PHOENIX – Despite the attacks on police by some City of Phoenix officials and the efforts of anti-law enforcement forces, a new poll has found that the Phoenix Police Department is viewed positively by community members.
BREAKING: VAST MAJORITY #BACKTHEBLUE
These extremists and anti-police radicals working to destroy our cities get all the headlines while the real people across this country get screwed! pic.twitter.com/OyAPOC5P4e
— Sal DiCiccio (@Sal_DiCiccio) October 14, 2020
A majority of Phoenicians give the Phoenix Police Department a passing grade, according to a poll conducted by OH Predictive Insights.
The survey found that 59% of voters say the department deserves an ‘A’ or a ‘B’ while just 15% say it warrants a ‘D’ or an ‘F.’
The poll found that nearly six in ten (58%) registered voters living in Phoenix had a favorable opinion of the Phoenix PD. Less than one-quarter of respondents had an unfavorable view of the group. Not only does the city as a whole view the department in a positive light, pluralities of voters of every party, ethnicity, gender, and age group do as well.
There is also a bit of “hometown pride” when it comes to the city’s view of the Phoenix PD, according to the pollsters. In general, and specifically on the topics of response times, violent crime, and looting/rioting, Phoenix residents believe Phoenix PD does as good or better of a job than departments of other large cities.
Looking specifically at voters who have had an interaction with a Phoenix police officer – only about one-third of city residents claims to have done so in the last 12 months – opinion is overwhelmingly glowing. Two-thirds (69%) of those who came into contact with an officer had a positive experience and just 15% had a negative interaction.
The experience was viewed more positively by older voters, Republicans, and whites, but even among non-whites, younger voters, and Democrats more said it was good than bad. Respondents who had a recent interaction with an officer were then asked to describe the officer(s) they came into contact with. Most said the officer was either helpful or trustworthy, while very few said the officer was with not helpful, rude, or racist.
Amid recent claims that the police department has too much power and should be ‘defunded,’ most of Phoenix disagrees. More than half (55%) of voters believe that the city would be safer with more officers – an opinion shared by pluralities of voters of all races, parties and ages.