Falls Police

Department to demographics
The publics perception of safety to demographics
The publics perception of how everyone is treated to demographics
The publics perception of the presence of the Idaho Falls Police
Department to zip code
The classes the public is interested in to their perception of safety

Wordle.net was used to create a word cloud of responses to the surveys.

The most significant findings are listed in the survey analysis. Information is
considered significant if it has a p-value of .05 or lower.

12 | P a g e

S URVEY A NALYSIS
All analysis included below has been found to be significant from running a t-test
and finding a significant p-value. All analysis has a p-value of 0.05 or below
unless otherwise noted.

S A F E T Y
S I T U A T I O N A L F E E L I N G O F S A F E T Y
The purpose of the question How safe do you feel in the following situations?
was to discover if being in different locations at different times would affect the
communitys sense of security. The answer choices given to survey takers were:
very safe, safe, neutral, unsafe and very unsafe.
Chart 2 shows the general feeling of safety throughout the 434 respondents who
answered the question How safe do you feel in the following situations?

How safe do you feel in the following

situations?
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
Very Unsafe

Unsafe

Neutral

Safe

Walking alone during the day

Walking alone at night

Staying home alone during the day

Staying home alone at night

Very Safe

Chart 2
These results show that there is a general feeling of safety staying home alone
during the day, staying home alone at night, and walking alone during the day.
Most responses are in the very safe and safe categories. The only situation in
which a large portion of people feel unsafe or very unsafe is walking alone at
night in Idaho Falls, in which 102 people feel unsafe or very unsafe.
13 | P a g e

G E N E R A L S A F E T Y
Chart 3 shows the general feeling of safety in Idaho Falls as represented by 436
respondents who answered the question Do you generally feel safe in Idaho
Falls?

Do you generally feel safe in Idaho

Falls?

Yes
No
97%

Chart 3
97% of Idaho Falls residents generally feel safe in Idaho Falls. Only 3% of the
surveyed population answered that they did not feel safe in Idaho Falls, which
amounts to a total of 11 people. These results indicate that, generally, citizens feel
safe in the Idaho Falls community.
R E A S O N S F O R F E E L I N G U N S A F E
The follow-up question Why do you feel unsafe? was asked to those individuals
who responded that they did not generally feel safe in Idaho Falls. Their
reasoning for feeling unsafe is shown in chart 4. Only 11 out of 437 people were
asked this follow-up question.

14 | P a g e

Why Do You Feel Unsafe?

Never Do, 1

Gangs, 1

Alone, 1
Neighborhood, 2

Drug Users, 1

People, 5

Chart 4
The 11 people who dont feel safe were of various demographics. These
individuals range from 25-59 years old, both male and female, are of white race
or indicated that they would rather not say, have an income from $0-$99,999 a
year before taxes, and live in the zip codes 83401,83402, and 83404.
Four of these individuals indicated they were involved with the Idaho Falls Police
Department in an investigation of an assault, threat, or stalking investigation and
three of these people indicated the Idaho Falls Police Department didnt address
the issue adequately.
Eight respondents indicated that they would like to see the Idaho Falls Police
Department improve assaults, threats, and stalking investigation and responses
although not all of them indicated they were directly involved in them.
Five of the 11 respondents who dont feel safe have a negative perception of the
Idaho Falls Police Department and think that the Idaho Falls Police Department
has too little presence in the community. Three of the respondents indicated that
there were too few officers in at least one place in the survey.
These results show that there is no specific type of person who feels unsafe in
the community. These individuals come from different ethnicities, socioeconomic statuses, genders, zip codes, etc.

15 | P a g e

W H O /W H A T H E L P S Y O U F E E L S A F E ?
This question was designed to help understand what helps Idaho Falls citizens
feel safe in the community. This question was open-ended and answers were
grouped into categories. Chart 5 shows 372 responses of the citizens of Idaho
Falls.

Who/What helps you feel safe?

140

123

120
88

100

87

72

80

55

60

38

40

16

20
0

Chart 5
The responses are divided into 7 sections. They are as follows: the police
department, family and friends, the city, the culture of the city, ones self, the
crime rate, and other. Because many survey takers gave multiple responses that
fell in multiple sections, one survey could result in responses in multiple
categories. If one survey taker gave multiple responses that fell in the same
section it was accounted only once.
-

The data label Culture contains all responses that mention religious
topics, citizens being law abiding, kind people, and similar responses.
The data label City contains all responses that mention the size of the
city, population, good neighborhoods, the lighting, the income level,
and the conditions of the city.
The data label Self contains all responses that mention anything
about street smarts, safety precautions, self-defense weapons, or the
ability to take care of ones self in a fight.
16 | P a g e

The data label Family/Friends contains all responses that mentioned

a family member, boyfriend, spouse, being around friends, being with
people, friends, neighbors, or anything of that nature.
The data label Police Department contains all responses that
mentioned the police, the area being secured, or the law.
The data label Crime Rate contains all responses that mention the
lack of crime or low crime rates.
The data label Other contains all responses that mention not knowing
why or a response that didnt fall in another section and was not
significant enough to have its own section.

These results show that people feel safe in Idaho Falls mostly because of the
religious culture that is so prevalent in the community. People also feel safe
because of the city itself, their own knowledge or safety precautions, the police
department, and low crime rates.

17 | P a g e

P U B L IC P E R C E P T IO N O F P O L IC E
P L E A S E W R I T E T H E F I R S T T H I N G T H A T C O M E S T O Y O U R M I N D W H E N Y O U H E A R T H E
W O R D S I D A H O F A L L S P O L I C E D E P A R T M E N T .
The word cloud below shows each word that was mentioned in the question
above. The words that are bigger were mentioned more frequently. The word
cloud includes responses from 376 Idaho Falls citizens.

18 | P a g e

The 10 words that were mentioned the most are listed below as well as their
respective word counts:
Police
Good
Tickets
Safety
Speeding
Safe
Protect
Cars
Protection
Busy

24
21
19
17
16
13
10
9
8
7
Table 2

R A T I N G O F Q U A L I T I E S H E L D B Y T H E IFPD
Question 12 in Appendix C Idaho Falls Police officers are generally: was used to
determine if people disagreed or agreed that the IFPD generally has the qualities
of: respectful of their rights, friendly, helpful, fair and adequately forceful. During
the analysis the 369 respondents to this question were split into two separate
groups, people who have had interactions with the IFPD in the past 10 years and
people who hadn't. A t-test was run to identify if there was statistical significance.
With an average p-value of 0.03, the following were found to be significant:
Quality
Respectful of
Rights
Friendly
Helpful
Fair
Use Adequate
Force

