Form 975-20903 A0 975-20903 A0 DOJ COPS Customer Satisfaction Survey-20903 A0

Department of Justice

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services

Customer Satisfaction Survey 2020

Introduction

The Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (the COPS Office) is committed to providing you, our customers, with services that truly meet your needs. Gathering your feedback helps to ensure that we are delivering on our commitment to you. To this end, we have commissioned the CFI Group, an independent third-party research group, to conduct a survey that asks if your COPS Office awards have impacted your community policing efforts and advancing public safety. The survey will also help the COPS Office determine your satisfaction with our customer services and ways that we can improve our services to you.

The CFI Group will treat all information you provide as confidential. All information you provide will be combined with information from other respondents for research and reporting purposes. Your individual responses will not be released. This survey will take approximately 10 minutes of your time. The COPS Office is thoroughly committed to serving you better and sincerely appreciate your involvement to help us achieve our goal of continuing to provide quality service.

This survey is authorized by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget Control No. 1090-0007 which expires September 30, 2021.

Please click “next” below to begin the survey.

General Information

1. Which of the following best describes your agency?

   1. Municipal Police Department

   2. State Police Department

   3. County Police Department

   4. Sheriff’s Department

   5. Tribal Law Enforcement Agency

   6. Transit Police Department

   7. School Police Department

   8. University/College

   9. Non-profit Organization

   10. Commercial/For-profit Organization

   11. School District (K-12)

   12. Other, please specify

2. Which COPS Office Awards are you currently implementing? (Please select all that apply.)

1. Anti-Gang Task Force Initiative (CAGI)

2. Anti-Heroin Task Force Program (AHTF)

3. Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP)

4. Community Policing Development (CPD)

5. Community Policing Development (CPD) Award (Research, Evaluation, Integrity, Training)

6. COPS Hiring Program Award (CHP)

7. Community Response Initiative – Technical Assistance Award (CRI-TAC)

8. Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Award (LEMHWA)

9. Preparing for Active Shooter Situations (PASS)

10. School Violence Prevention Program Award (SVPP)

11. Tribal Resources Grant Program Hiring (TRGP-HIRE)

12. Tribal Resources Grant Program Equipment/Training Award (TRGP-E/T)

13. Other (Please specify)

14. My agency applied for an award in 2019 but was denied [EXCLUSIVE]

15. My agency has not applied for nor currently has an active award(s) with the COPS Office [EXCLUSIVE: EXIT SURVEY]

SURVEY EXIT: Thank you for your willingness to participate in this survey. In this survey, we are seeking feedback from people with more recent experiences with DOJ COPS awards, so we have no further questions for you at this time.

3. [Ask if Q2 = n] Which of the following factors do you think contributed to your agency not receiving an award in 2019? [Optional]

   1. Complexity of the application

   2. Limited time to submit the application

   3. Limited resources (e.g., dedicated grant writer, etc.)

   4. Other

4. [Ask if Q2 = n; present on same page as Q3] Please use the space below to provide additional details about your experience applying for a COPS award. [Optional] [END SURVEY – SKIP TO THANK YOU PAGE]

COPS Office

5. During the past 12 months approximately how many times have you been in contact with the COPS Office?

   1. None [Skip to Application Process section]

   2. Once

   3. 2-5 times

   4. More than 5 times

6. During your most recent contact with the COPS Office, what information was discussed? Select all that apply

1. Application Assistance

2. Budget Assistance

3. Award Maintenance and Implementation Assistance (post-award)

4. Award Compliance Assistance

5. Award Closeout Assistance

6. Available Grant Funding

7. Community Policing Information

8. Community Policing Technical Assistance

9. Community Policing Knowledge Resources (i.e., Publications, CDs)

10. Other (Please specify)

7. With whom did you have contact from the COPS Office? Select all that apply

   1. COPS Customer Care (800-421-6770 or [email protected])

   2. Program Staff

   3. Monitoring/Audit Staff

   4. Finance Staff

   5. Executive Staff

   6. Don’t know

   7. Other (Please specify)

8. Thinking about the support you received from the COPS Office staff, on a scale from 1 to 10, where “1” is “Poor” and “10” is “Excellent”, please rate the following. If an item does not apply to you, please select “N/A.” [Do not randomize]

