[swarnie]

I'm sorry but i strongly disagree.

If you're taking money from the public and spending it you should be legally bound to use it in the most efficient and effective way possible.

[johnnyanmac]

The most efficient way to survey is to not survey. Nothing more efficient than 0 runtime overhead.

Snark aside, surveys are quite literally the least efficient means of gathering a sample. Scanning random people on the street when a known criminal is likely to lay low and stay inside. I can't imagine expensive surveillance cameras is cheaper than paying an investigator to track down a suspect.