% Of All Survey
Takers Who
Agreed
74%

% Who Had
Interaction &
Agreed
70%

% Who Havent
Had Interaction
& Agreed
80%

72%
71%
66%
63%

67%
66%
62%
59%

79%
77%
71%
69%

Table 3
These results suggest that the majority of the population think that the IFPD is
respectful of their rights, friendly, helpful, fair, and that they use adequate force
to resolve conflicts. People who have had interactions with the police department
in the past 10 years were more apt to disagree that the IFPD has the qualities
listed than those who haven't had interactions with the IFPD. Although most
individuals do agree that the IFPD is respectful, friendly, helpful, fair, and use
adequate force. The quality that the least amount of people agreed with is that the
IFPD uses adequate force. The IFPD has had complaints about the use of force in
19 | P a g e

the past, and these results indicate that there is a group of individuals who
believe that the amount of force used by the IFPD is not appropriate. Whether
this means that the IFPD is too forceful, or not forceful enough has not been
determined.
O V E R A L L P E R C E P T I O N O F IFPD I N V A R I O U S A R E A S
The following question was designed to see what the Idaho Falls citizens
perception is of the Idaho Falls Police Department in many different areas. The
question was, Please indicate your opinions about the following statements:
and it contained a list of statements in which respondents could strongly agree,
agree, neutral, disagree, and strongly disagree. Chart 6 and 7 show the statements
as well as the responses received from 393 Idaho Falls citizens separated into
positive and negative statements. (Chart 6 being positive and Chart 7 being
negative statements)

Overall Opinions of Respondents About The

IFPD
60%
50%

Strongly Agree
Agree

40%

Neutral
30%

Disagree

20%

Strongly
Disagree

10%
0%
I have confidence

Effective at
investigating crime

Treats everyone
fairly

Chart 6

20 | P a g e

Overall Opinions of Respondents About

The IFPD
60%
50%
40%
Strongly Agree
30%

Agree
Neutral

20%

Disagree

10%

Strongly Disagree

0%
Perception is
negative

Too little
presence

Media coverage Not effective at

is negative
preventing
crime

Chart 7
The general opinion of the Idaho Falls Police Department held by Idaho Falls
citizens is skewed positively or neutral. This indicates that most citizens of Idaho
Falls have confidence in the Idaho Falls Police Department, think that they have a
strong presence in the community, media coverage is positive, they are effective
at preventing crime and at investigating crime, and their perception is positive.
T O P 3 S E R V I C E S T O I M P R O V E
Chart 8 shows 402 responses of the top three services that the Idaho Falls
community would like to see improve within the IFPD.

21 | P a g e

Desired Improvements
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0

138

135

123

117
76

71

68
46

43

40

Chart 8
The top three services that the Idaho Falls community would like to see the Idaho
Falls Police Department improve are assaults/threats/stalking investigation and
responses, community relations, and theft/robbery/burglary investigation and
responses. With a p-value of .09, there is little to no correlation between the
interactions respondents have had with the police department and which service
was chosen as a desired improvement.
These results show that the areas that citizens would like to see improved are not
areas that they have necessarily been involved with the police department in, but
they have heard of elsewhere and/or think are the most severe incidents.
V I C T I M S , W I T N E S S E S , A N D O T H E R S O P I N I O N O N C R I M E P R E V E N T I O N
A t-test was ran to identify if there was significance between individuals who have
been victims, witnesses, and others in specific instances with the IFPD said about
how well the IFPD is at preventing crime. With a p-value of 0.56, this was found
to be insignificant.
These results show that people who have been involved with the IFPD as a victim,
witness, or other do not have a consensus in opinion of the effectiveness of crime
prevention by the IFPD. There is no significant difference between their opinions
and the opinions of others.
22 | P a g e

O P I N I O N S O F IFPD I N V E S T I G A T I V E E F F E C T I V E N E S S VS. C I T I Z E N S T Y P E O F I N T E R A C T I O N
W I T H T H E IFPD
A t-test was run to identify if there was any significance between how people view
the effectiveness of the IFPD at investigating crime versus the interaction they
have had with the IFPD. Chart 9 compares 213 respondents who indicated on a
scale of agreement to disagreement that the IFPD is effective at investigating
crime with the type of interaction they have had with the IFPD. The percentages
of respondents who agree are in black boxes at the top of the chart.

Percentage of Responses

Opinion of Investigative
Effectiveness Vs. Interaction Type
60%
50%
40%

31%

35%

32%

32%

32%

Strongly Agree

30%
20%

Agree
15%

10%

Neutral

0%

Disagree
Strongly Disagree

Interaction Type

Chart 9
Chart 9 demonstrates that the majority of the citizens who have had interactions
with the IFPD have a neutral to positive opinion of the investigative effectiveness
of the IFPD.
One outlier is people who report their interaction with the IFPD to be other.
These respondents, although still having a mostly neutral opinion (34%) of the
investigative effectiveness of the IFPD, have a total of 32% disagree or strongly
23 | P a g e

disagree that the IFPD is effective at investigating crime. Their interactions with
the IFPD are listed in the table below.
Interaction Type

Frequency

Ambulance
Speeding Tickets
Domestic Violence
Response
Personal Relationship
Disturbing the peace
Tenant Issues
Court House
Car Window Shot Out
Donating furniture for
use in training exercise

3
2

Percentage of
Respondents
21%
14%

2
2
1
1
1
1

14%
14%
7%
7%
7%
7%

7%
Table 4

These results show that most people who have had interactions with the IFPD
believe that the IFPD is effective at investigating crime or they are neutral about
the topic. Some things that the IFPD could work on to improve the perception of
investigative effectiveness are listed in the table above.
O P I N I O N S O F IFPD I N V E S T I G A T I V E E F F E C T I V E N E S S H E L D B Y V I C T I M S , W I T N E S S E S , A N D
O T H E R S
A t-test was run to identify if there was significance between what victims,
witnesses, and others said about how well the IFPD is at investigating crime.
With an average p-value of 0.05, these were all found to be significant. Chart 10
shows the percentage of 214 victims, witnesses, and others who responded on a
scale from strongly agree to strongly disagree to the statement The Idaho Falls
Police Department is effective at investigating crime.

24 | P a g e

IFPD Investigative Effectiveness vs.

Interaction Type
60
50
40
30

Victim

20

Witness

10

Other

0
Strongly
Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Is the IFPD Effective at Investigating Crime?

Chart 10
The results of this graph show that witnesses agree that the IFPD is effective at
investigating crime. People who identified themselves as other were more
inclined to a neutral response.
The responses in the other category included: 8 people who said they were the
perpetrator in the incident and 11 miscellaneous responses, which are included
below.
-

Verifying statements/did not witness

The one pulled over the one in the wreck
Took place on my property
Driver in traffic stop
Neither. I just worked on a ceiling and talked to them as they were passing
one day
I know a lot of the officers from my family
Observer of IFPD interactions with immediate family members
Attending a seminar at the court house; registering my vehicle in Idaho
and getting an ID drivers license
My dog was in the shelter
Plaintiff
In the car
25 | P a g e

A t-test was run to identify if there was significance between the opinions about
the investigative effectiveness of the IFPD with people who have and havent had
interactions with the IFPD. With a p-value of 0.01, this was found to be very
significant. Chart 11 demonstrates this comparison.

IFPD Investigative Effectiveness VS.

Interaction in Last 10 Years (Yes, No)
100
80
60
40

Yes

20

No

0
Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Is the IFPD Effective at Investigating Crime?

Chart 11
The results of this graph show that people who have had interactions with Idaho
Falls Police offers are more apt to disagree that they are effective at investigating
crime compared to those who have not.
V I C T I M S , W I T N E S S E S , A N D O T H E R S O P I N I O N S O N W H E T H E R T H E IFPD A D D R E S S E D
T H E I R I S S U E A D E Q U A T E L Y
A t-test was ran to identify if there was significance between the opinions about if
the IFPD addressed specific issues adequately compared to if they were a victim,
witness, or other in the situation. With a p-value of 0.02, this was found to be
significant.
The table below shows the opinions of 229 victims, witnesses, and other people
who indicated where the IFPD did or did not address the issue adequately.

