Casselberry PD to increase PR efforts after poor response to community survey

CASSELBERRY, Fla. — What do you know about your police department? That's the question Casselberry residents were recently asked, but the response was so poor that police now plan to start a PR campaign.

New decals complete with a Facebook plug- and the Casselberry Police Department's website were added to patrol cars four months ago, and they're meant to get people "in the know" about community programs at the department.

“I have no idea what they do there,” said resident Steve Nelson.

It was feedback like Nelson’s that Casselberry found mostly from the results of a $1,500 survey that went out to residents.

The survey was sent to roughly 1,500 residents, but only 268 of them actually filled it out and mailed it back, officials said.

Those who filled it out said they are very happy with the police department but had no clue about new policing initiatives like the increased parking enforcement and bike patrols put in place six months ago or the website that residents admit they've never visited.

“I feel that they should put more into the public,” said resident Annette Duran.

And that’s exactly what police plan to do.

An officer is being reassigned to a new community relations position, which will create a two-year public relations strategy.

Officials wouldn’t say how much the initiative would cost, but they told WFTV any money spent would come from forfeiture funds.

Still, some residents said they hope it's not time and money that could be better spent elsewhere.

“They have better things to do, I think, than worry about what we think of them,” said Nelson.

The police chief said he plans to meet with community and church groups starting next week.

WFTV