Americans aren't as divided about the police as media would have you believe

There seems to be a disconnect between what America is being told in the mainstream media and the way people feel about the police.

The recent protests and stories about the movement to defund the police that have dominated the headlines suggest a violent, divided country with little patience for peaceful gatherings.

But in Scott Rasmussen's Number of the Day podcast, the pollster talks about why, according to the numbers, most voters have a positive view of their local police.

Some 68% of people say yes, there have been protests in their area, but the majority of those protests have been peaceful.

79% of those polled agree that the protesters have legitimate grievances and concerns.

84% of voters also believe that the majority of police officers are good people doing a difficult job, however there are indeed bad cops along the way and that should be remedied appropriately.

72% of voters in general view their local police department favorably. 

So to summarize, the majority of people believe the protests are legitimate and peaceful. They also think that the police do the right thing most of the time, but there are issues to be addressed when it comes to some police officers acting inappropriately.