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KIRKSVILLE, MISSOURI -- Press Release from Adair County Sheriff's Office

The Adair County Sheriff’s Office is hoping to prevent confrontations between property owners and those field workers who are now in Adair County conducting the U.S. Census.  There are Census Takers currently conducting two different surveys in Adair County.  The first survey is the 10 question national census and the other survey is the American Community Survey. The Sheriff’s Office is providing the following suggestions to make the Census process go smoothly.

Census Takers will have official Census Bureau identification.  The national Census questionnaire has only 10 questions regarding demographic information such as names, genders, ages, and races of those living in a household.  The American Community Survey has at least 48 questions which are more in-depth than the standard national census form. The Census does not ask questions regarding Social Security, banking, and similar personal information.  The individual responses are not shared with anyone, including other federal agencies and law enforcement entities.

A Census Taker will only enter onto your property for the purpose of making contact with a resident. A Census Taker should not ask to enter your home, nor should you feel compelled to allow it.  Census Takers are trained to be non-confrontational.  If they meet resistance or a person requests that they leave their property the Census Taker should comply.  If you have questions and/or concerns regarding the demeanor of the Census Taker or information they are trying to obtain, contact the Local Census Office at 816-385-5180 or 1-800-923-8282.  The Adair County Sheriff’s Office urges residents to resolve Census-related problems in a courteous manner.