City of Milwaukee Police Satisfaction Survey: 2022 Findings Report

By Neighborhood Analytics and St. Norbert College Strategic Research Institute

At the request of and in cooperation with the City of Milwaukee Fire & Police Commission, in 2022, the Strategic Research Institute at St. Norbert College (SRI) and Neighborhood Analytics, LLC partnered to conduct the fourth wave of the City of Milwaukee Police Satisfaction Survey. The purpose of this survey was to measure resident perceptions regarding a range of issues relevant to the Milwaukee Police Department; satisfaction with and trust in the police, perceptions of safety and police visibility, views on various kinds of police contacts, and exposure to crime. The survey was structured to provide estimates of both city-wide opinion as well as estimates of opinion within each police district. Data collection for the mixed-mode RDD (Random Digit Dial) telephone/ABS (Address-Based Sampling) mail survey occurred between September 9th, 2022 and November 23rd, 2022. Of the 1,003 completed interviews, 44.7% were conducted via telephone and 55.3% via ABS online survey. The response rate for the RDD sample was approximately 4.3%, while the response rate for the ABS sample was approximately 1.1%. The margin of error for unweighted sample statistics is ±3.1% at the 95% confidence level. Surveys were conducted in both English and Spanish. MAJOR FINDINGS:  36% of Milwaukee residents are “not very” or “not at all satisfied” overall with the Milwaukee Police Department in 2022, compared to 21% in 2019.  Overall satisfaction decreased among every demographic and socioeconomic subgroup of Milwaukee residents, and regardless of recent contact with police or recent exposure to crime. The largest increases in dissatisfaction occurred among white residents, residents 30-44 years of age, homeowners, those with 4-year degrees or higher, and those with no recent instances of victimization. The largest gap in opinion across groups of Milwaukee residents is generational, with younger residents far more likely to express dissatisfaction when compared with those in older age groups.

Milwaukee: Neighborhood Analytics; De Pere, WI: St. Norbert College Strategic Research Institute , 2023. 84p.