New Canaan Police want those residents served by the department to gauge how responsive, polite and concerned their officers are, as part of a first-ever Customer Service Survey.
Police dispatch is being relocated here, to the former records area, temporarily while a modern IP-based dispatch system is installed in the larger dispatch area at NCPD. Credit: Michael Dinan
Starting this week, the department is phoning, mailing and emailing residents to complete a 2-page survey that’s tailored to interactions with dispatch, patrol and investigations.
In part of the survey, respondents are asked to gauge on a scale from zero to five whether the officer who handled the resident’s case was “professional, polite and respectful” and “seemed to genuinely care about your situation and was willing to help you.”
Police Chief Leon Krolikowski said the department would track responses in order to gain insight “to see how we can improve our services.”
Connected to the survey is a renovation of the department’s walk-in lobby and dispatch center, the chief said. Plans call for cosmetic upgrades to the lobby to make it brighter and more welcoming, including with a TV, and eventually a volunteer greeter out front who can facilitate inquiries from visitors.
As it is, that’s being handled through a pick-up phone by a dispatcher who sits behind a glass wall and is physically separated by cumbersome legacy equipment that’s being cleared out now.
“Obviously the dispatcher does a lot of things,” Krolikowski said. “They are answering 9-1-1 emergency calls, they are dispatching our police units, they are watching the cameras, running people through computer systems. So they are doing a bunch of things and often people in the lobby have to wait and it’s an interruption and it’s difficult, so it would be ideal if we can quickly direct people to get the information they need.”
The dispatch center itself is getting all modern IP-based equipment as the town departments now based in the police headquarters on South Avenue—the original New Canaan High School, which opened in 1927—start moving back into Town Hall next month. The launch of the survey follows an awards ceremony that police held last week, recognizing 15 officers.
Being more or less a life long citizen of New Canaan (37 years now), I would say the New Canaan Police are better than average. Most of the officers I’ve had the pleasure of interacting with have been well mannered, well tempered, educated, and helpful.However, badge number 58 (I don’t know his name) is neither “professional, polite and respectful” nor does he “seem to genuinely care about your situation and/or was willing to help you.”
Worst part is, I went to the police station to file a complaint about this loose cannon and the dispatcher in the lobby told me he (#58) was the guy who would take my complaint. I then left, hands in the air. Like he is really going to report himself. Too frustrating!