1. Ease of reaching staff

2. Professionalism of staff

3. Clarity of communication

4. Ability of staff to answer your questions about community policing

5. Ability of staff to answer your questions about COPS Office award policies, procedures, regulations, and legislation

6. Ability of staff to answer your questions about a noncompliance issue and/or to close audit recommendations

7. Ability of staff to direct you to useful COPS Office knowledge resources and/or information that addresses your concerns

8. Timeliness of receiving requested information

9. Ability of program staff to provide guidance on program implementation.

9. What, if anything, could the COPS Office do to improve your satisfaction with the staff support you received? [Optional]

Application Process

10. For any of your agency’s COPS awards was the application process completed in the past 12 months?

    1. Yes

    2. No [Skip to Award Management section]

11. Thinking about the application process for the COPS Office, on a scale from 1 to 10, where “1” is “Poor” and “10” is “Excellent”, please rate the following. If an item does not apply to you, please select “N/A.” [Randomize]

1. Ease of hearing about COPS Office award opportunities

2. Ease of understanding the COPS Application guides

3. Ease of completing application online through Grants.gov

4. Ease of submitting application through COPS Agency Portal

12. What, if anything, could the COPS Office do to improve your satisfaction with the application process? [Optional]

Award Acceptance

13. Thinking about after you were notified by the COPS Office that you had received an award(s), on a scale from 1 to 10, where “1” is “Poor” and “10” is “Excellent”, please rate the following. If an item does not apply to you, please select “N/A.” [Randomize]

1. Timeliness of response regarding funding decision

2. Ease of understanding award requirements

3. Ease of obtaining award document

4. Ease of submitting signed award document

14. What, if anything, could the COPS Office do to improve your satisfaction with the award acceptance process? [Optional]

Award Management (Post Award)

15. Thinking about how your award(s) was managed by the COPS Office, on a scale from 1 to 10, where “1” is “Poor” and “10” is “Excellent”, please rate the following. If an item does not apply to you, please select “N/A.” [Do not randomize]

    1. Ease of submitting an award extension

    2. Ease of submitting an award modification

    3. Timeliness of obtaining an award extension decision

    4. Timeliness of obtaining an award modification decision

    5. Ease of completing the COPS Progress Report

    6. Ease of completing award closeout process

16. What, if anything, could the COPS Office do to improve your satisfaction with the award management process? [Optional]

Award Monitoring and Audits

17. Has your agency’s COPS award(s) been monitored and/or audited within the last two years?

    1. Yes

    2. No [Skip to Financial Management section]

18. Thinking about how your award(s) was monitored or audited by the COPS Office, on a scale from 1 to 10, where “1” is “Poor” and “10” is “Excellent”, please rate the following. If an item does not apply to you, please select “N/A.” [Do not randomize]

1. Usefulness of monitoring site visit or desk review

2. Ease of reviewing the financial aspects of the award(s)

3. Ease of reviewing programmatic aspects of the award(s)

4. Clarity of feedback provided in feedback letter

5. Ease of obtaining assistance in resolving award noncompliance issues

6. Ease of obtaining assistance in understanding OIG audit recommendations

7. Ease of obtaining assistance in developing corrective action plan to address OIG audit recommendations

8. Ease of obtaining assistance in closing out OIG audit recommendations

19. What, if anything, could the COPS Office do to improve your satisfaction with the award monitoring and OIG audits process? [Optional]

Financial Management

20. Thinking about the financial management of your COPS award(s), on a scale from 1 to 10, where “1” is “Poor” and “10” is “Excellent”, please rate the following. If an item does not apply to you, please select “N/A.” [Randomize]

1. Ease of reaching financial staff

2. Professionalism of financial staff

3. Timeliness of receiving assistance to resolve issues

4. Ability of financial staff to answer your questions about financial issues

1. Ease of completing award financial closeout process

21. What, if anything, could the COPS Office do to improve your satisfaction with the financial management process? [Optional]

COPS Office Customer Care

22. Have you had contact with the COPS Office Customer Care Team in the past 12 months?

    1. Yes

    2. No [Skip to Knowledge Resources section]

23. Thinking about your contact with the COPS Office Customer Care Team, on a scale from 1 to 10, where “1” is “Poor” and “10” is “Excellent”, please rate the following. If an item does not apply to you, please select “N/A.” [Randomize]

