UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State University Police and Public Safety (UPPS) will be conducting a confidential University-wide survey to gain a better understanding of attitudes and opinions related to policing, public safety, programs and services, and overall campus safety at Penn State.
The third survey of its kind for UPPS, administered to students and employees by the Penn State Office of Planning, Assessment and Institutional Research (OPAIR), focuses on the department’s policing unit, and is intended to be used as a platform for organizational learning and asks specific questions about the quality of policing on campus.
Penn State administered the first and second surveys in 2019 and 2021. The findings can be viewed online on the University Police and Public Safety website. The survey is conducted every two years as a standard part of the police unit’s accreditation process through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA).
On Wednesday, Oct. 4, select members of the Penn State community will receive the survey by email from the Office of Planning, Assessment and Institutional Research (OPAIR) across the 22 campuses where University Police provides services. A random sample of students and employees at Penn State’s University Park, Abington, Altoona, Berks, Behrend and Harrisburg campuses, as well as all students and employees at smaller Penn State campuses, will be invited to complete the survey.
Participants should take note that this survey is specifically assessing police on Penn State’s campuses and not police services provided off campus by other police agencies.
Participants may skip any questions they wish and their responses to the survey will remain confidential. Participants may, however, provide their name and contact information if they wish to be contacted by someone from University Police about their experiences. However, this information is not required and the names of those who provide it will not be associated with their answers. Raw data will not be provided by OPAIR to University Police; findings will only be reported in the aggregate.
The survey, which will take about 15 minutes to complete, asks participants questions about University Police regarding: overall performance; overall competency of agency employees; citizens’ perception of officers’ attitudes and behavior; community concern over safety and security within University Police’s jurisdiction; and citizens’ recommendations and suggestions for improvements.
Kirsten Hochstedt, analysis and planning consultant with OPAIR, said the survey will help University Police gain a clearer understanding of how the community perceives its programs, services and overall performance. The responses will provide information that is crucial for assessing police services at Penn State.
“UPPS is committed to transparency, diversity, and accountability, and this survey is a key component of that commitment,” Hochstedt said. “Penn State is asking its community members to take a moment to share their experiences with, and perceptions of, our police by participating in this survey. Our goal is to hear from as many students and employees as possible to capture a comprehensive representation of all types of experiences and perceptions at all locations served.”
University Police, with assistance from OPAIR, shaped the questions after reviewing survey instruments from peer institutions and with consideration for local contexts.
Please note that some of the questions in the survey may be related to a traumatic or upsetting experience for some participants, which may cause discomfort to recall. Those participants may choose not to complete the survey or skip questions within the survey. If a participant is concerned that recalling experiences may be challenging, they are encouraged to seek assistance from Counseling and Psychological Services (students) or Penn State's Employee Assistance Program (employees).
University Police will release the results of the survey in spring 2024. For more information about the survey, please visit the University Police and Public Safety website.