The survey says...

Constable Brian Palmeter of the Community Liaison Officers is in charge of the Dalhousie/HR Police dedicated cruiser program. (Pearce photo)

If Dalhousie and the University of KingÕs College were students, they would be getting a Òmost improved” on their report card.

ThatÕs the result of the third annual survey of the neighbourhoods near the two postsecondary institutions.

The surveys were conducted in February and March of this year by students going door-to-door and randomly surveying 125 neighbours and 165 students.

The neighbours said they felt the universities are doing a better job at communicating with them (55 people), are listening to their concerns (40 people) and that measures taken over the past three years have helped improve the quality of life in the neighbourhoods (22 people). Only eight people surveyed thought that nothing had improved or changed in the past three years.

This compares to the first baseline survey, carried out in 2005. At that time, 44.4 per cent of households gave Dalhousie and KingÕs a failing grade. They did not believe anything was changing, that the universities were listening to them or that they were sincere about improving communications.

In this yearÕs survey, the designated police patrol, a co-operative initiative between Dalhousie and HR Police, also scored very high. The dedicated car with two police officers has completed its second year of patrolling the neighbourhoods on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights in the fall and on selected dates in the winter term.

Of the 125 neighbourhood households, 78 knew about the patrol car and 29 people had called the car at least once during the fall term.

Of the 165 students surveyed, 96 or 58 per cent said the police had come to their house regarding a noise complaint. Eighty-one had received a warning. And, perhaps surprisingly, nearly all the students thought the patrol was a great idea.

ÒItÕs a good way to show the community that Dal cares,” said one student in the comment section. ÒAs a student, I like the extra security of more police on the weekends,” said another. ÒI found the police cruiser program very helpful to people,” said a third student.

The dedicated cruiser program will be funded by Dalhousie for a third year and begins operations again in early September.