This
section assesses public support for a variety of reforms including
additional police training, police body cameras, civil asset
forfeiture, independent investigations of police misconduct, and
drug de-criminalization. This section also explores public
attitudes towards a variety of possible policing practices
including police use of military weapons, drones, racial profiling,
police stops and searches of pedestrians, cars, houses, and
telephone surveillance. It also examines the extent to which
Americans believe citizens need to show greater respect for the
police during their encounters, irrespective of police reform.
Although Americans disagree about how police do their jobs, majorities across racial and ethnic groups support a variety of proposed reforms intended to improve police-community relations, including:
- Additional police training (68%) >
- Police body cameras (89%) >
- Mandatory notification of voluntary stops (73%) >
- Independent investigations of police misconduct (79%) >
- Drug de-criminalization (54%) >
Similarly, majorities across racial and ethnic groups oppose a variety of possible police practices including:
- Racial profiling (63%) >
- Police militarization (54%) >
- Civil asset forfeiture (84%) >
- Warrantless searches (6 in 10) >
- Police profanity (77%) >
- Pretextual stops and searches (63%)>