Updated 02:38 AM EDT, Fri, Mar 29, 2024

Poll Shows Whites & Blacks Question Police Accountability for Misconduct and Racial Equality

  • +
  • -
  • Sign up to receive the lastest news from LATINONE

It seems one of the fallouts from recent police shootings of unarmed people of color across the nation has led to high mistrust for local law enforcement. Nearly half of the people polled by the Pew Research Center said they lacked confidence in the police, according to reports.

The shooting just two weeks ago of Mike Brown sent shock waves throughout the nation, highlighting the treatment some communities face from dangerous police tactics.

"Americans by 2-to-1 say police departments nationwide don't do a good job in holding officers accountable for misconduct, treating racial groups equally and using the right amount of force," according to USA Today. And not everyone had a negative opinion. "They do a lot of community outreach, the best they can with the resources they have," Tom Brent, of Houston, one of the people surveyed said.  

In all, 1,501 adults were included in the survey. According to poll numbers, 36 percent of people had a "fair amount" of trust that police departments were using military equipment, like the type used to bring the Ferguson riots under control, appropriately.

Seventeen percent had no confidence at all that they were being used the right way.

For white people, the poll numbers showed that 74 percent had a great deal or a fair amount of trust that police would not use excessive force, and 72 percent thought police treat white and blacks equally.

"But most African Americans disagree: 62 percent have "just some" or "very little" confidence in their community's police to treat blacks and whites equally," according to USA Today. For blacks, 59 percent "lack confidence that [police] won't use excessive force."  

More statistics from the poll showed that 65 percent thought police only do a "fair job" or a "poor job" holding officers accountable when misconduct occurs.

And overall, 61 percent said that police do a fair/poor job not and excellent job when using the right amount of force when policing.

© 2015 Latin One. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
  • Sign up to receive the lastest news from LATINONE
Close

Curiosidades

Real Time Analytics