1. Ease of reaching customer care staff

2. Professionalism of customer care staff

3. Ability of customer care staff to answer your questions

4. Ability of customer care staff to direct you to COPS Office resources to address your concerns

5. Timeliness of customer care staff in handling your questions or concerns

24. What, if anything, could the COPS Office do to improve your satisfaction with the Customer Care helpdesk process? [Optional]

Knowledge Resources (Publications)

25. Have you received or requested any COPS Office publications?

    1. Yes

    2. No [Skip to Website section]

    3. Don’t Know [Skip to Website section]

26. Who will have an opportunity to read the COPS Office publications? (Please select all that apply)

1. Line officers

2. Second line officers

3. Command staff

4. Training academy participants

5. Other

27. Have you had an opportunity to read the COPS Office publication that you requested?

    1. Yes

    2. No [Skip to Q27]

28. On a scale from 1 to 10, where “1” is “Poor” and “10” is “Excellent”, how effective have the publications been in increasing your agency’s capacity to do the following? If an item doesn’t apply to you, please select “N/A”. [Randomize]

1. Develop collaborative partnerships with individual and organizational stakeholders in the community

2. Engage in problem-solving to prevent, respond, and/or better analyze crime

3. Institute organizational changes that support the implementation of community policing strategies

4. Improve technological capabilities to prevent and/or respond to crime and disorder incidents

29. Have you placed an order for a publication through the COPS Office website’s Resource Information Center?

    1. Yes

    2. No [Skip to Q29]

30. Please use a 10-point scale, where “1” means “Poor” and “10” means “Excellent” to rate the online ordering system on the following. If an item doesn’t apply to you, please select “N/A”. [Randomize]

1. Ease of finding publication/product

2. Ease of placing an online order

3. Timeliness of receiving orders

31. How did you learn about the COPS Office publications?

1. Website/Electronic Library

2. Search Engine

3. Flyer

4. Press Release

5. Conference

6. Colleague

7. COPS Office Staff member recommendation

8. Other

32. What method did you use to order the publication(s)?

1. Called the COPS Office

2. Downloaded from website

3. Ordered a hard copy through the COPS Office Resource Library

4. Email request to COPS Office Customer Care

5. Faxed an order form provided at an event (e.g., a conference)

6. Don’t know/remember

33. Which of the following methods for ordering publications is your most preferred?

1. By phone

2. Online and download directly

3. Online and order printed copies

4. By E-mail

5. By Mail

6. Ordered at an event (e.g. a conference)

34. Which of the following is your most preferred format for COPS Office publications?

1. Hard copy

2. On CD with a compilation of other similar publications

3. Downloadable version (for printing or viewing on computer or electronic book)

4. Audio books

5. Online only

6. Other, please describe

35. What, if anything, could the COPS Office do to improve your satisfaction with the COPS Office publications? [Optional]

36. [Present on same page as Q35] Since you have received publications from the COPS Office, where would you go to receive publications if the COPS Office did not exist? [Optional]

Website

37. During the past 12 months, have you visited the COPS Office website?

    1. Yes

    2. No [Skip to Community Policing Capacity section]

38. Thinking about your experience while visiting the COPS Office website, on a scale from 1-10, where “1” means “Poor” and “10” means “Excellent”, please rate the following:

1. Ease of navigating the COPS Office website

2. Freshness of content

3. Ability to locate the information being sought

4. The comprehensiveness of the information available on COPS awards

39. What, if anything, could the COPS Office do to improve your satisfaction with the COPS Office website? [Optional]

Community Policing Capacity

Develop Community/Law Enforcement Partnerships

40. Thinking about the assistance you receive from the COPS Office (e.g. grant awards, publications, etc.), please use a scale from 1-10, where “1” means “Poor” and “10” means “Excellent” to rate the following ways that COPS has helped increase your agency’s capacity to do the following. [Randomize]

1. Share relevant crime and disorder information with community members

2. Actively seek input from the community regarding identifying and prioritizing neighborhood problems

3. Engage the community in the development of responses to community problems

4. Collaborate with other agencies that deliver public services (e.g., parks and recreation, social services, public health, mental health, code enforcement)

Problem Solving

41. Problem solving involves an agency-wide commitment to go beyond traditional police responses to crime to proactively address a multitude of problems that adversely affect quality of life. Using a scale from 1-10, where “1” means “Poor” and “10” means “Excellent” to rate how well the COPS Office assistance has helped increase your agency’s capacity to do the following. [Randomize]

