The Alliance for Common People Building Up Macau (API) held a presentation yesterday on its survey to optimise community policing* in Macau. The findings indicate that residents rated community security at 78.66 percent, reflecting strong overall confidence in the city’s public safety.
The survey, conducted by the University of Macau (UM) on behalf of the community association, collected a total of 150 valid questionnaires, with the aim of improving local community policing and serving as a reference for policy formulation by the government’s security-related entities.
According to the survey, 78.66 percent of respondents held a positive evaluation (“Very Safe” + “Fairly Safe”) regarding community security, with an average score of 4.01 points out of 5.0, demonstrating high overall confidence among residents.
For measures tackling modern offences like telecom and online fraud, positive evaluations stood at 52.00 percent, with an average score of 3.43 points, ranking in the upper-middle level.
Overall satisfaction with community policing among respondents was positive (“Very Satisfied” + “Fairly Satisfied”) at 59.33 percent, with an average score of 3.64 points, making it generally positive.
Positive approval for tech-empowered policing reached 63.09 percent, with zero respondents choosing “Strongly Disapprove,” showing a solid foundation for public promotion. However, high-level understanding was only at 45.33 percent, revealing a gap between approval and actual understanding.
Among respondents who participated in security-related youth groups, 78.38 percent felt they gained sufficient community policing knowledge. However, the overall participation rate of the sample was only 24.67 percent, with 75.33 percent having never participated, indicating that coverage remains limited.
The survey also noted that up to 68.00 percent of respondents were unfamiliar with the “Lotus Police” (蓮花警察)** service concept, with only 6.66 percent having a high level of understanding. High awareness of various community policing mechanisms such as “Friends of Crime Prevention in Residential Buildings” (大廈防罪之友) stood at just 18.66 percent.
Among respondents who had attended police-community events, only 36.58 percent gave positive evaluations of their effectiveness, signalling that event appeal and interactivity need enhancement.
The findings suggested seven specific policy measures, such as establishing a regular publicity mechanism for community policing concepts; pushing for targeted, scenario-based crime prevention and anti-fraud campaigns; optimising the format of community police-public events to enhance interactivity and appeal; as well as establishing an evaluation and continuous improvement mechanism for community policing effectiveness.
*Community policing is a strategy of law enforcement that focuses on building tie-ins and working relationships between police officers and local residents to prevent crime and address public safety concerns collaboratively. Rather than responding solely to incidents after they occur, officers integrate into the neighbourhood to identify and resolve the root causes of crime and public disorder. – Gemini
**“Lotus Police” is an official cultural identity concept and public image brand introduced by the Public Security Police Force (PSP). – Gemini
Lawmaker Lei Leong Wong (second from right), Research Supervisor Wen Bo (second from left) and two research assistants look on during yesterday’s presentation about the findings of a survey about community policing in Macau, at the Alliance for Common People Building Up Macau (API) headquarters in Areia Preta. – Photo : Ida Cheong