26 | P a g e

Did the Idaho Falls

Police Department
address the issue(s)
adequately?

Yes

Victim
73%

Witness
76%

Other
81%

No

27%

24%

19%
Table 5

179 out of 230 people who answered this question agree that the Idaho Falls
Police Department addresses issues adequately. This indicates that, although
most people agree that the IFPD addresses issues adequately, victims are the
least likely to agree that the IFPD addresses issues adequately. People in the
other category are the most likely to agree. (Eight out of 19 people in the other
category indicated that they are the perpetrator in the incident.)
Chart 12 gives the responses people gave as to why their issue was not addressed
adequately.

Why The IFPD Did Not Address

Issues Adequately
Understaffed
2

Lazy
6

13

Poor Communication/
Didn't follow up or through
Biased
Didn't take care of issue
quickly enough
12

Wrongly Accused
Officers thought issue was
unimportant

4
3

Don't Investigate
Other

Chart 12
27 | P a g e

The largest portion of responses are in the other category (13 responses or 27%),
which consists of unclear responses and responses that did not fit in the defined
categories. The responses were:
-

I was a teenager
Didnt seem interested at all until traffic stop
The punishment was not enough to keep them in jail long enough and
they were back continuing the same old thing
Only the law not what they CAN do
They believe the person with $ as their acquaintances
Did not act like it was important
They would not prosecute
The man abusing an elderly women should have been removed from the
premises and not just warned
When I informed IF police of a drug buy, the dealer was informed
Improper training
Lack of knowledge
Hypocritical
Harassment

The second largest portion of responses (12 responses or 25%) indicated that the
reason the Idaho Falls Police Department did not address their issue adequately
was because of poor communication or that they didnt follow up or follow
through with their issue. These results show that the IFPD could improve the
publics opinion of the adequacy of issues addressed if all situations were
followed through with.
IFPD P R E S E N C E I N T H E C O M M U N I T Y VS. Z I P C O D E
173 respondents were used to compare these data points.
26% of the citizens surveys agreed with the statement The Idaho Falls Police
Department has too little presence in the community. 25% disagreed and 49%
were neutral.
A cross tabulation was run between the responses to the statement The Idaho
Falls Police Department has too little presence in the community compared to
the zip code in which these individuals reside in. A t-test was run to identify if
there was significance. With a p-value of 0.01 these values were found to be
significant.
28 | P a g e

In the following zip codes, a larger percentage of people agreed with the
statement than disagreed (or thought there was too little police presence):
-

83401 (2% more)

83403 (13% more)
83406 (20% more)

The data shows that the people who live in the zip code 83406 are more likely to
think that the Idaho Falls Police Department has too little presence in the
community. This could be due to the fact that a portion of the zip code 83406 is
technically Ammon, which is not in the jurisdiction of the IFPD.
M O S T S I G N I F I C A N T M E D I A I N F L U E N C E S
Chart 13 shows the responses of 408 citizens indication the top 3 things that
most influence their perception of the IFPD.

Influences of Perception
350

301

300

284
243

250

216

200
150
100

57

50
0
Stories

Personal Contact

Local Media

Past experiences National Media

with other
officers

Chart 13
This chart indicates that most people form their opinions based on stories heard
from others. Because of this, the IFPD is not able to control what information is
shared about them. By sharing more on local media, the IFPD might be able
influence the public perception more.
29 | P a g e

I N F L U E N C E S I N P U B L I C P E R C E P T I O N O F IFPD
408 responses to the question Rank the top 3 items that have most influenced
your perception of the Idaho Falls Police Department were compared to the
question Idaho Falls Police officers are generally to determine what types of
media influence the publics opinion of the IFPD and in what ways.
The question Idaho Falls Police officers are generally asked respondents to
rate each of the qualities: respectful, friendly, helpful, fair, and use adequate force
from 1 to 5. Numbers less than 3 indicate that respondents agreed with each of
the statements. A t-test was run to identify if there was significance. With a pvalue of 0.03, this was found to be significant.
The average rating was calculated for each category to find out if people who
developed the perceptions from different sources tended to have a positive or
negative opinion of the Idaho Falls Police Department. The information below
includes cross tabulations on the one thing that most influenced their
perception of the IFPD. An average of 1 would mean that all respondents agreed
that the IFPD has the quality listed, an average of 3 would mean they are neutral,
and an average of 5 would mean they disagree that the IFPD has the quality
listed.
Personal contact: 193 individuals said this was what most influenced their
perception of the IFPD. Their average ratings are included in the table below.
Respectful of
Rights

Friendly

Helpful

Fair

Use
Adequate
Force

1.94

2.02

2.08

2.15

2.22
Table 6

Local media: 69 individuals said this was what most influenced their perceptions
about the IFPD. Their average ratings are included in the table below.
Respectful of
Rights

Friendly

Helpful

Fair

Use
Adequate
Force

1.75

1.92

1.74

1.89

1.92
Table 7

30 | P a g e

National media: Only 5 individuals said this was how they developed their
perceptions so the data isnt statistically valid.
Stories: 76 individuals said this was what most influenced their perceptions of the
IFPD. Their average ratings are included in the table below.
Respectful of
Rights

Friendly

Helpful

Fair

Use
Adequate
Force

2.13

2.08

2.04

2.19

2.24
Table 8

Police officers from other areas: 62 individuals said this was what most
influenced their perception of the IFPD. Their average ratings are included in the
table below.
Respectful of
Rights

Friendly

Helpful

Fair

Use
Adequate
Force

2.00

2.09

2.11

2.30

2.31
Table 9

These results show that people who developed their perceptions about the IFPD
through local media ranked IFPD lower in all categories. (1 means agree, 5 means
disagree) This suggests that exposure to local media helps in creating a more
positive perception of the IFPD. However, people in all categories ranked the
IFPD less than 3 (which is neutral). Thus, the citizens of Idaho Falls consider the
IFPD respectful of rights, friendly, helpful, fair, and adequately forceful. The
extent to which the citizens feel the IFPD has the qualities listed could be
improve, but the generally feeling is positive.
P E R C E P T I O N O F T H E F A I R N E S S O F T H E IFPD
There were 399 people who responded to the statement The Idaho Falls Police
Department treats everyone in the area fairly on a scale of agree to disagree. 44%
of those who were surveyed agree with the statement, while 32% were neutral,
and 24% disagree.
A t-test was run to identify if there was significance between respondents that
think the IFPD treats everyone fairly versus their respective demographics. There
was significance based on age, with a p-value of 0.04, however all other
demographics were not significant.
31 | P a g e

67% of 55-59 year olds disagree with the statement that the IFPD treats everyone
in the area fairly, as well as 43% of 30-34 year olds. Both of these age ranges have
a higher percentage of people who disagree that the IFPD treats everyone fairly
than those who agree.
There was not a significant difference between ethnicities perception of fairness
of the IFPD, however chart 14 shows how the Hispanic population views the
fairness of the IFPD. The p-value was not significant on this correlation, possibly
due to the fact that there werent many responses from the Hispanic population.

The Idaho Falls Police Department Treats

Everyone Fairly
5
4
3
2

Hispanics

1
0
Strongly
Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Chart 14
Out of the 12 Hispanics that answered this question, 4 strongly disagreed or
disagreed with the statement, 5 were neutral, and 3 agreed or strongly agreed.

