Dear Councillor Shearer,

The Royal St Helena Police have provided the following response to your recent enquiry.

POLICE TRUST AND CONFIDENCE SURVEY RESULTS

For the month of September 2024, a police trust and confidence survey was launched on St Helena and Ascension Island. The objective was to get a better understanding of what the community’s experience with the police is and what how we can make it better.

The results for Ascension are as follows:

Out of the population of 788 (at 30/09/24) there were 34 responses with an almost equal input from both male and female respondees.

• 73% were neutral, satisfied or very satisfied that police treat people fairly.
• 90% were neutral, satisfied or very satisfied that police were visible in their community
• 91% were neutral, satisfied or very satisfied that police were professional
• 92% had been in contact with police over the past three years as a victim, witness, offender and through community engagement. Of this, 97% were neutral, satisfied or very satisfied with their experience
• 91% were neutral, satisfied or very satisfied that police tackle reported incidents effectively
• 44% think that in the past 12 months crime has remained the same, 44% don’t know, 6% thinks it has increased and 6% think it has decreased.
• Approximately 80% of the responses are neutral, satisfied or very satisfied with the police service they receive.

The biggest problems that were raised were
• Disorderly conduct/public intoxication/noise violations
• Driving under the influence (alcohol and drugs)
• Domestic violence
• Underage drinking
• Speeding through Two Boats village
• Loud music
• Littering, including smokers littering.

The best quality of the police service was that
• police are friendly and approachable
• Improvements have been made in police presence in the community

Suggestions on how the Police service could be improved
• Implement effective measures to prevent alcohol impaired driving
• Police need to be on the roads during the morning and evenings when people are going home, as people drive too fast and pedestrians feel unsafe
• There should be rules about bars kicking out patrons who become too drunk. People continue to be served when they are drunk and then they behave inappropriately.
• Anonymous reporting should be implemented
• Hire officers that are able to use their knowledge and experience and relate it to policing on Ascension. The ability to adjust and adapt and bring new ideas that work for the Ascension community would be positive for the police and the community.
The Royal St Helena Police thanks the community for their input and assures you that we will put measures in place to improve how we keep you, the community safe.

In the first instance we will look at awareness and education particularly surrounding
• Road safety- highlighting drink driving and speeding
• Loud music
• Domestic violence
• Underage drinking
• Littering
• Working with the clubs to address drunkenness and inappropriate behaviours on their premises

Efforts will be made to improve how we can keep identities of persons who report incidents to us confidential.
• We will increase foot patrols
• We will be more community focus
• We encourage you to work closer with us, as your ongoing input is vital to keeping the community safer!

Councillor Shearer

Submitted: 27 December 2025

Response: 9 January 2025