Public opinion on policing has shifted. Here’s how to tell if the changes will stick.

In the three weeks since George Floyd’s death, public opinion on race and policing has zoomed left. Support for Black Lives Matter is skyrocketing. Almost 60 percent of Americans think police are more likely to use excessive force on an African American suspect than a white suspect — a sea change from 2016, when only 34 percent of registered voters said the same. And an overwhelming majority of Americans now say they support a wide variety of police reforms, even if polling suggests that “defund the police” is still a radioactive slogan.

At this point, the question isn’t whether a change happened, but if it can stick. CONT.

David Byler, Washington Post

Recent polls: Law enforcement


The OPINION TODAY email newsletter is a concise daily rundown of significant new poll results and insightful analysis. It’s FREE. Sign up here: opiniontoday.substack

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.