By David Clegg

ONE IN three people in Tayside feel unsafe leaving their homes after dark, according to a report to go before councillors today.

A survey conducted by the police found fears of being assaulted or the victim of another crime mean many in Dundee, Perth and Kinross and Angus are afraid to leave the house.

The results of the Public Perception Survey 2007 show concerns about drug dealing, thefts and anti-social behaviour are still common.

Although the majority of respondents felt crime in their neighbourhood had remained the same in the last year, 40% of people said they were still “fairly concerned” or “very concerned” about being a victim of crime.

The full findings of the survey are to be revealed to the Tayside police joint board today.

New Chief Constable Kevin Mathieson will present the results and explain how the force is to act upon the information gleaned.

He will tell board members that while 94% of those who responded said they felt safe going out alone during the day this figure falls to 67% at night—the remaining 33% reporting feeling unsafe.

Seven per cent of people are too scared to leave the house at all after dark while 1% claim to be too frightened to go outside at any time.

Meanwhile, investigating drug dealers, assaults, sexual crimes, crimes against children and robberies should be the five top priorities for the police, according to those who completed the survey.

In relation to anti-social behaviour, gangs of youths, dog fouling and speeding drivers topped the list of problems experienced.

The force has also pledged to improve the way it keeps victims of crime updated about the investigation into their case after this was highlighted as a specific problem in another survey.

The results of the Service Satisfaction Survey 2007, which was completed specifically by people who contacted Tayside Police during the year, will also be presented to the board today.

It found less than half (48%) of people who had reported a crime were updated on the progress of the police inquiry, while exactly half had no idea what had eventually happened to the perpetrators of the crime.

In addition, only 59% of those who completed the survey said they were satisfied with the outcome of their complaint.

Mr Mathieson said, “We have drawn from the service satisfaction survey that we need to specifically improve upon keeping members of the public updated on the outcome of their reported incident and work has commenced within the force on a range of actions to help us improve on this area of our business.”

However, the results of the survey were “generally positive,” he added.

Overall 92% of respondents’ general impression of Tayside Police as an organisation was “good” or “very good.”