First responders and police in Albert Lea are held in high-esteem in the community, according to community survey results released earlier this month.

Survey results included:

• 74 percent had a positive view of police in Albert Lea

• 87 percent had a positive view of the fire department in Albert Lea

• 85 percent had a positive view of ambulance/EMS services in Albert Lea

• 59 percent had a positive view of crime prevention efforts in Albert Lea

• 76 percent had a positive view of fire prevention in Albert Lea

• 59 percent had a positive view of emergency preparedness in Albert Lea.

Those numbers are all similar to national benchmarks. The survey included a sample of 448 residents.

“We’re pleased that the vast majority of residents have a positive view, but that’s not good enough,” said Albert Lea Public Safety Director Dwaine Winkels. “We want to reach the rest of the people. There’s still more work to do. We are their department and we serve them and there’s no way we can appropriately be their police department if there isn’t a regular way of interacting with the citizens to better know their needs.

Winkels said the department is focusing on policing the needs of the residents of Albert Lea, not of the department or any surrounding community.

The survey included other statistics:

• 28 percent of citizens polled said they had stocked supplies for an emergency in the last 12 months

• 78 percent said they hadn’t reported a crime in the last 12 months

• 87 percent said they hadn’t been a victim of a crime in the past 12 months

The Albert Lea City Council, along with city staff, are reviewing the information gathered and are planning to use the results for goal planning in the future. Input from the community was gathered at neighborhood parties that took place last week.