Nearly four times as many Americans would prefer more police rather than less: Poll

High police favorability even after several months of anti-police activism

Published: August 5, 2020 11:07am

Updated: August 5, 2020 4:32pm

More than 40% of Americans would prefer to see a greater police presence in their neighborhoods, a new Just the News Daily Poll with Scott Rasmussen reveals. 

Just 12% of respondents to the poll said they'd prefer less police presence where they live, while 37% said they would favor neither more nor less police patrols in their neighborhoods. In total, over three-quarters of all Americans would like to see police presence in their area either remain the same or increase. (Only 7% of respondents said they were "not sure.")

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Just the News Poll, Would increasing police in your neighborhood make you feel safer?
Just the News Daily Poll
With Scott Rasmussen

The relatively high police favorability numbers come even after several months of sustained anti-police activism championed by Black Lives Matter and other progressive groups. Critics have claimed that American police forces are inherently racist and/or fascistic and that they should be "defunded" or outright abolished. 

The national survey of 1,200 registered voters was conducted Jul. 30 – Aug. 1, 2020 by Scott Rasmussen, a polling veteran. The margin of sampling error is +/- 2.8% for full sample. 

To see the full demographic cross-tabulations for this polling question, click here.

To see the methodology and sample demographics for this polling question, click here. 

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