THE TIMES POLL : 57% Approve of Police; Few See Changes

The San Fernando Valley’s opinion of the Los Angeles police has rebounded since the beating of Rodney G. King, the Los Angeles Times Poll has found.

However, a community policing program designed in part to restore confidence in the department remains unknown to most residents.

The August poll found that 57% of those responding approve of the way the police are doing their job.

It also found that crime is overwhelmingly seen as the community’s most important problem. The top recommendation for improving the police force is to make it bigger.

The poll, conducted Aug. 16, indicated the community policing program begun in the Valley last year has had little effect on public attitudes.

Of those polled, 77% were unaware of community-based policing. Only 14% thought it was active in their neighborhoods.

Although about one-fourth of those questioned said police officers have tried harder in the last year to reach out to their communities, 55% said they have seen little change and 10% said they have seen less of an effort.

“If community policing is going to have a significant impact, it is still to come,” said John Brennan, director of The Times Poll.

Deputy Police Chief Mark A. Kroeker, the top officer in the Valley, said he was undiscouraged. Big changes in police-community relations take years, he said.

“I am guardedly encouraged by the results,” Kroeker said. “I think in the second, third and fourth year is where we will see the growth.”

The police approval rating of 57% in the Valley, though higher than levels of recent months, was still lower than it once was.

In March, 1988, 79% of those the poll questioned in the Valley voiced approval of police performance.

In the latest poll, 54% of those questioned said they had a favorable impression of the department’s efforts to reach out to the community; 35% had an unfavorable impression.

Thirteen months earlier, in July, 1991, 53% were favorably impressed and 37% had an unfavorable impression.

The figure plummeted to 36% in March, 1991, just after the videotaped King beating.

The latest poll was the first since Police Chief Daryl F. Gates was succeeded by Willie L. Williams.

Some indicators of people’s feelings of security have moved in the wrong direction, the poll showed:

* 43% said they feel safe walking alone at night in their neighborhoods, down from 50% in 1989.

* 38% said they have thought of moving because of safety concerns, compared to 28% in 1989.

* 47% said they think there is some or a lot of gang activity in their neighborhoods, contrasted with 35% in 1989.

Quick response to emergencies was rated the most important service by 57% of those polled, understanding the community by 23%.

Thirty-five percent of those polled recommended hiring more police officers to improve the Police Department--the top response. Twenty-one percent said it should get closer to the community, and 16% suggested more foot patrols. The last two are high priorities of community policing.

Kroeker said police officers are planting the seeds and citizens are spreading the word.

“There seems to be a rippling effect going on--that’s what we want,” Kroeker said.

Some people are involved in community policing without knowing it. Only 5% of those questioned said they were involved in a community policing program. But 15% said they were involved in Neighborhood Watch, a cornerstone of community policing.

HOW THE POLL WAS CONDUCTED

The Times Poll interviewed 539 adults who live in the San Fernando Valley portions of Los Angeles by telephone Aug. 16. Telephone numbers were chosen from a list of all Valley exchanges. Random-digit dialing was used to ensure that both listed and unlisted numbers were contacted. Results were weighted slightly to conform with census figures for sex, race, age, education and household size. The margin of sampling error for the total sample is plus or minus five percentage points. For certain subgroups, the error margin is higher. Results can be affected by factors such as question wording and the order in which questions are asked.