Safety in public places, and drugs and alcohol have been identified as key community concerns in Victoria, according to a new policy survey.

Victoria Police surveyed 9500 people in its inaugural community sentiment survey, the largest public sentiment survey it’s ever undertaken.

Of those surveyed, 23 per cent said safety in public places is a concern, while 20 per cent cited drugs and alcohol as a safety concern and safety of possessions was a concern for 18 per cent of respondents.

Road safety was also an area of concern for 18 per cent of people surveyed.

Secretary of the Police Association, Wayne Gatt, says the findings aren’t surprising.

He told Neil Mitchell a renewed focus on boosting frontline policing is “so important” for addressing community safety concerns.

Press PLAY below to hear what Wayne Gatt thinks is significant about the survey findings