Americans' perceptions of police drop significantly in one week as protests continue, survey finds
WASHINGTON – The perception of police by white Americans has dropped by double digits in just one week, as police continue to target peaceful protesters, bystanders and journalists amid nationwide demonstrations focusing on systemic racism facing black Americans.
Perceptions also have declined across all racial groups following the death of George Floyd in police custody, according to a new survey from the Democracy Fund + UCLA Nationscape Project.
The findings are important not only for the future of police forces but also for President Donald Trump, who in a Rose Garden speech on Monday declared himself "the law and order president." In that address, which was preceded by the forceful removal of peaceful protesters from an area near the White House, Trump aligned himself with law enforcement forces and against demonstrators he described as violent and even terrorist.
Among white Americans – a group where Trump saw broad support in the 2016 election – those who have a very favorable or somewhat favorable impression of police officers dropped to 61%, in the survey conducted May 28 to June 3. That's down from 72% the previous week, according to an analysis of Nationscape Insights, a project of the Democracy Fund, UCLA and USA TODAY.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/americans-perceptions-of-police-drop-significantly-in-one-week-as-protests-continue-survey-finds/ar-BB158kvr?li=BBnb7Kz