32 | P a g e

I N T E R E S T I N C L A S S E S
Chart 15 indicates the general interest of 360 respondents in classes offered by
the Idaho Falls Police Department. The five classes with the most interest are
highlighted in black with their respective counts above.

Number of Respondents

INTEREST IN CLASSES OFFERED

BY IFPD
250
200
150

119 128

154

138

127

100
50
Yes

No
Maybe

Type Of Class

Chart 15
This graph indicates that the classes that respondents are most interested in are:
Emergency Response; Frauds/Scams/Identity Theft; Internet Safety;
Home/Business Security; and Anti-Bullying.
In all cases, there are more people who are not interested in the class offered by
the IFPD that those who are. However, there is a significant interest in the classes
listed above.
C L A S S I N T E R E S T B Y D E M O G R A P H I C S
Cross tabulations were used to determine if there were specific interests in classes
offered by the IFPD based on zip code, income, gender, age, and ethnicity. The
results are included in the tables below. If more than one class was ranked the
33 | P a g e

same in interest, all classes were included. A t-test was run to identify if there was
significance between the demographics and their interest in classes. With an
average p-value of .05, the following were found to be significant:
Z I P C O D E
Zip Code

Most Interested Class or Classes

- Frauds/Scams/Identity Theft
- Anti-Bullying
- Emergency Response
- Anti-Bullying
- Police Tactics Education
- Frauds/Scams/Identity Theft
- Anti-Bullying
- Emergency Response
Table 10

83401
83402
83403
83404
83406

(No 83405 residents were interested in classes offered by the IFPD)

I N C O M E
Income
Less than $10,000
$10,000-$24,999

Most Interested Class or Classes

- Car Seat Safety
- Emergency Response
- Frauds/Scams/Identity Theft
- Anti-Bullying
- Frauds/Scams/Identity Theft
- Internet Safety
- Anti-Bullying
- Emergency Response
- Police Tactics Education
- Anti-Bullying
Table 11

$25,000-$49,999
$50,000-$99,999
$100,000-$199,999
More than $200,000

People with an income less than $10,000 are interested in car seat safety. This
could be a significant finding because most stay-at-home moms have an income
of less than $10,000. Middle class individuals ($10,000-$49,999) are interested
in making sure that they are not scammed and their identity is not stolen.

34 | P a g e

G E N D E R
Gender

Most Interested Class or Classes

- Anti-Bullying
- Frauds/Scams/Identity Theft
- Police Tactics Education
- Anti-Bullying
Table 12

Age

Most Interested Class or Classes

- Emergency Response
- Emergency Response
- Frauds/Scams/Identity Theft
- Anti-Bullying
- Frauds/Scams/Identity Theft
- Emergency Response
- Internet Safety
- Frauds/Scams/Identity Theft
- Anti-Bullying
- Internet Safety
- Home and Business Security
- Internet Safety
- Frauds/Scams/Identity Theft
- Internet Safety
- Emergency Response
- Frauds/Scams/Identity Theft
- Home and Business Security
- Internet Safety
- Anti-Bullying
- Internet Safety
- Frauds/Scams/Identity Theft
Table 13

Female
Male

A G E

18-19
20-24

25-29
30-34
35-39

40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64

65-69

70-74

35 | P a g e

E T H N I C I T Y
Ethnicity
American Indian
Black or African American
Hispanic or Latino
White

Most Interested Class or Classes

- Anti-Bullying
- Emergency Response
- Anti-Bullying
- Anti-Bullying
- Internet Safety
- Emergency Response
- Property Crime Prevention
- SWAT Response
Table 14

All ethnicities, except for whites, are interested in a class on anti-bullying

36 | P a g e

K EY F INDINGS
-

97% of the respondents reported that they feel safe. This is mostly due to
the culture of Idaho Falls.
The citizens of Idaho Falls consider the IFPD respectful of rights, friendly,
helpful, fair, and adequately forceful. The extent to which the citizens feel
the IFPD has the qualities listed could be improved, but the generally
feeling is positive. People who have had interactions with the police
department in the past 10 years were more apt to disagree that the IFPD
has the qualities listed than those individuals who haven't had interactions
with the IFPD. The quality that the least amount of people agreed with is
that the IFPD uses adequate force.
Exposure to local media helps create a more positive perception of the
IFPD. Local media is ranked the third out of five ways that individuals
build their perception of the IFPD. Through the usage of more local media,
this could increase.
Residents in the zip codes 83401,83403, 83406 are more likely to agree
that the Idaho Falls Police Department has too little presence in the
community. People who live in the zip code 83406 more frequently think
that the Idaho Falls Police Department has too little presence in the
community. This could be due to the fact that a portion of the zip code
83406 is located in Ammon, which is not the jurisdiction of the IFPD.
Classes that residents are most interested in and their respective counts
are:
o Emergency Response: 154
o Frauds/Scams/Identity Theft: 138
o Internet Safety: 128
o Anti-Bullying: 127
o Home/Business Security: 119
The only ethnicity that is not interested in the Anti-Bullying class is
whites.

37 | P a g e

B IBLIOGRAPHY
Community Facts- Idaho Falls. 2014.
http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/community_facts.xhtml
(accessed September 19, 2014).
Idaho Falls, Idaho. 2014. http://www.city-data.com/city/Idaho-FallsIdaho.html#b (accessed September 18, 2014).
Mission and Values. 2013. http://www.idahofallspolice.com (accessed
September 18, 2014).
Smith, John, interview by George Brown. Eastern Idaho Entrepreneurial Center
New York, New York: Brooks, (2011 26-February).
The City of Idaho Falls, Idaho. 2014. http://www.idahofallsidaho.gov/faq/howmany-police.html (accessed September 19, 2014).

38 | P a g e

A PPENDIX A
O R IG IN A L S U R V E Y
1) Please describe how safe you feel in the following situations in the Idaho Falls
area: (Place an X in one box per situation)
Very Unsafe Unsafe Neutral Safe Very Safe
Walking alone during the day
Walking alone at night
Staying home alone during the day
Staying home alone at night

2) Do you generally feel safe in Idaho Falls?

___ A. Yes
___ B. No
3) Who/ what helps you feel safe in Idaho Falls? (If you indicated no to question
2, dont answer this question)

4) Why dont you feel safe in Idaho Falls? (If you indicated yes to question 2,
dont answer this question)

5) Please write the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the words
"Idaho Falls Police Department".

6) What do you think are the primary responsibilities of the Idaho Falls Police
Department? Please write 3 responsibilities and rank them 1-3.

7) How well do you think the Idaho Falls Police Department is meeting its
responsibilities? (Circle or place an X over your choice, 5 being very well)
39 | P a g e

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] A. Traffic accident responses/Traffic stops

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] B. Theft/robbery/burglary investigation and responses
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] C. Vandalism/Trespassing investigation and responses
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] D. Assaults/Threats/Stalking investigation and responses
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] E. Animal Control
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] F. Responding to complaints
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] G. I dont know
8) If you chose 1 or 2 for any responsibility in the previous question, how can the
Idaho Falls Police Department better meet those responsibilities? If you chose 35 for all, please skip this question.

