Community satisfaction with police service provision on Guam

Guam is a Pacific Island in Micronesia with a complex colonial history and present status as a territory and strategic military base of the United States. Like other Pacific Island Countries and Territories, policing in Guam is subject to influences from external stakeholders and budgetary limitations that impact the alignment of policing priorities with local needs. Research on community satisfaction with police service provision, largely from the global north, has provided insights into various characteristics of individuals, communities, and police encounters that predict satisfaction. Following the introduction of a community policing model on Guam, a study was conducted to explore satisfaction with policing in Guam, adding to research on this issue in the global south. Residents of Guam (n = 701) participated in a survey, which revealed generally low levels of satisfaction with police services. Here, we present the findings of the study including the most relevant predictors of satisfaction in the Guamanian context and discuss some promising avenues for enhancing community satisfaction with police service provision.