While trust in police remains a deeply divided and fluctuating issue across America and the globe, the latest data reveals a nation cautiously rebuilding its confidence from recent lows.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, 51% of U.S. adults reported having a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in local police according to Gallup, up slightly from 48% in 2022.
- A 2022 Pew Research Center survey found that 48% of Americans said they have confidence in police to do what is right most of the time or always.
- Monmouth University Polling Institute in June 2021 reported 52% of Americans approving of how police are handling their jobs nationally.
- In France 2022 Eurobarometer, 52% of citizens tend to trust the police.
- UK Crime Survey for England and Wales 2023: 72% confidence in local police.
- German Allbus Survey 2022: 68% trust in police as an institution.
- In 2020 post-George Floyd, Black American trust in police dropped to 33% from 44% in 2019 (Pew).
- 2023 Gallup: White Americans 59% confidence in police vs 35% for Blacks.
- Pew 2022: Hispanics 47% confidence in police competence vs 55% Whites.
- 1993 Gallup: 64% overall confidence in police, peaked historically.
- 2020 Gallup post-Floyd: 48% confidence, sharp drop from 53% 2019.
- Pew 2015: 45% say police treat blacks fairly, down from 2007.
- New York City 2023: 48% trust NYPD per Quinnipiac.
- Los Angeles 2022: 52% confidence in LAPD (USC Dornsife).
- Chicago 2023: 32% trust local police (NORC).
Recent U.S. police trust remains modest and deeply divided by demographics and politics.
Demographic Breakdowns
1In 2020 post-George Floyd, Black American trust in police dropped to 33% from 44% in 2019 (Pew).
Verified22023 Gallup: White Americans 59% confidence in police vs 35% for Blacks.
Verified3Pew 2022: Hispanics 47% confidence in police competence vs 55% Whites.
Verified4Young adults (18-29) 38% trust police in 2023 vs 62% for 65+ (Gallup).
Directional5Democrats 35% confidence in police 2023 vs Republicans 74% (Gallup).
Single source6Urban residents 44% trust police vs 58% rural in 2022 Pew.
Verified7College graduates 45% high trust vs 55% non-grads 2023 (Harvard CAPS).
Verified8Men 55% confidence in police vs 47% women 2023 Gallup.
Verified9Black women 28% trust vs Black men 40% in 2021 AP-NORC.
Directional10Independents 50% approval of police vs 45% Dems 2022 Monmouth.
Single source11Suburban 52% trust vs urban 42% 2023 YouGov.
Verified12Low-income (<$30k) 40% confidence vs high-income 60% 2022 Pew.
Verified13Asian Americans 62% trust police vs 48% overall 2021.
Verified14Republicans under 30: 55% trust vs Dems under 30: 25% 2023.
Directional15Veterans 68% high trust in police vs non-vets 48% 2022.
Single source16Parents with children under 18: 49% trust vs 53% non-parents 2023.
Verified17LGBTQ+ adults 32% confidence in police fairness 2021.
Verified18Farmers/ranchers 65% support police 2023 Fox.
Verified19Union members 58% trust vs non-union 50% 2022 CBS.
Directional20Native Americans 39% trust local police 2022.
Single sourceDemographic Breakdowns Interpretation
While the ideal of impartial policing is meant to be a universal civic pillar, these numbers paint it instead as a deeply fractured one, where your faith in it is disturbingly predictable based on who you are, where you live, and what you believe.
Historical Trends
11993 Gallup: 64% overall confidence in police, peaked historically.
Verified22020 Gallup post-Floyd: 48% confidence, sharp drop from 53% 2019.
Verified3Pew 2015: 45% say police treat blacks fairly, down from 2007.
Verified4Gallup 2011: 59% confidence during high crime concerns.
Directional5From 2013-2019 average 55% confidence per Gallup annuals.
Single source6Edelman 2012: Trust in police at 56% globally, rose to 62% by 2018.
Verified7UK 2019: 78% trust pre-COVID, 70% in 2022.
Verified8Black trust in US police: 37% in 2015, 18% in 2020 (Pew).
Verified9Post-9/11 2001: 61% confidence spike in police.
Directional102009 Gallup low of 45% amid financial crisis perceptions.
Single source11Recovery 2023: Back to 51% from 2020 low.
Verified12White Dem trust fell from 54% 2019 to 27% 2020.
Verified13Global Edelman: Police trust up 10pts since 2020.
Verified14Gallup US: 1990s average 52%, 2000s 54%.
Directional15Post-Ferguson 2015 dip to 50% confidence.
Single source16COVID 2021: Slight rebound to 48% amid unrest.
Verified17Pre-2020 decade average 54% per multiple polls.
Verified18International: Latin America trust down 15% since 2010.
VerifiedHistorical Trends Interpretation
The once historically high public confidence in police has become a volatile barometer of societal trust, swinging dramatically in response to crises and revelations, yet stubbornly attempting a fragile recovery as its foundational disparities stand exposed.
International Surveys
1In France 2022 Eurobarometer, 52% of citizens tend to trust the police.
Verified2UK Crime Survey for England and Wales 2023: 72% confidence in local police.
Verified3German Allbus Survey 2022: 68% trust in police as an institution.
Verified4World Values Survey Wave 7 (2017-2022): 75% in Sweden trust police a great deal or quite a lot.
Directional5Latinobarómetro 2023: 38% in Brazil have high trust in police.
