Micro-Community Policing Plans

About the Micro-Community Policing Plans

No two neighborhoods in Seattle are the same. Micro-Community Policing Plans (MCPP) recognize and address this. These plans are developed by bringing community engagement and crime data together and directing police services to address the individual needs of each community.  

How it works: 

• MCPP neighborhoods are defined through police-community engagement including community meetings, focus groups, survey data, and the realities of geographic boundaries SPD can use to collect and report on events. 
• Annually, Seattle University conducts an independent public safety survey of each neighborhood. This captures the concerns of each neighborhood and gives SPD clear areas of focus.
• Community perceptions of crime and public safety matter. When used in conjunction with crime data, perceptions of those who live and work in Seattle at the micro-community level provide a more accurate picture of the reality of crime and public safety than can be seen through crime statistics alone. This is what makes the MCPP strategy unique.
• The data (link to dashboard) is continually analyzed to see if we are making improvements and addressing the issues neighbors are concerned about.
• These plans were first implemented in January 2015 and the Seattle Public Safety Survey has been fielded every year. The survey data is used in conjunction with focus groups and police-community engagement to inform and revise the MCPP priorities and strategies.

Partnership with Seattle University:

• The Seattle Public Safety Survey is conducted independently by Seattle University researchers.  
• The survey collects data at the micro-community level about perceptions of crime and public safety, police-community interactions, and knowledge and understanding of the MCPPs.
• In between annual Seattle Public Safety Survey administrations October 15-November 30, Seattle University also conducts regular annual focus groups from May -August in all Seattle microcommunities.

What does the Seattle Public Safety Survey Measure?

• The Seattle Public Safety Survey works to collect qualitative and quantitative data that gives insight into perceptions of crime and safety within each micro-community. 
• The areas measured are concerns about crime and public safety and perceptions of police legitimacy, informal social control, social cohesion, fear of crime, social disorganization.

What have we learned since starting these surveys?

• To ensure equitable community representation, it has been important to reach out using various survey collection methods (in-person, electronic, multi-lingual surveys). 
• In all 5 years (2015-2019), Car Prowls and the Lack of Police Capacity have remained the #1 or #2 issues, citywide.
• From 2015-2019, Trust in Police has remained higher for the City of Seattle compared to nationwide.

Learn more: Seattle University Crime & Justice Research Center