Coconut Creek residents seem to feel safe in their city.
According to early results of a new public safety survey, 93 percent of the respondents feel the city’s police service is “excellent” or “good” and 77 percent feel “very safe” or “reasonably safe” in their neighborhood or business and shopping areas.
The eight-question survey is ongoing through Sept. 30, and people can fill it out on the city’s Web site, or pick up a copy in the reception areas of City Hall, 4800 Copans Road; the Recreation Complex, 4455 Sol Press Blvd.; or the Community Center, 1100 Lyons Road.
“We have had very positive results, and it tells us we are doing a good job and gives us an opportunity to do an even better job,” said Tony Avello, spokesman for the Coconut Creek Police Department. “Nothing has surprised us, and we will use the information from the survey to evaluate certain conditions.”
The department launched the survey on Aug. 14 to find out what residents think about public safety in the city to serve them better. It is the first time the city has conducted the survey.
The city sent out 2,300 e-mails via Cocogram, the city’s weekly newsletter, about the survey and publicized it in a local newspaper. As of last week, 390 people had responded.
“That’s over 10 percent; traditionally when we do a mailing, we are lucky to get a 2 percent return,” Avello said.
Participants check “very safe,” “reasonably safe,” “somewhat safe,” “very unsafe” or “don’t know” for four questions about safety, give an overall rating of the Police Department and are asked their gender, age, the name of their neighborhood and to give additional comments.
“We took the ‘very safe’ and ‘reasonably safe’ as a positive mark,” Avello said. ” ‘Somewhat safe’ and ‘very unsafe’ are not counted as positive.”
Eighty-nine percent said they feel safe in their neighborhood during the day, and 72 percent do at night. While at area businesses, 87 percent said they feel safe during the day. The lowest safety rating, 53 percent, came from being at area businesses at night.
“This will allow us to evaluate our resources and personnel in a fashion so they can directly address those issues,” Avello said.
He said that they have received many suggestions about traffic, speeders and stop signs as well as more police presence.
“If they are complaining about community traffic control, then I think we have a good handle on crime,” Avello said.
Nicole T. Lesson can be reached at or 954-385-7920.
INFORMATIONAL BOX:
Public safety survey
The survey: The Coconut Creek Police Department is using an eight-question survey to find out what residents think about public safety in the city.
How to participate: Residents and business owners can fill out the survey through the city’s Web site, and click on the Safety Survey icon. They also can pick up a copy in the reception areas of City Hall, 4800 Copans Road; the Recreation Complex, 4455 Sol Press Blvd.; or the Community Center, 1100 Lyons Road. It is available through Sept. 30.
Sample question: “How safe from crime do you feel in your neighborhood after dark?”
More information: Call 954-973-6722.
