Public Safety for All Preliminary Results — File 23-1733

P R E L I M I N A R Y F I N D I N G S Public Safety for All Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne RSJ Director Denise Molina Capers, Esq. RSJ Analyst Elizabeth Ronan

A G E N D A Introduction and Methodology High level takeaways Preliminary Findings Perceptions of Safety Encounters with Police Perceptions of Police Appendix Open Data

Introduction

Methodology

R E S P O N D E N T S R E F L E C T O U R P O P U L A T I O N W E L L ! Goal was to get at least 30 respondents in each group of interest so we can analyze them independently. Weighting: a statistical technique in which datasets are adjusted through calculations in order to bring them more in line with the population being studied. Chose to report demographic groups separately instead of weighting. 1,296 total responses Generally representative across ward, race, age, disability status Generally over-sampled traditionally under- represented groups

Respondents positively rate their perceptions and encounters with the Somerville Police Department (SPD) and public safety in Somerville as a whole. Certain respondent groups report more negative perceptions and experiences. Differences not random and fall along demographic distinctions. Further studies are necessary. H I G H E S T - L E V E L T A K E A W A Y S

Preliminary Findings

Perceptions of Safety

Some contexts also vary by Gender, Race/Ethnicity, and LGBTQIA+ status. Do not appear to vary substantially or consistently by Ward, age, immigration, or disability status. Feelings of safety vary across contexts (time of day, place, etc.) Main concerns are traffic safety, followed by theft and burglaries, housing security, gun violence, and illegal drug activity. M A I N F I N D I N G S O N P E R C E P T I O N S O F S A F E T Y

P E R C E P T I O N S O F S A F E T Y V A R Y A C R O S S C O N T E X T S Respondents, on average, report feeling somewhere between safe (3.0) and very safe (4.0), with respondents feeling safest at home and least safe when biking. 1 = Very unsafe 2 = Unsafe 3 = Safe 4 = Very safe

P E R C E P T I O N S O F S A F E T Y - O V E R A L L R A T I N G S B Y R A C E & G E N D E R ( L G B T Q I A + N O T I N D I C A T E D ) Black, Hispanic, and Other Race respondents have lower average feelings of safety than Asian, White, and respondents of Two or More Races. Black and Hispanic women report much lower ratings of safety in the City overall than Black and Hispanic men. 1 = Very unsafe 2 = Unsafe 3 = Safe 4 = Very safe

Encounters with Police

Perceptions of encounters vary by gender, LGBTQIA+ status, and disability status. Nonbinary, LGBTQIA+, and disabled respondents report much lower perceptions of encounters with SPD. Removing these demographic groups, we can find no more differences across Race/Ethnicity or binary Gender categories. There does, however, continue to be a difference observed among different age groups and to a lesser degree across some other characteristics. M A I N F I N D I N G S O N E N C O U N T E R S W I T H S P D

Further studies are necessary. There are substantial differences across gender, LGBTQIA+ status, and disability status on this measure. W H Y D I D N O N B I N A R Y , L G B T Q I A + , A N D P E O P L E W I T H D I S A B I L I T I E S C O N S I S T E N T L Y R E P O R T M O R E N E G A T I V E E X P E R I E N C E S ?

P E R S O N A L E N C O U N T E R S R A T I N G S B Y W A R D Ratings of encounters with police in the dataset were on average a 3.7 (between Neutral and Somewhat positive). There was some variation by ward, with Wards 2, 3, and 5 on the lower end, and 1 and 6 on the higher. 1 = Very negative 2 = Somewhat negative 3 = Neutral 4 = Somewhat positive 5 = Very positive

P E R S O N A L E N C O U N T E R S R A T I N G S B Y G E N D E R & L G B T Q I A + S T A T U S Among LGBTQIA+ and Non-binary respondents, the average rating ranged from slightly below neutral for Non- binary and Female respondents respectively to a high of slightly above neutral for Male respondents. There is no substantive gender difference observed for those who did not indicate LGBTQIA+ status. 1 = Very negative 2 = Somewhat negative 3 = Neutral 4 = Somewhat positive 5 = Very positive