1. Integrate problem solving into patrol work

2. Identify and prioritize crime and disorder problems by examining patterns and trends involving repeat victims, offenders and locations

3. Improve ability to respond to crime and disorder problems.

4. Develop tailored responses to crime and disorder problems that address the underlying conditions that contribute to them

Organizational Change

42. Thinking about the ways in which the COPS Office has helped transform your agency environment, please use a scale from 1-10, where “1” means “Poor” and “10” means “Excellent” to rate how well COPS Office assistance (e.g., grant awards, publications, etc.) increased your agency’s capacity to do the following. [Randomize]

1. Institute organizational changes that support the implementation of community policing strategies

2. Providing knowledge and skills that increase officers’ ability to respond to crime and public safety problems

3. Institutionalize community policing principles into a corresponding set of policies, practices, and procedures

4. Institute community policing agency-wide

Customer Satisfaction Index

43. Please thinking about all your experiences to date with the COPS Office. Using a scale where 1 means “Very dissatisfied” and 10 means “Very satisfied,” how satisfied are you with the COPS Office?

44. Using a scale where 1 means “Falls short of your expectations” and 10 means “Exceeds your expectations,” to what extent have your experiences with the COPS Office compared to your expectations?

45. Now, imagine the ideal community policing office. Using a scale where 1 means “Not very close to the ideal” and 10 means “Very close to the ideal,” who does the COPS Office compare to that ideal?

Future Behaviors

46. Using a scale of where 1 means “Not at all likely” and 10 means “Extremely likely”, how likely are you to recommend the COPS Office grant program to others?

47. Using a scale of where 1 means “Not at all likely” and 10 means “Extremely likely”, how likely are you to apply for COPS Office grants in the future?

Future Public Safety Information Needs

48. For each of the following please indicate how useful you believe an informational product or grant program addressing the topic would be to your agency’s capacity to prevent, solve and control within your community. Make one selection per row.

	Not at all useful	Somewhat useful	Very useful
Improving Police Operations (e.g., recruitment and hiring, crime analysis, organizational structure, implementing technology, field training (PTO), and performance measurement)
Child/Youth Safety (e.g., children exposed to violence, school-based policing, preventing teen violence, combating child sexual predators, and internet safety)
Enhancing Community Partnership with Law Enforcement (e.g., reentry, alternatives to incarceration, building partnerships with stakeholders, community-oriented government, and private sector practices)
Homeland Security (e.g., role of law enforcement in the investigative and intelligence gathering process, information sharing, protecting privacy and civil liberties)
Community Policing in Specific Populations and Environments (e.g., tribal policing, policing in rural communities, mental illness and the homeless, and campus safety)
Non-Violent Crimes/Quality of Life Issues (e.g., drugs and drug use, fear of crime, social disorder offenses, and public safety in a distressed economy
Violent Crime (e.g., urban violence, gang violence, and gun crime)

49. What other public safety-related subject areas, not listed in the previous question, would increase your ability to implement community policing strategies to enhance your capacity to prevent, solve, and control crime within your community? [Optional]

Customer Awareness of Other Resources

50. Are there any other federal organizations that you can think of that provide awards and/or publications to advance community policing and public safety within law enforcement agencies nationwide? If so, please name them. [Optional]

1. Yes

2. No

Future Training Considerations for Award Management

51. Please indicate the type of training or technical assistance you feel the COPS Office might develop or provide to assist you in better managing your awards: (Check all that apply)

1. Application Process

2. Award Acceptance

3. Award Management (Post Award)

4. Award Monitoring and Audits

5. Financial Management

6. Other

7. None

Close

Thank you for participating in this survey!

The COPS Office funding provides award assistance to advance community policing and public safety within law enforcement agencies nationwide. COPS Office awards have increased the number of law enforcement officers interacting with members of the community; provided additional and more effective training to law enforcement officers; encouraged the development and implementation of innovative programs to permit members of the community to assist law enforcement agencies in the prevention of crime; and, encouraged the development of new technologies to assist law enforcement agencies in preventing crime. You can access these materials on the COPS Office website at cops.usdoj.gov

The COPS Office funding also provides publication products (i.e., guidebooks, etc.) to law enforcement and community members. The COPS Office publications have encouraged the development and implementation of innovative programs to permit members of the community to assist law enforcement agencies in the prevention of crime. You can access these materials on the COPS Office website at cops.usdoj.gov