Half of the public do not know what to expect from their police force, a Government survey said.
Research found many people are in the dark about how their neighbourhood is made secure and what service they should receive if they become a victim of crime. Just 47% of people know about the services provided by their police force, officials discovered.
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith unveiled a new advertising campaign to highlight the public's entitlement to quality policing.
Every force in England and Wales signed up to the 10-point set of promises, known as the Policing Pledge, last year.
Ms Smith said the pledge outlines the minimum standard of service people should receive and how they can have a greater say over how their streets are policed.
She said: "The public are our strongest weapon in tackling crime and the Policing Pledge is a clear deal about what they can expect from the police."
Sir Ken Jones, president of the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo), said the pledge will give people confidence that police will get the basics right.
He said: "Police forces around the country are now working with their local neighbourhoods to put the pledge into practice."
