The Ministry of Internal Affairs must replace the current system of quantitative indicators with public opinion polls, experts say
In order for reforms to be effective, the Ministry of Internal Affairs must change the way it assesses the work of the police by replacing the current system of quantitative indicators with public opinion polls that measure how much Ukrainians trust the police and how safe they feel in their own country. This was the recommendation made by Andriy Chernousov, an expert at the Kharkiv Institute for Social Researches, during his presentation in Kyiv on November 27 of the results of the first nationwide study “Assessing Police Performance through Public Opinion”. The study was implemented with a grant from the International Renaissance Foundation’s Rule of Law Program.
The survey was conducted by the Kharkiv Institute of Social Researches in collaboration with the Ministry of Internal Affairs. A total of 15,000 respondents were surveyed in 349 communities in all oblasts of Ukraine (600 respondents per region). IRF Rule of Law Program Director Roman Romanov noted that the poll helps assess Ukrainians’ expectations and perceptions of the police.
Main findings:
– 25.2% of respondents said the police are effective in their work, while 51.3% said they are ineffective.
– When asked how police behave when interacting with citizens, most respondents said they are polite (64.5%). However, 24.9% of those polled have encountered indifference and 9.3% experienced brutality.
– 25.9% of respondents said they trust the police. However, despite the relatively low level of trust, the police is one of the three most trusted public institutions.
– 28% of respondents are ready to help the police in any situation.
– Less than 2/3 of crime victims (61.8%) went to the police, while a significant portion of crimes were left unreported (38.2%).
Contacts:
Kharkiv Institute for Social Researches
Andriy Chernousov
+380 97 104 38 02
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The aim of the Rule of Law Program is to support the civil society initiatives directed to the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, to promote strengthened legal consciousness and public activity at the central and local levels.
