A CBS News/YouGov poll released this week found that 70% of “Black Americans” said that local police are doing a “very good” or “somewhat good” job. The poll results also indicated that 82% of “Whites” and 77% of “Hispanics” said police were doing a “very or somewhat good job.”
The combined results among all races indicate that law enforcement received 79% favorable rating. The results are quite similar to a recent Gallup poll which indicated a 76% favorable rating. And with such high percentages—from two different polls—we can only wonder what alternate universe politicians and so-called police “reformers” happen to be in. Indeed, there seems to be a disconnect between what people actually think about law enforcement, and what politicians and the media seem so eager to make them think.
If you ask a cop, most will likely agree that they see similar levels of favorability and support from citizens every day. But compared with the myths and lies the politicians and news and social media are spouting, it seems cops are hated by everyone, everywhere, for every reason possible. And the dichotomy should clearly evidence how their agendas differ widely from reality and what people actually think about law enforcement.
But what’s perhaps most absurd and hypocritical about all of this, is that most of those who are demonizing law enforcement have never come close to such levels of support.
Until recently—that is, before applying critical race theory to practically everything became as ridiculous as it is popular—law enforcement was consistently one of the most respected professions in the past 50 years. By the way, Gallup polls for each year support this claim.
For example, in 2020, police ranked as the 5th most-trusted profession by Gallup. However, members of congress were ranked dead last with just 8% of the public responding that they trusted them. Likewise, journalists had only a 28% trust rating, but the media overall has consistently been at the bottom of the rankings for several years.
And even if racial demographics are put aside (if that’s even possible for politicians, the media and so-called reformers to even attempt), and politics are thrown in the mix, the CBS News/YouGov poll still shows that law enforcement ranks favorably. Specifically, 71% of “liberals” gave law enforcement favorable ratings, as did 80% of “moderates,” and 89% of “conservatives.”
Even a partisan perspective shows similar high regard for law enforcement: 72% of “democrats” held a favorable opinion of local police, as did 88% of “republicans,” and 81% of “independents.”
Clearly, these poll results indicate a few facts of the matter…
For one thing, those with the lowest trust rankings (politicians, journalists) seem quite eager to undermine those with the highest trust rankings (law enforcement professionals), for whatever reason…
Also, trust for law enforcement goes beyond political party affiliation, much to the likely frustration of many power-hungry politicians.
Yet perhaps the most significant aspect, is that despite the myths of “systematic police racism,” and efforts to divide America’s opinion of police along racial lines, law enforcement is still held in favorable regard by most Americans—which journalists and politicians have yet to achieve.
Of course, there is always room for improvement. But whatever politicians and the media are trying to tell us, these polls say so much more about them—and their desperate myth-making regarding “building trust in the community” and “systematic police racism.”
