Tasmania Police Community Survey 2023: Youth crime, theft from homes, public safety top concerns
Tasmanians have named their top issues of concern in relation to crime and public order as part of a survey conducted by Tasmania Police, which has revealed a lack of confidence in the force.
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Almost one third of the Tasmanian population does not have confidence in police to deliver services to the community, while a quarter of those who have had contact with the force in the last year say they were left dissatisfied with the interaction, a new survey has found.
More than 4000 respondents participated in the first Tasmania Police Community Survey, which was conducted in November 2023 and asked people for their feelings on issues including crime and police performance.
The survey showed that the top community concerns were youth crime (49 per cent identified it as an issue), theft from homes (36 per cent), and public order and safety (31 per cent), while respondents reported they felt crime had increased in their community over the last year.
The prevalence of drugs and alcohol was also seen as a significant safety issue among respondents, with 27 per cent naming it as an area of concern.
The most common suggestions for police to improve community safety were higher police presence or visibility (35 per cent), increased police patrols (17 per cent), and addressing youth crime (10 per cent).
Tasmania Police Commissioner Donna Adams assured the public that police were listening to their concerns and were continuing to analyse the survey findings and develop appropriate responses.
“Clearly, we have some work to do with this important community feedback,” she said.
“Over the coming months we will be addressing these community safety concerns with targeted safety initiatives.
“We also acknowledge the community’s concerns about being accountable and visible in the community. We are committed to being transparent and accountable for our actions.”
One in 10 respondents (9 per cent) to the survey wanted more night policing or 24/7 police stations, with Kingborough (26 per cent) and Derwent Valley (39 per cent) residents more likely to suggest this.
While 41 per cent of people said they were confident in Tasmania Police’s ability to deliver services, 30 per cent said they were not confident and 28 per cent were neutral on the matter.
More than half the people who completed the survey (55 per cent) had had contact with Tasmania Police in the last 12 months.
Fifty-six per cent said they were satisfied with the service provided to them, while 24 per cent were dissatisfied, and 19 per cent were neutral.
Respondents were most likely to feel safe at home (67 per cent) or outside in the community during the day (56 per cent).
However, just 29 per cent said they felt safe being outside at night and only 25 per cent felt safe on public transport.
Police, Fire and Emergency Management Minister Felix Ellis acknowledged community concerns about crime but said Tasmania Police was among the most trusted police forces in the country and that the state was one of the safest places to live in Australia.
“Already we are listening to the concerns of the community. Over the past week Tasmania Police has conducted targeted operations in New Norfolk and charged 25 people with more than 40 offences as part of Taskforce Saturate,” he said.
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