P E R S O N A L E N C O U N T E R S R A T I N G S B Y D I S A B I L I T Y S T A T U S Across most gender & LGBTQIA+ status categories, people with disabilities report lower overall ratings than their counterparts who did not identify as people with disabilities, but this effect is much more profound for those who also identified as Non-binary or LGBTQIA+. 1 = Very negative 2 = Somewhat negative 3 = Neutral 4 = Somewhat positive 5 = Very positive

Perceptions of Police

Perceptions of SPD vary by Gender & LGBTQIA+ status, Disability status, and immigrant status, as well as age. M A I N F I N D I N G S O N P E R C E P T I O N O F S P D

Removing nonbinary, LGBTQIA+, respondents with disabilities, and immigrant respondents, we can find minor, if any, differences across Race/Ethnicity or binary Gender categories. M A I N F I N D I N G S O N P E R C E P T I O N O F S P D

P E R C E P T I O N S O F S P D - G E N E R A L R A T I N G S B Y W A R D In general, respondents reported that the SPD “Almost always” treats people in their neighborhood with respect, and between “Sometimes” and “Almost always” makes the respondent feel safe. Ratings of feeling safe are generally lower than ratings of treating people with respect, but follow a similar pattern across wards.

P E R C E P T I O N S O F S P D - F E E L I N G S A F E R A T I N G S B Y G E N D E R & L G B T Q I A + S T A T U S Non-binary and LGBTQIA+ respondents report a lower rating for police making them feel safe. 1 = Never 2 = Almost Never 3= Sometimes 4= Almost Always 5 = Always

P E R C E P T I O N S O F S P D - F E E L I N G S A F E R A T I N G S B Y D I S A B I L I T Y , G E N D E R , & L G B T Q I A + S T A T U S The differences across disability status for SPD making them feel safe are even more pronounced, with LGBTQIA+ and Non-binary people with disabilities reporting very low averages. 1 = Never 2 = Almost Never 3= Sometimes 4= Almost Always 5 = Always

For respondents who don’t identify as Non-binary, LGBTQIA+, or as having a disability, there is not substantial variation in Race/Ethnicity ratings for general perceptions of police. P E R C E P T I O N S O F S P D B Y R A C E / E T H N I C I T Y

S U G G E S T I O N S F O R S P D I M P R O V E M E N T - B Y R A C E Social workers on response teams (42) Mental health professionals on response teams (39) Transparency / Community Policing (Tie, 35) Asian or Pacific Islander n=91 1. 2. 3. Community policing (43) Increase police presence (33) Youth voice / Community events / Mental health crisis training (Tie, 28) Black or African American n=84 1. 2. 3. Community policing (104) Mental health professionals on response teams (87) Mental health crisis training (81) Hispanic or Latino n=214 1. 2. 3. Mental health professionals on response teams (404) Social workers on response teams (379) Mental health crisis training (332) White or Caucasian n=662 1. 2. 3. Community policing (21) Mental health crisis training (20) Mental health professionals on response teams (18) Other n=37 1. 2. 3. Mental health crisis training (33) Mental health professionals on response teams (32) Social workers on response teams (31) Two or More Races n=49 1. 2. 3. Notably, adding social workers or mental health professionals to response teams did not make the top 3 for Black or African American race respondents.

Respondents who feel more safe in the City overall feel less safe around police. S A F E T Y A N D P O L I C E P E R C E P T I O N Respondents who feel less safe in the City overall feel more safe around police.

Presented data to PSFA Task Force and some City Departments - October 2023 Upload preliminary results to PSFA Micro Page - November 2023 Share with Civilian Oversight Task Force and Anti-Violence Working Group - November 2023 Share with City Departments and Community Partners - Winter and Spring 2024 Share survey report and Public Safety for All Study - Early 2024 Host constituent Webinar (virtual) and Public Meeting (in- person) - TBD W H A T H A P P E N S N E X T ?

