Survey shows public trust growing in Albanian State Police performance

The annual survey on public satisfaction with the Albanian State Police, conducted by the Institute for Development, Research, and Alternatives (IDRA) in partnership with the Swedish government’s “Strengthening Community Policing in Albania” program, has revealed encouraging results. According to the 2024 survey, 82% of Albanians feel safe or very safe on the streets of their cities, and 69% report that they rarely worry about home burglary. However, concerns over police corruption remain significant, with 53% stating that officers often solicit bribes.

Why is this important: The survey, conducted yearly since 2013, reflects a positive trend in public trust and perception of the police, despite ongoing challenges. Public sentiment towards the police now aligns with, and in some cases surpasses, that of European Union countries. As crime rates and public safety concerns increase in some parts of Europe, Albania’s police force has made notable progress in building public confidence. However, the findings highlight that while Albanians feel safer, they continue to expect higher standards in areas such as corruption reduction and respectful treatment from police officers.

Context: Commenting the findings, Prime Minister Rama declared that media and political opposition often distort the public’s perception of safety and law enforcement. According to him, the survey offers a more objective assessment of the police’s performance. During the survey presentation, Rama remarked that misinformation campaigns overshadow the police force’s achievements, urging citizens and political critics to recognize the tangible progress demonstrated by the survey results.

The survey findings also reveal that respect and professionalism remain key concerns for the public. While 67% believe police often or very often treat citizens with respect, a significant portion—around one-third—feel that respect is rarely shown. The Prime Minister emphasized that improving communication between police and citizens is a priority moving forward.

Key findings: The survey followed the European Social Survey standards, enabling comparisons with EU countries. It included 1,900 face-to-face interviews with randomly selected adults and the results were weighted by gender, age, and region to ensure national representation. The key findings include:

·       Public Safety: 82% of respondents feel safe or very safe in their neighborhoods.

·       Property Crime Concerns: 69% report rarely worrying about home burglaries.

·       Perception of Corruption: 53% believe bribes are still requested by police, particularly in traffic enforcement. This reflects a decline from 74% in 2013, indicating slow but steady progress.

·       Police Respect: 67% feel respected during interactions with police, though 53% remain dissatisfied with the quality of their treatment.

These statistics indicate that while police performance is improving, public dissatisfaction with corruption and communication practices persists.

Next steps: Prime Minister Rama acknowledged that while there has been significant improvement since 2013, ongoing challenges require further attention. Efforts to increase police accountability and transparency will be essential to maintaining and enhancing public trust.