Survey shows Albany locals feel safe

A survey of Albany residents has found nine out of 10 feel safe living in the city, but more than a third felt the crime rate was high despite police figures revealing otherwise.

Results from the City of Albany's Creating Safer Communities survey released to the Albany Advertiser this week have revealed the community's perception of crime rates differed from official police statistics which showed crime had dropped in the city by 16 per cent in the past year.

About 91 per cent of respondents to the online survey late last year felt living in Albany was either very safe (6 per cent), safe (38 per cent) or somewhat safe (47 per cent) compared to about 9 per cent who felt Albany was either unsafe or very unsafe.

The survey asked residents' thoughts on the city's crime rate, with 36 per cent believing crime was high (29 per cent) or very high (7 per cent).

The remaining 66 per cent thought the crime rate was very low (3 per cent), low (18 per cent) or moderate (43).

However, 70 per cent of those polled believed crime had become more of a problem in the time they had lived in Albany.

Most of the 183 respondents lived in McKail, Yakamia and Spencer Park and 72 per cent were women.

Albany police officer-in-charge Senior Sergeant Quentin Flatman said crime in the city was down 16 per cent in 2014 compared to the previous year, which he attributed to better use of police resources.

"Albany police work pretty hard to maintain that sort of response to crime and the community's needs," he said.

"It's never something we achieve and reach that destination, it's something we have to strive for every time these guys get in the car for the eight hours of their shift, 24 hours a day.

"I believe we have achieved that perception with the community because they have worked to ensure criminals are chased up, we are in the right place at the right time and are holding those to account who commit crimes."

Sen. Sgt Flatman said the community was talking about crime more than ever, especially through social media and the next step in the station's plan to tackle crime was "problem-oriented policing" which would tackle specific trouble areas.

"The greater majority of the work we do, people will never see what we do," he said.

"It's pleasing to me to hear that 91 per cent of people feel safe, but I also believe that if a lot of Albany residents really knew what really happened in this town after dark they would be mortified and it's a constant battle."

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