Citizens Satisfaction, Fear of Crime, and Trust in The Police by Community Residents

Trust in the police is a key factor in public confidence in law enforcement, influencing community satisfaction and crime perceptions. This study examines the relationship between citizen satisfaction, fear of crime, and trust in the police among residents of Davao City using a quantitative correlational research design. The study explores how these factors affect public trust in law enforcement. A non-experimental, survey-based approach was employed, selecting 114 voluntary respondents from a chosen barangay in Davao City through simple random sampling. Data were gathered using validated questionnaires adapted from previous studies and analyzed using descriptive statistics to assess satisfaction, fear, and trust levels. Inferential statistical methods were used to determine the correlations among the variables. Findings indicate that citizen satisfaction with police services and trust in law enforcement were very high. However, fear of crime, particularly perceived risk and neighborhood disorder, was also reported as high, while worry of victimization was low. Inferential analysis showed a moderate positive correlation between citizen satisfaction and trust in the police (r = 0.624) and a moderate negative correlation between fear of crime and trust (r = 0.491). Additionally, perceived risk (r = 0.459), worry of victimization (r = 0.305), and neighborhood disorder (r = 0.181) were significantly associated with trust in the police. The study concludes that improving citizen satisfaction and reducing fear of crime are essential to strengthening trust in law enforcement. The findings highlight the importance of community engagement, procedural justice, and visible policing in fostering positive police-community relations.