Aerial view of campus with Williamsport, the Susquehanna River and Bald Eagle Mountain as a backdrop

Lycoming College students to survey households for Old Lycoming Township Police Department

Lycoming College students will be asking residents in the Old Lycoming Township Police Department service area to participate in a survey from June 12 through June 30. The survey, which will gather information about attitudes toward the police agency, will be conducted by two criminal justice majors at Lycoming College as part of their summer internship experience.

Households in the townships of Old Lycoming, Lycoming and Hepburn will be randomly selected to participate. Qualified adult respondents will be asked to take a short, anonymous and voluntary survey about their perceptions of local issues and police services.

The survey will be conducted in person by student research assistants, Abigail Burley and Kyle Drick. The assistants will have unique photo identification indicating the collaboration between Old Lycoming Township Police Department and Lycoming College’s Department of Criminal Justice-Criminology.

Principal investigator, Justin C. Medina, Ph.D., assistant professor of criminal justice and criminology, will supervise the student researchers during their fieldwork. Burley’s work is supported by a Lycoming College Summer Research Grant and Drick’s work is funded through the College's WISE summer internship program.

The survey will gather information about residents’ experiences and attitudes toward the police agency and neighborhood issues. The survey, developed by Medina, will continue to strengthen ties between the police department, neighborhoods, residents and local businesses.

“Our students are looking forward to getting involved with the local community while learning more about public perceptions of law enforcement,” said Medina. “The results of the survey will help the police department continue to provide quality service to its surrounding communities. We appreciate the wonderful support we have received from the police and the community to ensure the survey will be a success.”

This innovative approach to policing builds on concepts introduced in Medina’s Policing and Society course and the Old Lycoming Township’s previous attempts to incorporate input from the community.

Participants in the survey will be eligible to win one of several gift cards and certificates donated by area businesses. Any questions about the survey can be directed via email to Dr. Justin Medina at oldlycopd@yahoo.com.

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