9) What are the top 3 services you would like to see the Idaho Falls Police
Department improve? (Please circle the top 3)
a. Traffic accident responses/ Traffic
f. Community relations
stops
b. Theft/Robbery/burglary investigation h. Other (Please specify)
and responses
c. Vandalism/Trespassing investigation
i. It needs no improvement
and responses
d. Assaults/Threats/Stalking
j. I dont know
investigation and responses
e. Animal Control
10) Have you had any interactions with an Idaho Falls Police Officer in the past
10 years?
__A. Yes
__B. No (Skip to question 15)
11) Please indicate the interactions you have had with the Idaho Falls Police:
(Select all that apply)
___A. Traffic accident responses/Traffic stops
___B. Theft/robbery/burglary investigation and responses
___C. Vandalism/Trespassing investigation and responses
___D. Assaults/Threats/Stalking investigation and responses
___E. Animal Control
40 | P a g e

___F. Responding to complaints

___G. Other (Please indicate) _________________________
12) In the previous situation(s), were you a: (Select all that apply)
___A. Victim
___B. Witness
___C. Other
13) Did the Idaho Falls Police Department address the issue(s) adequately?
___A. Yes (Skip to question 15)
___B. No
14) Why do you think the Idaho Falls Police Department did not address the issue
adequately?

15) Idaho Falls Police Officers are generally: (Place an X in one box for every
quality)
1
2
3
4
5
Respectful
Not
of your
respectful
rights
of your
rights
Friendly
Unfriendly
Helpful
Not helpful
Fair
Unfair
Adequately
Excessively
Forceful
Forceful
16) Please indicate your opinions about the following statements: (Place an X in
the box to indicate your opinion)
Strongly
Strongly
Agree
Agree
Neutral Disagree Disagree
I have confidence in
the Idaho Falls Police
Department.
The Idaho Falls Police
Department has too
little presence in the
41 | P a g e

community.
Media coverage of the
Idaho Falls Police
Department is
generally negative.
The Idaho Falls Police
Department treats
everyone in the area
fairly.
The Idaho Falls Police
Department is not
effective at
PREVENTING crime.
The Idaho Falls Police
Department is
effective at
INVESTIGATING
crime.
The overall perception
of the Idaho Falls
Police Department is
negative.
17) Please rank the top 3 items that have most influenced your perception of the
Idaho Falls Police Department: (Place a 1, 2, or 3 by the 3 answer choices, 1 being
the most influential)
___A. Personal contact
___B. Local media
___C. National media
___D. Stories/ information I have received from friends/family/coworkers/etc.
___E. Past experiences with police officers in different locations
___F. Other (Please specify) __________________________
18) If the Idaho Falls Police Department were to offer the following classes, how
likely would you be to attend? (Circle or place an X over your choice: 1- Very
Unlikely: 5- Very Likely)
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] A. Drug Education
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] B. Home/Business Security
42 | P a g e

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] C. Internet Safety

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] D. Emergency Response
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] E. Using Crimemapping/AlertID Safety
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] F. Property Crime Prevention Crimes
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] G. Frauds/Scams/Identity Theft
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] H. Police Tactics Education
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] I. Bicycle Safety
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] J. SWAT Response
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] K. Anti-bullying
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] L. Car Seat
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] M. Reporting

19) What is your gender?

___A. Male
___B. Female
20) What is your age?
___A. 18-19
___B. 20-24
___C. 25-29
___D. 30-34
___E. 35-39
___F. 40-44

___G. 45-49
___H. 50-54
___I. 55-59
___J. 60-64
___K. 65-69
___L. 70-74

___M. 75-79
___N. 80-84
___O. 85 years or older
___P. I would rather not say.

21) What is your ethnicity?

___A. Alaska Native
___E. Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander
___B. American Indian
___F. White
___C. Black or African American ___G. Other
___D. Hispanic or Latino
___H. I would rather not say
22) What is your personal annual income level from all sources before taxes?
___A. Less than $10,000
___G. $75,000-$99,999
___B. $10,000-$14,999
___H. $100,000-$149,999
___C. $15,000-$24,999
___I. $150,000-$199,999
___D. $25,000-$34,999
___J. $200,000 or more
___E. $35,000-$49,999
___K. I would rather not say
___F. $50,000-$74,999

23) What is your occupation?

43 | P a g e

24) What is your residential zip code?

___A. 83401 ___B. 83402___C. 83403 ___D. 83404___E. 83405___F. 83406
___G. 83415 ___H. Other (Please Specify) ______________
25) Please share any comments you many have about the Idaho Falls Police
Department with us on the back of this page.
*** The margins and formatting have changed from the actual paper
survey.

A PPENDIX B
S H O R T E N E D S U R V E Y
1) Please describe how safe you feel in the following situations in the Idaho Falls
area: (Place an X in one box per situation)
Very Unsafe Unsafe Neutral Safe Very Safe
Walking alone during the day
Walking alone at night
Staying home alone during the day
Staying home alone at night
2) Do you generally feel safe in Idaho Falls?
___ A. Yes
___ B. No
3) Who/ what helps you feel safe in Idaho Falls? (If you indicated no to question
2, dont answer this question)

4) Why dont you feel safe in Idaho Falls? (If you indicated yes to question 2,
dont answer this question)

5) Please write the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the words
"Idaho Falls Police Department".

44 | P a g e

6) What are the top 3 services you would like to see the Idaho Falls Police
Department improve? (Please circle the top 3)
a. Traffic accident responses/ Traffic
f. Community relations
stops
b. Theft/Robbery/burglary investigation h. Other (Please specify)
and responses
c. Vandalism/Trespassing investigation
i. It needs no improvement
and responses
d. Assaults/Threats/Stalking
j. I dont know
investigation and responses
e. Animal Control
7) Have you had any interactions with an Idaho Falls Police Officer in the past 10
years?
__A. Yes
__B. No (Skip to question 12)
8) Please indicate the interactions you have had with the Idaho Falls Police:
(Select all that apply)
___A. Traffic accident responses/Traffic stops
___B. Theft/robbery/burglary investigation and responses
___C. Vandalism/Trespassing investigation and responses
___D. Assaults/Threats/Stalking investigation and responses
___E. Animal Control
___F. Responding to complaints
___G. Other (Please indicate) _________________________
9) In the previous situation(s), were you a: (Select all that apply)
___A. Victim
___B. Witness
___C. Other
10) Did the Idaho Falls Police Department address the issue(s) adequately?
___A. Yes (Skip to question 12)
___B. No
11) Why do you think the Idaho Falls Police Department did not address the issue
adequately?
45 | P a g e

12) Idaho Falls Police Officers are generally: (Place an X in one box for every
quality)
Respectful of
your rights
Friendly
Helpful
Fair
Adequately
Forceful

Not respectful of
your rights
Unfriendly
Not helpful
Unfair
Excessively
Forceful

13) Please indicate your opinions about the following statements: (Place an X in
the box to indicate your opinion)
Strongly
Agree

Agree

Neutral

Strongly
Disagree Disagree

I have confidence
in the Idaho Falls
Police
Department.
The Idaho Falls
Police
Department has
too little presence
in the community.
Media coverage of
the Idaho Falls
Police
Department is
generally
negative.
The Idaho Falls
Police
Department
treats everyone in
the area fairly.
46 | P a g e

