Police Files.(Polling Data)(Statistical Data Included)

Six in ten Americans say they have a great deal of respect for the police in their community. The police get high marks for being helpful and friendly, lower ones for solving crime. In terms of interactions with the police, nearly six in ten say they have received a speeding ticket. Fourteen percent say they have been arrested. About a third (up from 9 percent in 1965) say there is police brutality where they live. Nearly four in ten African Americans, compared to 4 percent of whites, believe they have been stopped by the police because of their racial or ethnic background.

 
Question: How much respect ...? 
 
                       1965 
 
No opinion              4% 
 
Hardly any              4% 
 
Some respect           22% 
 
Have a great deal      70% 
of respect for 
the police in 
my area. 
 
                       2000 
 
No opinion               1% 
 
Hardly any               9% 
 
Some respect            30% 
 
Have a great deal       60% 
of respect for 
the police in 
my area. 
 
 
Source: The Gallup 
Organization, latest that of 
August-September 2000. 
 
Note: Table made from a pie graph. 
Question: How would you rate the police in your community on ...? 
 
                                               Only 
                         Excellent    Good     Fair     Poor 
 
Being helpful 
and friendly                37%        37%      16%      8% 
 
Not using 
excessive force             33         39        14      7 
 
Responding quickly 
to calls for help           31         38        17      8 
 
Preventing 
crime                       21         48        20      9 
 
Treating 
people fairly               24         43        19     10 
 
Solving crime               16         47        23      7 
 
Source: Harris Interactive, February 2000. 
 
Note: Table made from a bar graph.  ...