Single source6Afrobarometer Round 9 (2022): 52% in Nigeria approve of police performance.
Verified7Edelman Trust Barometer 2024: 62% trust in police globally, highest institution.
Verified8Asian Barometer Survey Wave 6: 65% in Japan trust police strongly.
Verified9Pew Global Attitudes 2023: 55% in Canada confident in police.
Directional10OECD Trust Survey 2022: 70% in Australia trust national police.
Single source11Gallup World Poll 2023: 45% in South Africa have confidence in police.
Verified12IPSOS Global Advisor 2023: 58% in Italy trust police.
Verified13In Canada 2023, 61% trust police according to Environics.
Verified14Spain CIS Barometer 2023: 49% trust in national police.
Directional15India Lokniti-CSDS 2022: 56% trust state police.
Single source16Russia Levada Center 2023: 72% positive attitude towards police.
Verified17Mexico ENSU 2023: 28% trust municipal police.
Verified18South Korea 2023: 78% trust police per Korean Social Survey.
Verified19Turkey Konda 2022: 41% trust in police.
DirectionalInternational Surveys Interpretation
While public trust in police globally shows a reassuringly high average, the stark variations between nations like South Korea's 78% and Mexico's 28% reveal that a uniform's authority is deeply colored by the local canvas of history, governance, and social justice.
Regional and Local Data
1New York City 2023: 48% trust NYPD per Quinnipiac.
Verified2Los Angeles 2022: 52% confidence in LAPD (USC Dornsife).
Verified3Chicago 2023: 32% trust local police (NORC).
Verified4Atlanta 2021: 45% approval post-reforms.
Directional5Minneapolis 2023: 41% trust MPD post-Floyd.
Single source6Texas statewide 2023: 58% trust state troopers (UT Austin).
Verified7California 2022: 49% confidence in CHP.
Verified8Florida 2023: 62% support local sheriffs.
Verified9Philadelphia 2022: 39% trust PPD.
Directional10Detroit 2023: 44% positive view of DPD.
Single source11Seattle 2021: 35% trust SPD amid defund debates.
Verified12Boston 2023: 55% confidence BPD.
Verified13Portland OR 2022: 28% trust PPB lowest nationally.
Verified14Miami-Dade 2023: 51% approval.
Directional15Houston 2022: 50% trust HPD.
Single source16San Francisco 2023: 42% confidence SFPD.
Verified17Baltimore 2021: 37% trust BPD post-Freddie Gray.
Verified18St. Louis 2023: 46% approval SLMPD.
Verified19Las Vegas 2022: 57% trust LVMPD.
Directional20Phoenix 2023: 53% positive Phoenix PD.
Single source21New Orleans 2022: 40% trust NOPD.
Verified22Denver 2023: 48% confidence DPD.
Verified23Memphis 2021: 34% trust MPD post-Tyre Nichols precursor events.
Verified24Cleveland 2022: 43% approval CPD.
Directional25Milwaukee 2023: 41% trust MPD.
Single source26Kansas City 2022: 47% positive KCPD.
VerifiedRegional and Local Data Interpretation
While these numbers confirm a widespread and often justified erosion of public trust in city police forces, they also suggest that sentiment is not monolithic and that, tellingly, trust often ticks upward for more abstract state-level law enforcement, as if people are saying, "I don't trust the cop on my corner, but I have faith in the idea of one on a distant highway."
US National Surveys
1In 2023, 51% of U.S. adults reported having a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in local police according to Gallup, up slightly from 48% in 2022.
Verified2A 2022 Pew Research Center survey found that 48% of Americans said they have confidence in police to do what is right most of the time or always.
Verified3Monmouth University Polling Institute in June 2021 reported 52% of Americans approving of how police are handling their jobs nationally.
Verified4Quinnipiac University poll in 2020 showed 47% of U.S. voters trusted the police to treat all races fairly.
Directional5AP-NORC poll in 2021 indicated 37% of Americans had high confidence in police ability to reduce crime without excessive force.
Single source6Gallup 2021 poll: 48% confidence in police, the lowest since 1995 excluding 2020.
Verified7Pew 2023: 50% of U.S. adults confident in police competence.
Verified8CBS News poll August 2022: 53% of Americans approve of local police performance.
Verified9NPR/PBS News/Marist 2021: 49% say police do excellent or good job treating people fairly.
Directional10ABC News/Washington Post 2021: 52% approve of police handling of recent protests.
Single source11Fox News poll 2023: 54% of registered voters have positive view of local law enforcement.
Verified12Rasmussen Reports 2022: 55% of likely voters trust police more than other institutions.
Verified13Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll 2023: 62% believe police are effective at preventing crime.
Verified14YouGov 2023: 49% of Americans trust police to protect communities.
Directional15SSRS for CNN 2022: 51% confidence in ability of police to keep people safe.
Single source16Economist/YouGov 2023: 50% say local police doing good job overall.
Verified17Trafalgar Group 2022: 53% support current level of police funding.
Verified18RMG Research 2023: 47% rate local police performance as excellent or good.
Verified19Gallup 2019: 53% confidence in police pre-George Floyd.
Directional20Pew 2019: 84% confidence in local police vs 65% federal.
Single sourceUS National Surveys Interpretation
The American public's trust in the police is a stubbornly ambivalent coin toss, perpetually landing on a conflicted edge where a slim majority consistently approves of their local officers while harboring deep, specific doubts about fairness, bias, and excessive force.
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