The Idaho Falls

Police
Department is not
effective at
PREVENTING
crime.
The Idaho Falls
Police
Department is
effective at
INVESTIGATING
crime.
The overall
perception of the
Idaho Falls Police
Department is
negative.
14) Please rank the top 3 items that have most influenced your perception of the
Idaho Falls Police Department: (Place a 1, 2, or 3 by the 3 answer choices, 1 being
the most influential)
___A. Personal contact
___B. Local media
___C. National media
___D. Stories/ information I have received from friends/family/coworkers/etc.
___E. Past experiences with police officers in different locations
___F. Other (Please specify) __________________________
15) If the Idaho Falls Police Department were to offer the following classes, would
you attend? (Circle your answer)
Yes | No | Maybe Drug Education
Yes | No | Maybe Home/Business Security
Yes | No | Maybe Internet Safety
Yes | No | Maybe Emergency Response
Yes | No | Maybe Using Crimemapping/AlertID
Yes | No | Maybe Property Crime Prevention
Yes | No | Maybe Frauds/Scams/Identity Theft
Yes | No | Maybe Police Tactics Education
Yes | No | Maybe Bicycle Safety
47 | P a g e

Yes | No | Maybe SWAT Response

Yes | No | Maybe Anti-bullying
Yes | No | Maybe Car Seat Safety
Yes | No | Maybe Reporting Crimes
Other (Please specify) __________________
16) What is your gender?
___A. Male
___B. Female
17) What is your age?
___A. 18-19
___B. 20-24
___C. 25-29
___D. 30-34
___E. 35-39
___F. 40-44

___G. 45-49
___H. 50-54
___I. 55-59
___J. 60-64
___K. 65-69
___L. 70-74

___M. 75-79
___N. 80-84
___O. 85 years or older
___P. I would rather not say.

18) What is your ethnicity?

___A. Alaska Native
___E. Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander
___B. American Indian
___F. White
___C. Black or African American ___G. Other
___D. Hispanic or Latino
___H. I would rather not say
19) What is your personal annual income level from all sources before taxes?
___A. Less than $10,000
___G. $75,000-$99,999
___B. $10,000-$14,999
___H. $100,000-$149,999
___C. $15,000-$24,999
___I. $150,000-$199,999
___D. $25,000-$34,999
___J. $200,000 or more
___E. $35,000-$49,999
___K. I would rather not say
___F. $50,000-$74,999
20) What is your residential zip code?
___A. 83401 ___B. 83402___C. 83403 ___D. 83404___E. 83405___F. 83406
___G. 83415 ___H. Other (Please Specify) ______________
21) If you have any comments you want to share with the Idaho Falls Police
Department, please ask us for an additional sheet of paper.
*** The margins and formatting have changed from the actual paper
survey.
48 | P a g e

A PPENDIX C
R A W D A T A
1. Please describe how safe you feel in the following situations in the Idaho Falls
area:
Number Question Very Unsafe Neutral Safe Very
Total
Mean
Unsafe
Safe Responses
1
Walking
alone
5
2
35
157 237
436
4.42
during
the day
2
Walking
alone at
22
80
113
172
47
434
3.33
night
3
Staying
home
alone
5
2
26
114 288
435
4.56
during
the day
4
Staying
home
11
21
56
188 159
435
4.06
alone at
night
2. Do you generally feel safe in Idaho Falls?
Number
Answer
1
Yes
2
No
Total

Response
425
11
436

Percentage
97%
3%
100%

3. Who/what helps you feel safe in Idaho Falls?

Text Response
Great people good community
Lack of major crimes like the cities I grew up in
Small community. Religion
People Generally watch out for each other.
I'm a social worker and aware of problems
Lots of IFPD, lots of foot traffic
49 | P a g e

Locked doors and small community

The police department
Police, lighting conditions, less crime here then in larger cities.
Good friendly people
Family and neighbors
Good people
Family, Locked doors
Military training
Community
Plenty of jobs so income levels stay above crime levels, police presence, plenty of
housing, halfway houses and shelters
Pepper spray. Knowledge of the area.
I live in a neighborhood where there is a police officer living on every corner
Small, calm city, not a lot of crime
Police, good neighbors
There are not that many bad things that happen here. Compared to other states
I've lived in.
Cops that listen and respond quickly when dispatched
Good neighbors, good home security
The community is law-abiding. I know all my neighbors.
The business area feels safe because of the people
Lights and other people and occasional police
Good Neighborhoods
Low Crime and Good Neighborhoods
Being with friends
General Atmosphere
I trust the environment
Atmosphere
Police
The Police and people in the community
Friends/family and neighbors
Being prepared, being able to protect myself if needs be.
Lighting, amount of traffic that goes by.
The people in the community.
Neighbors, low crime
Knowing safety rules.
Not a lot of people, nice neighborhoods and nice people
My neighborhood feels very safe
50 | P a g e

Well lit streets and unassuming people.

Low crime rate
No experiences of being unsafe
I feel I can protect myself.
My home security system, law enforcement.
Cellphone
Cell phones, street lights
Friends, family, neighbors, and law enforcement
My Husband, the police
Police, good honest people
Good people, the cops
Its a good area, nothing to worry about
Myself and my faith in God
The community (Lots of Mormons)
The People
People generally watch out for each other.
Being with my family and staying in safe situations
God (I'm a Christian) Personal Protection Training
Being in Groups and Police
Police and family
People don't seem to be malicious
The people that live here don't seem to be too malicious; the general environment
seems to be family friendly
Law Enforcement
Idaho Falls Residents don't seem dangerous. It's a pretty small community
Small Community, lower crime rate
My dog and myself and my Bat
My home, law enforcement.
Locks on doors, husband @ home, safe neighborhood
Spouse, family
The People in the community/Community standards
Low crime rate
Neighborhood, Boyfriend
Police and that in general most people are good people.
my neighborhood and my family.
Police, neighbors general safety issues
Cell phone, street lights, patrol cars, concealed weapons permit
Seems like a lot of people are caring and are around to help.
51 | P a g e

People
Lock on my doors, phone handy.
My right to bear arms
Lit pathways, clean pathways, having sidewalks.
Its and easy feeling place
IFPD
Majority of people are good
I just generally feel that it is a safe community. Yes, we do have crime here, but
not on the same level that larger cities see.
My dog.
Small Town
Good neighbors, locks on my doors.
Family/Friends
Have not felt threatened by anything
I'm familiar with areas to avoid.
My family and ward
The family life atmosphere
My body
Friendly people
It is a good community
Friendly people
Myself
Most people here are good people
4. Why dont you feel safe in Idaho Falls?
Text Response
Gangs
I live boarder lined to some sketchy neighborhoods
I never feel safe in general
People who seemingly could care less about anyone else
There is a lot of bad people
Doesn't matter where you are, there are always those crazy people who don't care
what they mess up or who they hurt.
A lot of drug addicts that freaks me out.
Myself people here are too intrusive in every passive aggressive way. Way to
mean psyco social communication in a negative way.
Usually it is the area I am in when I am alone.
There are a lot of rundown sketchy areas and at night there is defiantly not
52 | P a g e

enough streetlights. It is scary

5. Please write the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the words
Idaho Falls Police Department.
Text Response
Safe
Tickets
Safe
We need more
Annoying
The song Bad Boys
Non-existent
They could do better
Safety
Where are they
Nice guys
Where have all the good men gone
I see them everywhere
Worthless
They probably deal w/ a lot of drug
911
problems and domestic violence. But
not very hardcore crimes
Safety
Great
Ready to help when there is a problem
Safety
Nice, most time the city feels great so
Sincere, devoted
Im glad they're doing their job
If there is a police department
Good Guys
Mayor Fuhriman
There was a car accident, or an accident
Incompetent
An accident
Eric rose
It's ok
Small
Quick to response
Needs more training, public relations
Idaho Falls Police Department
IFPD, Police, see them all over
Safety, and money
Traffic stops
Few of the officer are good just a few
Cool dudes
Responsible
Cops
Help
Patrol Cars
Nervous
Honestly just nothing...but cops ahh...
Am I speeding?
Ugh
Helpful
Prevalent
Safe
Am I speeding?
Protection
Safety
Am I speeding?
Car
Power struggle.
Tickets
Crooks!
Mouthful to say
Safe, but slow.
53 | P a g e

