KALAMAZOO, Mich. — The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety released the results of its My90 survey on Tuesday.
The department received positive feedback on officers' community interactions but also highlighted community members' main concerns.
The survey revealed that out of 286 people, more than 60 percent felt KDPS officers treated them with respect, listened to them and answered their questions— only one person said they viewed KDPS negatively after being pulled over.
Community members said their biggest safety concerns are gun violence, theft and physical attacks.
“I'm not surprised that that's what the top thing is, is gun violence, because that's what we are living and surviving from every single day,” said Stephanie Williams, program director of Mothers Of Hope.
The organization addresses things like systemic inequities and violence in the community. Williams says that when we think about how to solve gun violence, we need to look at it through a public health lens.
“We have to make sure that health care services, mental health especially, is available,” she said. “For someone to pick up a gun and not have any care or concern about another life or preserving life, there’s something wrong there.”
In the last 28 days, crimemapping.com shows that Kalamazoo has 293 recorded incidents involving assault, larceny and weapons.
Williams says she knows gun violence can’t be stopped instantly, but says building relationships in the community and providing parents with more resources is a good place to start.
“We need everybody to come on board with a commitment that we have to put our pride aside and our silo work aside to really do what's best for all people in our community, especially Black and Brown residents and especially children,” she said.
KDPS says it is trying to prioritize violence in the city, adding that it has increased patrols and implemented programs to identify those in need of intervention.
View the full survey below:
KDPS Feedback Survey by WXMI on Scribd
