New polling this year reveals that public support for local police is up, as is voter trust.
Lexipol compiled several surveys of voters’ attitudes toward local law enforcement this year.
1,660 registered voters across the nation were asked if they had a police view of the police. 75% of respondents said yes, up from 67% in April 2023.
Other polls showed 77% of Americans say that their most recent interaction with a member of their local police force was a positive experience, 85% say they were treated fairly, and 84% say they were treated with respect.”
Among groups, over the last 12 months, 90% of white adults said they were treated fairly and respected. 71% of Black adults and 79% of Hispanic adults said they were also treated fairly when dealing with local police. And 75% of Blacks and 70% of Hispanics said they felt respected when dealing with a police encounter.
Just recently, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) commissioned a community survey and asked 600 city residents how they felt about dealing with the police.
- 68% said JSO is doing a good job. 89% said they feel safe in their neighborhood. 52%said they believe JSO does a good job reporting its findings to the community
- 54% felt JSO is doing a good job on investigating officer-involved shootings.
On Police Brutality:
65% said they aren’t fearful of being a victim.
62% said officers need more pay.
55% of citizens said illegal drug use and gun violence were their top issues dealing with public safety
54% of Black respondents said they do fear being a victim of police brutality (a 10% drop from the 2022 survey)
52% said JSO doesn’t waste tax dollars.
Traffic problems are another issue common among speeders, as well as reckless driving.