Speeding Tickets
Speeding Tickets
Dodge Chargers
Too few
Effective
Donuts
Busy, large city and too few officers
Traffic ticket
"The Cops"
Pro-Active
Small
Traffic ticket
Slow response
Strict
Small town, speeding tickets, low crime
rate
Drug enforcement
The police are good to have.
Safety
Police
Police!!
Busy

Petty and they're bored

Speeding tickets
Cops
Effective
Good group of people
Dependable, good at deterring crime.
Jerks. Controlling. Self-Centered.
Lazy
Safety
Getting a ticket
Protection
Bored- they look for things to get you
Safety, protection
Stopping crime
Wendy
Donuts
Friendly
Protect and serve
Abuse of power
Donuts

6. What are the top 3 services you would like to see the Idaho Falls Police
Department improve?
Number
Answer
Response
Percentage
1
Traffic accident responses
76
19%
Theft/robbery/burglary
2
investigation and
123
31%
responses
Vandalism/Trespassing
3
investigation and
117
29%
responses
Assaults/Threats/Stalking
4
investigation and
138
34%
responses
5
Animal Control
68
17%
6
Responding to complaints
46
11%
7
Other
71
18%
54 | P a g e

8
10
11

Community relations
It needs no improvement
I don't know.

135
43
40

34%
11%
10%

Other
Round about traffic
put in right turn lanes at major intersections
Educate Officers in knowledge of the law
family abuse support
continue DARE
speeding on 17th street
save the animals!!!!
Neighborhood Police Officers
Gangs/Drugs
Response time in general
CPA case follow-up
child protection responses
Domestic violence resonse
They need to stop being Lords
round about traffic
Juvenile Help
Safety classes gun/intruder etc. Took them for work but would like them
available to public.
Drug Enforcement
Size of Force
Drug Related
Honesty
7. Have you had any interactions with an Idaho Falls Police officer in the past 10
years?
Number
Answer
Response
Percentage
1
Yes
234
56%
2
No
187
44%
Total
421
100%
8. Please indicate the interactions you have had with the Idaho Falls Police:
Number
Answer
Response
Percentage
16
Traffic accidents/Traffic
144
62%
55 | P a g e

17

18

19
20
21
22

stops
Theft/robbery/burglary
investigation and
responses
Vandalism/Trespassing
investigation and
responses
Assaults/Threats/Stalking
investigation and
responses
Animal Control
Responding to complaints
Other

44

19%

28

12%

44

19%

24
44
48

10%
19%
21%

Other
Ambulance
Discussing parking violations at Wal-Mart in fire zone near Ammon
Advocacy
Speeding Tickets
Parental kidnapping response
Work related
Domestic violence
Responding to domestic violence
Domestic
Daughter was missing
Ambulance responses
Through my employment
I worked for a bank. They were always quick to respond to alarms and dispatch
always asked the right questions
Mediation for children pick up. "Divorced"
Personal Relationships
Disturbing the peace.
Following up on child abuse report.
Our car window was shot out.
They work undercover for us at the Deseret Industries
Friends
Domestic
Issues with Tenants
56 | P a g e

Open container
I was part of the citizens police academy. I also have applied to work there.
I manage apartments. I se it all
Donating furniture for use in training exercises
Salutation
Ticket
Professional Interaction
Elder abuse
Hit and run
I worked doing ceiling tiles in the Key Bank where the D.A.R.E. officers work.
Friendly conversations
Reporting Suspected Fire
Just talking with some of the Officers
Traffic violation
Neighbor
Education at Clinics or Fairs
Work
My neighbor is an officer. He is also a coach for his sons many sports teams and
his wife does cute things for holidays. They are nice people.
Speeding ticket
Just talking with an officer one day
Speeding
Court house, and DMV registration/licensing
Family Member
Car registration
Juvenile Drugs
9. In the previous situation(s), were you a:
Number
Answer
1
Victim
2
Witness
3
Other

Response
134
84
79

Percentage
58%
36%
34%

Other
Defendant
Verifying statements/did not witness
The one pulled over or the one in the wreck
Took place on my property
57 | P a g e

Driver in traffic stop

Both
Cause of traffic accident
Neither, I just worked on a ceiling and talked to them as they were passing one
day.
I know a lot of the officers from my family
Driver
Self
Guilty
Observer of IFPD interactions with immediate family members
The speeder.
I was speeding
Attending a seminar at the court house; registering my vehicle in Idaho and
getting an ID drivers license
My Dog was in the shelter
Plaintiff
In the car
Law breaker
10. Did the Idaho Falls Police Department address the issue(s) adequately?
Number
Answer
Response
Percentage
1
Yes
179
78%
2
No
51
22%
Total
230
100%
11. Why do you think the Idaho Falls Police Department did not address the issue
adequately?
Text Response
Understaffed
Improper training and lack of knowledge on landlord/tenant issues. They gave
false advice and did not want to be bothered.
People still park in the fire zone marked "No Parking' including the police officers
Officer didn't understand the law. He ignored the issue to avoid paperwork
They didn't find out enough details - I had only been speeding for a few seconds
They are very condescending if you are a single woman esp. if driving at night
alone. I've been stopped by a few dozen times at night for no reason. Even the
cops told me I wasn't doing anything wrong. Stop the "routine' traffic stops. They
are routine harassment.
Poor Communication
58 | P a g e

Too few
They don't investigate reports and excuse themselves from investigating.
Sometimes they use a lot of force in investigations and then make no arrests.
Which traumatizes the family and leaves them faithless in the police.
Biased
The punishment was not enough to keep them in jail long enough and they were
back continuing there same old thing
I was a teenager
No consideration on what happened, no listening
Responding to complaints, police were called with a teenage neighbor, drinking,
smoking, and driving to fast down the street. The police had been called multiple
times and there was no difference, he kept doing those things that made us feel
unsafe.
Didn't seem interested at all until traffic stop
One of the two situations, there was no response to my call at all!!!!
Because they had to investigate. The job wasn't already done
Only the law not what they CAN do.
Honestly...I think they are lazy.
Paperwork more important then helping
They don't listen to all sides, to drunk on power
They believe the person with $ as their acquaintances
Investigation was not followed through - we had witnesses and know who the
criminal was and police made one phone call to criminal got voicemail and then
dropped investigation and would not follow up on leads.
Because they listen to the other party and its all your fault
Because I don't think they took the situation serious and laughed at me off like it
was not an issue
Lazy
Nothing Happened
Too many tailgaters who violate the rights of others
Did not act like it was important
I felt they wouldn't get the job done so I just dropped it.
Because I had to call dispatch 3 times cause they were taking their sweet ass time
to respond NOT OK!! Especially when I had my children present in the violent
situation with my ex husband. BULLSHIT!!
Didn't follow up
Do not Follow through
They would not prosecuted
They didn't take care of it as quickly as they could have
59 | P a g e

