News Release
Thursday 12 September 2013

2013 Perceptions of Safety Survey available

ROTORUA 12.09.13: The 2013 ‘Perceptions of Safety Survey’ has revealed that local residents are increasingly feeling that Rotorua is a safe place to live.

Rotorua District Council (RDC) has released this year’s survey which was conducted by APR Consultants during April and May involving over 400 residents from the Rotorua district, through telephone interviews and an online survey.

When asked if Rotorua is generally a safe place to live, the majority (85.3%) of respondents stated ‘definitely’ or ‘mostly’ - an increase from 2012 (79.6%).

RDC community safety officer Linda Johnston said the survey is really useful in terms of gauging how safe residents are feeling in our CBD and in their own neighbourhoods.

“We can use the information to identify the specific reasons why people feel safe or unsafe, and plan our crime prevention activities around those.”

During the day-time, the majority (87.5%) of respondents stated they felt ‘very safe’ or ‘safe’ in the CBD. Factors making people feel safe in the CBD at day-time included the presence of other people (45.4%), lighting (23.4%), the presence of police (18.3%), and security cameras (4.3%).

Regarding feelings of safety within the CBD during the night-time, the 2013 results were similar to the 2012 results (30.3% compared to 29.4%). Factors making respondents feel safe in the CBD during the night-time included the presence of other people, lighting, the presence of police, and security cameras. Reasons for feeling unsafe included lack of people, the presence of undesirable people and young people, poor lighting, isolation and the reputation of the area.

Residents were asked what could be done to make Rotorua a safer place, with policing topping the list, followed by better parenting and support for youth and keeping them occupied and off the streets, building and street improvement, more security, surveillance, and penalties and consequences.

Ms Johnston said the council will continue to work with police to raise awareness of safety initiatives in the year ahead.

The 2013 Rotorua Perceptions of Safety report is available in full on Rotorua District Council’s website www.rdc.govt.nz.

http://www.rdc.govt.nz/our-city/community-development/communitysafety/Pages/Safety-Trends.aspx

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