Appendix

Perceptions of Safety

In your home Walking alone in your neighborhood during the day Walking alone in your neighborhood at night In the City overall When you are in a park alone Walking to/from my child’s school (if applicable) When driving When biking Question 11: Based on your personal experience, please rate how safe you feel in Somerville’s streets in the following situations: Question 13 asked respondents about their top five concerns regarding public safety in their neighborhood. Options ranged from Animal Complaints to Gun Violence to Traffic Safety. P L E A S E S H A R E A N Y O T H E R T H O U G H T S A B O U T P O L I C I N G I N S O M E R V I L L E :

P E R C E P T I O N S O F S A F E T Y - O V E R A L L R A T I N G S B Y R A C E & G E N D E R ( L G B T Q I A + ) Respondents who indicated LGBTQIA+ status show a similar Race/Ethnicity difference (Nonwhite respondents have a lower average rating of safety in the City) These respondents do not show Gender differences within Race/Ethnicity categories. They report a very similar level of safety rating for the City overall. 1 = Very unsafe 2 = Unsafe 3 = Safe 4 = Very safe

P E R C E P T I O N S O F S A F E T Y - O V E R A L L R A T I N G S B Y I M M I G R A T I O N In ratings of safety in the City overall, Asian and Black immigrant respondents report equal or higher levels of safety than those who didn’t indicate Immigrant status, and Hispanic and White immigrant respondents report lower levels of safety. Other Race/Ethnicity categories did not have enough Immigrant respondents for comparison. 1 = Very unsafe 2 = Unsafe 3 = Safe 4 = Very safe

P E R C E P T I O N S O F S A F E T Y - O V E R A L L R A T I N G S B Y D I S A B I L I T Y Aside from safety when biking, there are no observed differences across reported disability status on safety ratings. 1 = Very unsafe 2 = Unsafe 3 = Safe 4 = Very safe

Traffic safety was indicated as the largest area of concern, with 45% of respondents selecting this option, followed by theft and burglaries; housing security; gun violence; and illegal drug activity. T O P S A F E T Y C O N C E R N S - O V E R A L L

T O P S A F E T Y C O N C E R N S - B Y R A C E Housing Security Traffic Safety Theft and burglaries Gun violence Animal complaints Asian or Pacific Islander 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Gun Violence Violent crime Theft and burglaries Housing security Illegal drug activity Black or African American 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Illegal drug activity Theft and burglaries Gun violence Traffic safety Housing security Hispanic or Latino 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Traffic safety Theft and burglaries Housing security Domestic violence Gun violence White or Caucasian 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

150 of 650 responses mention community, community events, and more social support between constituents and City government. Respondents suggested... “ W H A T K I N D O F P R O G R A M S D O Y O U T H I N K W O U L D H E L P B U I L D A S A F E R C O M M U N I T Y ? ” “Community drop- in centers for people of all ages to meet and socialize that offer refreshments, occasional entertainment, have chess or other games, magazines, newspapers, tables and chairs of course and some comfy ones to read and relax in.”

127 respondents mention affordable housing. Respondents suggested... “ W H A T K I N D O F P R O G R A M S D O Y O U T H I N K W O U L D H E L P B U I L D A S A F E R C O M M U N I T Y ? ” “Rent assistance, rent stabilization, subsidies for obtaining electric and non-electric bicycles, more housing everywhere in the city, fewer restrictions on upzoning or starting a commercial entity in neighborhood zones.” “Rent assistance for tenants and landlords who otherwise would be moving towards evictions, eviction moratoria, better community health protections.”

mental health services (103), increased policing (100), youth programming (97), and traffic safety (73). Others called for increased: “ W H A T K I N D O F P R O G R A M S D O Y O U T H I N K W O U L D H E L P B U I L D A S A F E R C O M M U N I T Y ? ”

“ W H A T M A K E S Y O U F E E L S A F E A T H O M E , I N Y O U R C O M M U N I T Y , A N D A T W O R K ? ” 604 respondents The biggest theme that came up (313 responses) was that respondents’ communities make them feel safe, including knowing their neighbors, government involvement, a sense of personal safety, and having their basic needs and those of their neighbors met. 102 write in responses indicate that police and fast police response times make them feel safe. Other responses discussed: alternatives to policing (36), traffic safety (34), the perceived lack of crime in Somerville (34), lighting, cameras, or security systems (25).

