The American public overwhelmingly wants funding for police to be increased or maintained, according to a new poll that shows people having strong support for first responders.
In a new survey for the National Sheriffs Association and provided exclusively to Secrets, 53% called for increased funding for law enforcement. Another 26% want to maintain current spending, and 11% want a decrease.
It also backed the top job of police officers: arresting and jailing criminals.
The survey from TechnoMetrica was focused on the public’s reaction to first responders during the coronavirus crisis and done before the George Floyd riots. But it tracks very close to post-riot polls that find support for the police despite some radical calls to defund or even eliminate police departments.
Rasmussen Reports, for example, said today that 59% are opposed to defunding the police.
“This poll makes it clear that the American people are supportive of funding local sheriffs’ offices to keep people safe,” NSA Executive Director and CEO Jonathan Thompson told Secrets.
“Sheriffs must continue to build public trust and the validity of law enforcement. Each of us must provide leadership and partnership with our citizens of color. We hold solemn our commitment to listening, learning, healing, and action,” he added.
Earlier this week, incoming NSA President Sheriff David Mahoney decried the death of Floyd while in the custody of several Minneapolis police officers.
In a statement, he said, “I commit to join my fellow law enforcement leaders at the local, state, and national levels to pick up the mantle of building public trust and the legitimacy of law enforcement. To do so will require our acknowledgment of years of institutional racism in our profession. It will take strong leadership from each of us in partnership with leaders and citizens in our communities of color. We must rebuild trust with more than hollow words. It will take the hard work of listening, learning, healing, and action.”
The survey, shown below, is a repudiation of the “defund” movement. While that is a backlash against law enforcement, the Sheriffs/TechnoMetrica poll shows an appreciation for first responders and a move to provide them with more funding to do their jobs.
The poll found support for local, state, and federal funding increases.
And while politics plays a role, Democrats are also supportive.
“With regards to political affiliation, Democrats are more likely than Republicans and independents to support increased funding across levels of government. Around 6 in 10 (61%) Democrats believe that state, county, and local governments should increase spending on local law enforcement and first responders, compared with 52% of Republicans and 50% of independents. Meanwhile, 60% of Democrats back additional federal funds, a sentiment shared by 47% of Republicans and independents,” read the survey.
And 8 in 10 said the top job for law enforcement should be incarcerating criminals. “No other task was assigned highest priority by more than 10% of survey respondents,” read the executive summary.
It also indicated that there should be a different approach to jailing the mentally ill.
Thompson said: “Americans believe the focus should be on protecting citizens from violent crimes and that the mental health system is broken and needs to be fixed by the federal and local governments if we are going to have good health and safety in our communities during these incredibly challenging times in our nation.”
