Neighbourhoods in Vancouver have different assessments about the safety of their communities.

Residents in the West Side have a higher feeling of safety compared to those living in the East Side of the city.

According to a Vancouver Police Department survey, it’s partly because West Side residents perceive that there is a high police visibility in their neighbourhoods.

The survey shows that like “in previous years, there were significant differences in residents’ ratings” in the VPD’s four operational districts.

The poll shows that residents in District 4 at a level of 86 percent were “significantly more likely to rate their neighbourhoods as safe”.

District 4 covers the wealthier neighbourhoods of Vancouver: West Point Grey, Kitsilano, Fairview, Dunbar-Southlands, Arbutus Ridge, Shaughnessy, South Cambie, Riley Park, Musqueam, Kerrisdale, Oakridge, and Marpole.

In District 1, a total of 77 percent of residents indicated that their neighbourhoods are safe.

District 1 is composed of the West End, Yaletown, Coal Harbour, and the Central Business District of Vancouver.

Ratings are lower in District 2 and District 3, where 68 percent of residents signified that their neighbourhoods are safe.

District 2 includes Strathcona, Grandview - Woodland, and Hastings - Sunrise.

District 3 is composed of Sunset, Renfrew-Collingwood, Mount Pleasant, Killarney, Victoria-Fraserview, and Kensington-Cedar Cottage.

“The most commonly mentioned reasons for believing their neighbourhood to be safer than others are the perception of the neighbourhood having a low crime rate (29%) and high police visibility (25%),” according to a report prepared for the Vancouver Police Board.

The report written by Drazen Manojlovic, director of the VPD’s planning, research and audit section, also notes that “those rating their neighbourhood less safe than other neighbourhoods in the city were more likely to mention break and enters in the neighbourhood (11%) and limited police presence (10%)”.