The National Law Enforcement Survey
Police and Local Government Leaders
Use The NLES for:
Regulation and Guideline Compliance
Budgeting and Resource Alignment
Strategic Planning
Performance Measurement
Program & Capital Investment
Communications & Engagement

Reliable and Accurate
The National Law Enforcement Survey (The NLES), a premier enterprise of Polco/National Research Center, Inc. (NRC), provides a comprehensive and accurate picture of resident opinions related to community police services. The NLES uses best practices in survey methods to guarantee valid findings and puts your results into meaningful context. Drawing from a large database, The NLES compares your local results with benchmarks compiled from a national survey panel.
Crafted by Experts in Policing and Survey Science
The NLES was developed by National Research Center survey experts, with guidance from the law enforcement thought-leaders behind the Bureau of Justice Assistance Executive Session on Police Leadership (BJA ESPL).
What's Inside The NLES
The NLES provides local law enforcement leaders insights into a variety of resident opinions about public safety. The survey measures:
- Community Quality of Life
- Sense of Safety
- Community Safety Issues
- Departmental Performance
- Contact with Police
- Types of Police Interaction
- Police Officer Performance
- Community Safety Priorities

The NLES Services
Advanced Reporting
Interactive reporting of results on Polco
Geolocation Services
Tracking of results and response rates by geographic area
Accurate Representation
Scientific survey methods to best reflect characteristics of your entire community
Expert Analysis
Survey conducted and analyzed by a data-science practitioner
Benchmark Comparisons
Benchmark comparisons with communities nationwide
Comprehensive Demographics
Report breakdowns by community demographics
This Survey Complements:



The National Employee Survey - Law Enforcement (The NES-LE)
Law Enforcement and Local Government leaders can gather insights into officer working conditions, employee climate and job satisfaction with The National Employee Survey - Law Enforcement (The NES-LE). The NES-LE helps identify organizational strengths and challenges, and understand training needs.

White Paper: How Americans See Public Safety Services Within Their Communities
A new national study reveals sweeping changes in American perspectives about police services that all law enforcement and local government leaders should know. Download this free eBook now to discover key findings, case studies and expert analyses. This report can help you better position your police department for community-centered public safety.