Independent Police Complaints Council Public Opinion Survey 2018Back

Research Background

Since 2013, Independent Police Complaints Council (IPCC) has been commissioning POP to conduct public opinion polls entitled “Independent Police Complaints Council Public Opinion Survey”. In 2018, IPCC commissioned POP for the sixth time to conduct this “Independent Police Complaints Council Public Opinion Survey 2018”. The objectives of the survey were to investigate the public knowledge and perception of IPCC after the incorporation, to understand the expectation of the public towards IPCC so as to shape a better IPCC, as well as to identify the direction of IPCC’s publicity initiatives in future. A focus group study was also carried out to collect more in-depth and comprehensive opinions and suggestions from citizens.

The research instrument used in this study was designed entirely by the POP Team after consulting the IPCC. Fieldwork operations and data analysis were also conducted independently by the POP Team, without interference from any outside parties. In other words, POP was given full autonomy to design and conduct the survey, and POP would take full responsibility for all the findings reported herewith.

Research Team Members

Research Directors :	Project Manager :	Project Executive :	Data Analyst :
CHUNG Ting-Yiu Robert and PANG Ka-Lai Karie	LEE Wing-Yi Winnie	CHU Cho-Leung Stanley	TAI Chit-Fai Edward

Contact Information

Telephone survey

Survey date	:	19 – 28 March 2018
Survey method	:	Random telephone survey conducted by real interviewers
Target population	:	Cantonese-speaking Hong Kong citizens aged 18 or above
Sampling method	:	Telephone numbers are randomly generated using known prefixes assigned to telecommunication services providers under the Numbering Plan provided by the Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA). Invalid numbers are then eliminated according to computer and manual dialing records to produce the final sample. If more than one subject had been available, the one who had his/her birthday next was selected.
Sample size	:	1,002 successful cases (including 797 landline samples and 205 mobile samples)
Effective response rate	:	58.3%
Standard error	:	Less than 1.6% (i.e. at 95% confidence level, the maximum sampling error of all percentages should be no more than +/-3.2 percentage points)

Focus group study

Number of focus groups	:	Three
Date and time	:	17 May 2017 (Thu) 7:15pm – 9:15pm 29 May 2017 (Tue) 7:15pm – 9:00pm 31 May 2017 (Thu) 7:15pm – 9:05pm
Venue	:	Focus Group Room, HKUPOP Office Room 706, 7/F, The Jockey Club Tower, Centennial Campus, The University of Hong Kong
Participants	:	10/11 in each group (Cantonese-speaking Hong Kong residents aged 18 to 24, 25 to 44 or 45 or above, recruited through the IPCC Public Opinion Survey or the HKU bulk email delivery system)
Moderators	:	Mr Stanley CHU (POP representative) Ms Louie TONG (IPCC representative)

Research Design

Telephone survey

Telephone interviews were conducted by telephone interviewers under close supervision. All data were collected by interviewers using a Web-based Computer Assisted Telephone Interview (Web-CATI) system invented in-house by the research team, which allowed real-time data capture and consolidation. To ensure data quality, on top of on-site supervision and random checking, voice recording, screen capturing and camera surveillance were used to monitor the interviewers’ performance.

Telephone numbers were randomly generated using known prefixes assigned to telecommunication services providers under the Numbering Plan provided by the Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA). Invalid numbers were then eliminated according to computer and manual dialing records to produce the final sample.

The target population of this survey was Hong Kong residents aged 18 or above who spoke Cantonese. After telephone contact was successfully established with a target household, one eligible person was selected using “next birthday rule” for the interview. Telephone interviews were conducted during the period of 19 to 28 March, 2018. A total of 1,002 Hong Kong residents of age 18 or above were successfully interviewed. The effective response rate of this survey was 58.3%, and the standard sampling error for percentages based on this sample was less than 1.6 percentage points. In other words, the sampling error for all percentages using the total sample was less than plus/minus 3.2 percentage points at 95% confidence level.

To ensure representativeness of the findings, the raw data collected have been rim-weighted according to figures collected in the 2016 By-census regarding the gender-age distribution of the Hong Kong population and the 2017 educational attainment (highest level attended) distribution and economic activity status distribution obtained from the Census and Statistics Department. The mobile sample has also been rim-weighted according to the basic Public Sentiment Index (PSI) figures collected in the landline sample.

Focus group study

Three focus groups have been organized by POP in May 2018. Participants were Cantonese-speaking Hong Kong residents aged 18 to 24, 25 to 44 and 45 or above respectively. They were recruited through the IPCC Public Opinion Survey and the HKU bulk email delivery system. Each group lasted for about two hours, with a total of 31 people participating in the three groups.

The focus groups were moderated by a POP representative, who asked for participants’ opinions according to the discussion guide. An IPCC representative was also present to introduce IPCC and answer participants’ questions on IPCC when needed.

Questionnaire (pdf format only)

Survey Report (telephone survey) (To be uploaded)

Focus group study report (To be uploaded)

Presentation slides (pdf format only)

Press Release prepared by Sponsor (pdf format only)