Americans want police to wear cameras

Jake GammonHead of Omnibus, US
August 11, 2014, 6:28 PM GMT+0

There is overwhelming support in America for legislation that would require policemen to wear cameras with 72% supporting the legislation.

Why such an overwhelming desire for more transparency?

Two thirds (66%) of Americans think that police brutality described as “the use of excessive force, usually physical, but potentially in the form of verbal attacks and psychological intimidation, by a police officer,” is an issue in the United States. A rather higher percentage of African Americans (75%) see it as a problem compared to 63% of whites – but a clear majority of all demographics see it as a problem.

Although a majority considers brutality a problem, four in ten (40%) see the use of physical force by police and law enforcement officers as mostly warranted. Warranted but at a cost - half (49%) thinks the use of physical force by police officers encourages the violence it is intended to manage.

A majority of Americans think that police corruption (64%), intimidation (59%), racial profiling (56%) and abuse of stop and frisk (50%) are also misconduct issues for police across the United States.

Which of the following forms of police misconduct do you think are problems across the United States, if any?

For further information about poll results, and for details about methodology and omnibus services, please email omnibus.us@yougov.com.

Find the full results here.

Image courtesy of Press Association