Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Neither the researchers nor the police department will have information which can connect the survey results to the individual responding to the survey or to the officer involved in the police contact.

We ask community members who have had a recent contact with the police about the quality of that interaction. The survey asks whether they were treated fairly and politely by the officer, whether their questions were answered, and other aspects of the interaction. Community members are also invited to give their overall impressions of police officers who work in their neighborhood and the department.

This project is funded by the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, with a grant to the University of Illinois at Chicago. This project has the full support and cooperation of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police.

The Police-Community Interaction Survey is an innovative cutting edge initiative to measure police performance in new ways. Your department has been identified as one that would likely take a leadership role in the development and utilization of this new diagnostic tool. Our pilot tests have been highly successful and the results have been very positive for the departments which have been involved. No individual officer or community member is identified, so there can be no individual repercussions. By participating in this survey, you have an opportunity to have a voice in evaluating police services.