Respondents share specific safety concerns (113 responses), including traffic safety, affordable housing, food security, infrastructure, mental health, Safe Consumption Sites / Overdose Prevention Centers (both pro and against), and more. 61 responses report the desire for alternatives to policing/alternate response models. 46 responses call for increased policing. 38 respondents report satisfaction with the current state of safety in Somerville. 32 respondents note the opposite, describing feeling unsafe in the City. “ P L E A S E S H A R E A N Y O T H E R T H O U G H T S A B O U T P U B L I C S A F E T Y I N S O M E R V I L L E . ”

Encounters with Police

1 = Very negative 2 = Somewhat negative 3 = Neutral 4 = Somewhat positive 5 = Very positive Question 3: Have you ever had a personal encounter with an Somerville police officer? Question 4: Was your encounter a positive or negative experience? E N C O U N T E R S W I T H P O L I C E - S U R V E Y Q U E S T I O N S

W H Y D I D N O N B I N A R Y , L G B T Q I A + , A N D P E O P L E W I T H D I S A B I L I T I E S C O N S I S T E N T L Y R E P O R T M O R E N E G A T I V E E X P E R I E N C E S ? COVID and public health concerns: Some participants recalled that officers were unmasked during encounters that occurred in 2020-2021. Protests: Some participants described encounters at protests. Anxiety: Some participants described feeling increased anxiety in the presence of police. Suspicion: Some participants felt the police treated them with unnecessary suspicion. Bicycles: Bicyclists perceived a difference in treatment based on their mode of travel.

P E R S O N A L E N C O U N T E R S R A T I N G S B Y A G E F O R R E S P O N D E N T S W H O D O N ’ T I D E N T I F Y A S N O N - B I N A R Y , L G B T Q I A + , O R H A V I N G A D I S A B I L I T Y For respondents who don’t identify as Non-binary, LGBTQIA+, or as having a disability, more positive ratings of police encounters tend to increase with age. Specifically, there appears to be a cut-off of <45 and 45+ years old, where the average rating for <45 is between Neutral and Somewhat Positive, and the average rating for 45+ tends to be at Somewhat Positive or above. 1 = Very negative 2 = Somewhat negative 3 = Neutral 4 = Somewhat positive 5 = Very positive

P E R S O N A L E N C O U N T E R S R A T I N G S B Y R A C E & G E N D E R F O R R E S P O N D E N T S W H O D O N ’ T I D E N T I F Y A S N O N - B I N A R Y , L G B T Q I A + , O R H A V I N G A D I S A B I L I T Y There is not substantial variation in Race/Ethnicity ratings for police encounters. In general, all Race/Ethnicity and gender groups rate police encounters around “Somewhat Positive”. High scores for Hispanic respondents largely come from those who identify as immigrants. 1 = Very negative 2 = Somewhat negative 3 = Neutral 4 = Somewhat positive 5 = Very positive

W A S Y O U R E N C O U N T E R A P O S I T I V E O R N E G A T I V E E X P E R I E N C E ? P L E A S E E X P L A I N : Saying officers are “always professional and helpful” 169 reported positive interactions with SPD 486 respondents “Nothing stands out to me; I don’t recall it as a particularly positive or negative experience” 162 reported neutral interactions with SPD Describing officers as “rude, made me feel unsafe rather than safe,” or “condescending, yelling” 124 reported negative interactions with SPD

Perceptions of Police

(items 1, 2): Does the Somerville Police Department treat people in your neighborhood with respect? Do the Somerville Police Department officers in your neighborhood make you feel safe? Question 1: Perceptions of the Somerville Police Department 1 = Never 2 = Almost Never 3= Sometimes 4= Almost Always 5 = Always P E R C E P T I O N S O F P O L I C E - S U R V E Y Q U E S T I O N S

P E R C E P T I O N S O F S P D - R E S P E C T R A T I N G S B Y G E N D E R & L G B T Q I A + S T A T U S Non-binary and Female LGBTQIA+ respondents report a lower average rating of SPD treating people in their neighborhood with respect than the rest of the respondents. 1 = Never 2 = Almost Never 3= Sometimes 4= Almost Always 5 = Always

P E R C E P T I O N S O F S P D - R E S P E C T R A T I N G S B Y D I S A B I L I T Y , G E N D E R , & L G B T Q I A + S T A T U S There is a marked difference in perceptions of police treating people with respect by disability status, but only for Non-binary and LGBTQIA+ respondents. 1 = Never 2 = Almost Never 3= Sometimes 4= Almost Always 5 = Always

