LE's Approval Rating: October’s National Poll Results are Encouraging

Jan. 19, 2017
So, then, why all the hate?

Gallup poll has turned in some encouraging numbers. Here’s a rough breakdown of how our profession sized up in the company’s national poll released in October: Respect for police officers is up in all categories from last year. This includes whites (up from 69 percent to 80 percent) and nonwhites (from 53 percent to 67 percent). Conservatives went from 69 percent approval to 85 percent; moderates from 67- to 72 percent; and in the largest upward tick recorded by the survey, liberals climbed from 50- to 71 percent. Among political affiliations, there were upticks in all three of the most common registrations: Republicans went from 82- to 86 percent; Independents from 60- to 75 percent; Democrats from 54- to 68 percent.

It should be no surprise that rural areas and towns recorded the most support for law enforcement, followed by suburbs and lastly, cities both large and small. However, all three categories trended upward. Similar findings were recorded when respondents were broken down by age, with seniors being the most supportive, those 34 to 55 coming in second and, in a trend that I didn’t see coming, individuals aged 18 to 24 jumped from 50- to 69 percent.

I can hear your wheels turning. If most people like and support the police, then why all of the demonstrations and protests? Why are cops being ambushed? Why do the headlines constantly carry negative headlines?

I’m no expert, but as someone who’s straddled both the worlds of law enforcement and journalism, my guess is that the Internet plays a major role. The net has exerted an impact by presenting a forum for those who hate authority and the rule of law to congregate. I’ve looked into many of the anti-police websites and posts and most of the individuals posting anti-police rhetoric confess to having had run-ins with the law. Sometimes these are quite trivial. They’re traffic stops where they received tickets they felt were unwarranted, or a LEO serving a warrant for back child support or a small bust for something as benign as jaywalking or simple possession. In other cases, they feel someone close to them has been wronged by police. And they go on the web and find others who share that sentiment.

There’s safety in numbers, folks. By locating malcontents who believe as they do that police are out to get them and are corrupt and uncaring, they shore up one another by spewing their nastiness at even the most harmless police action. Case in point, in one story I read about a police officer going out of his way to do something nice for someone in need where a long line of complimentary comments had been posted. But one of the posters said, “Too bad they all don’t act like this.”

I was tempted to reply that indeed, LEOs do kind deeds all of the time, but decided instead to let it ride. The woman wasn’t going to change her mind when she can go online and read about how terrible law enforcement is over and over again. And that, unfortunately, is the chief drumbeat we’re hearing, especially from the media.

The moral to this is that even though it sometimes seems no one values you, that simply isn’t true: they do. The majority of citizens in this country—and especially in your community—do support you and want you there. You truly are the thin blue line and the majority of this country recognizes and appreciates it.

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