The man abusing an elderly woman should have been removed from the premises
and not just warned.
They wouldn't help me because the person who hit my car with a shopping cart
was only 14 and they didn't want to get involved.
In one of the instances, I was a victim where a young teenage driver ran a stop
sign and pulled in front of me. He then reacted to something on the road and
slammed on his brakes. I rear-ended him. The teenage driver had no proof of
insurance and no ID (license). And yet I was the only one ticketed, for an
accident where I was not at fault. I know that the person that rear-ends someone
is ALWAYS at fault. But it was ridiculous. Because the officer seemed to know
the boy, he faced no consequences for his actions.
Initially the complaints were taken in a professional manner but the detectives
did not seem to care and did a lazy job investigating.
They seemed to brush off the situation like it wasn't a big deal, even though we
weren't the only ones calling in with the complaint.
Lazy or didn't care
It did not feel like they cared to be doing their job, that some tasks are petty. t
may be petty to them but it is important to us. They also never followed up and
the report that was written was full of inaccurate and false information.
Lack of interest
When I informed IF police of a drug buy, the dealer was informed
I was only going 2 miles over the speed limit and I was pulled over and given a
ticket

12. Idaho Falls Police Officers are generally:

Number
1
2
3
4
5

Question
Respectful:
Not Respectful
Friendly:
Unfriendly
Helpful: Not
Helpful
Fair: Unfair
Adequately
Forceful:
Excessively
Forceful

Total
Responses

Mean

169

112

67

20

11

379

1.92

154

122

69

21

17

383

2.02

151

117

76

20

13

377

2.01

148

102

86

33

378

2.08

133

100

98

23

15

369

2.15

60 | P a g e

13. Please indicate your opinions about the following statements:

Number

Question

I have
confidence
in the Idaho
Falls Police
Department
.
The Idaho
Falls Police
Department
has too little
presence in
the
community.
Media
coverage of
the Idaho
Falls Police
Department
is generally
negative.
The Idaho
Falls Police
Department
treats
everyone in
the area
fairly.
The Idaho
Falls Police
Department
is not
effective at
PREVENTI
NG crime.
The Idaho

Strongly
Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Total
Responses

82

209

87

17

400

23

73

171

114

18

399

41

191

142

13

393

19

151

153

65

11

399

44

158

157

32

397

18

138

186

45

396
61 | P a g e

Falls Police
Department
is effective
at
INVESTIGA
TING
crime.
My overall
perception
of the Idaho
8
Falls Police
Department
is negative.

43

109

177

62

399

14. Please rank the top 3 items that have most influenced your perception of the
Idaho Falls Police Department. (1 being the most influential)
Total
Number
Answer
1
2
3
4
5
6
Responses
1
Personal contact
193 44
45
0
2
0
284
2
Local media
69
87
85
2
0
0
243
3
National media
5
8
37
3
4
0
57
Stories/Information I
have received from
4
76
149 75
1
0
0
301
friends/family/cowor
kers/etc.
Past experiences with
5
police officers in
62
66 83
4
1
0
216
different locations
6
Other
3
2
5
0
0
1
11
40
33
Total
356
10
7
1
8
0
Other
Neighbor
Client treatments
DARE
Seeing police cars/police
One is a neighbor
Strong Presence
62 | P a g e

Observations as a resident
15. If the Idaho Falls Police Department were to offer the following classes, would
you attend?
Total
Number
Question
Yes
No
Maybe
Responses
1
Drug Education
64
216
86
366
Home/Business
2
119
147
108
374
Security
3
Internet safety
128
160
87
375
4
Emergency Response
154
127
92
373
Using Crime
5
83
180
94
357
mapping/AlertID
Property Crime
6
107
156
107
370
Prevention
Frauds/Scams/Identity
7
138
135
107
380
Theft
Police Tactics
8
103
171
86
360
Education
9
Bicycle Safety
56
234
73
363
10
SWAT Response
88
192
83
363
11
Anti-bullying
127
161
93
381
12
Car Seat Safety
78
211
76
365
13
Reporting Crimes
112
168
87
367
16. What is your gender?
Number
Answer
1
Male
2
Female
Total

Response
82
108
190

Percentage
43%
57%
100%

17. What is your age?

Number
1
2
3
4
5

Response
9
21
33
22
28

Percentage
5%
11%
17%
11%
15%

Answer
18-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39

63 | P a g e

6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16

40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85 years and older
I would rather not
say
Total

18. What is your ethnicity?

Number
Answer
1
Alaska Native
2
American Indian
3
Asian
Black or African
4
American
5
Hispanic or Latino
Native Hawaiian
6
and Pacific
Islander
7
White
8
Other
I would rather not
9
say
Total

22
15
14
6
7
5
3
1
0
0

11%
8%
7%
3%
4%
3%
2%
1%
0%
0%

4%

193

100%

Response
0
3
1

Percentage
0%
2%
1%

1%

13

7%

2%

154
4

80%
2%

14

7%

193

100%

19. What is your personal annual income level from all sources before taxes?
Number
Answer
Response
Percentage
1
Less than $10,000
15
8%
2
$10,000-$14,999
13
7%
3
$15,000-$24,999
27
14%
4
$25,000-$34,999
28
15%
5
$35,000-$49,999
25
13%
64 | P a g e

6
7
8
9
10
11

$50,000-$74,999
$75,000-$99,999
$100,000$149,999
$150,000$199,999
$200,000 or more
I would rather not
say
Total

20. What is your residential zip code?

Number
Answer
1
83401
2
83402
3
83403
4
83404
5
83405
6
83406
7
83415
8
Other
Total

31
9

16%
5%

4%

3%

1%

28

15%

189

100%

Response
52
49
9
37
1
15
0
25
188

Percentage
28%
26%
5%
20%
1%
8%
0%
13%
100%

21. Please share any comments you may have about the Idaho Falls Police
Department with us.
Text Response
They do well with what they have and need more positive coverage
Give Eric Rose a raise
I am very glad IFPD is here, would like to see better victim treatment for sex
crimes and mental health.
Give me Busses!
None
Response times could improve in crisis situations.
When will there be a "Community justice agency?"
I was told I was a liar by the officer
More important to hit quotas and do the busy work
Obey the laws you expect us to obey.
65 | P a g e

The first thing that comes to my mind of IFPD: Abuse of Power

If people knew what you had to deal with, they would move! Thank you for all
that you do. We appreciate all that you do for the city of Idaho Falls.
Why Don't I feel safe: "I have seen gang violence in my neighborhood 1st thing
that comes to my mind about IFPD: "Kind"
Thank you for all that you do
Q11) Why not addressing issues adequately: Not spying - Doing Well
You're doing great
More radar on Sunnyside
Where is there a need for volunteers?
Q4) Why don't feel safe in IF? Because there are a lot of sex offenders
Q4) A lot of drugs and gang like activities

66 | P a g e