Non-white Race/Ethnicity groups tend to have slightly higher ratings of police treating people with respect. This difference is driven in large part by immigrant respondents (similarly to ratings of police encounters). P E R C E P T I O N S O F S P D B Y R A C E / E T H N I C I T Y ( R E S P E C T ) 1 = Never 2 = Almost Never 3= Sometimes 4= Almost Always 5 = Always

Again, non-white Race/Ethnicity groups have slightly higher ratings of whether SPD makes them feel safe. Similarly to the question of respect, this difference is driven in large part by immigrant respondents. P E R C E P T I O N S O F S P D B Y R A C E / E T H N I C I T Y ( S A F E T Y ) 1 = Never 2 = Almost Never 3= Sometimes 4= Almost Always 5 = Always

P E R C E P T I O N S O F S P D - R E S P E C T R A T I N G S B Y A G E Ratings of police treating people with respect shows a minor difference by age, if any. 1 = Never 2 = Almost Never 3= Sometimes 4= Almost Always 5 = Always

P E R C E P T I O N S O F S P D - F E E L I N G S A F E R A T I N G S B Y A G E However, the ratings of whether SPD makes them feel safe do vary by respondent age, with those 45+ reporting higher average ratings than those below 45. 1 = Never 2 = Almost Never 3= Sometimes 4= Almost Always 5 = Always

Respondents left comments to the question: “Is there anything else about your relationship/experience (positive or negative) with the Somerville Police Department that you would like to share with us?” This question received 395 write-in responses. W R I T E - I N P E R C E P T I O N S

116 responses consist of positive praise for SPD, citing their professionalism, helpfulness, and respectfulness. W R I T E - I N P E R C E P T I O N S One respondent wrote, “Somerville police have always been extremely professional, kind, and respectful. I truly believe we have one of the best police forces; they always put our city first!”

67 responses indicate a negative relationship with SPD. W R I T E - I N P E R C E P T I O N S Respondents indicate instances where SPD officers are perceived to neglect their duty, display bad attitudes or behaviors. Still others call for reform to SPD, defunding SPD, or abolishing SPD.

44 responses mentioned specific reforms desired for SPD. W R I T E - I N P E R C E P T I O N S Some of these reforms include hosting events to foster relationships with police, ensuring police are enforcing traffic laws on details, training (anti-bias, mental health, crisis intervention), and language capacity.

Call for alternatives to policing (77 responses) Mention reform and training (59 responses) Request increased policing (54 responses) Praise SPD (52 responses) Defund SPD (42 responses) Question 10 served as a catch-all for additional feedback about policing in Somerville not captured by previous questions. 371 respondents wrote in answers, taking this space to: P L E A S E S H A R E A N Y O T H E R T H O U G H T S A B O U T P O L I C I N G I N S O M E R V I L L E :

Dataset Data dictionary Data explorer / visualization Open Data release:

Language Does the Somerville Police Department treat people in your neighborhood with respect? Have you ever had a personal encounter with an Somerville police officer? How old are you? English 3 No 35-44 years Portuguese 5 Yes 25-34 years Haitian Creole 3 Unsure 55-64 years Open Data contains one row per survey response Data has been cleaned to preserve anonymity, combine small groups, and enable calculation O P E N D A T A : P U B L I C S A F E T Y F O R A L L D A T A S E T E X A M P L E D A T A

S U R V E Y The data dictionary, released with the open data, explains how to interpret the data table and how it relates to the survey. O P E N D A T A : P U B L I C S A F E T Y F O R A L L D A T A D I C T I O N A R Y D A T A D I C T I O N A R Y

Our Tableau Public visualization allows you to explore all scale questions by any demographic. O P E N D A T A : P U B L I C S A F E T Y F O R A L L D A T A E X P L O R E R

Additional views allow you to see effects for selected demographics and questions, with filters for some of the frequently noted demographic groups. Combinations of groups with <10 people are removed from the visualization. O P E N D A T A : P U B L I C S A F E T Y F O R A L L D A T A E X P L O R E R