3 in 4 consider police violence against public a serious problem: survey

by Jared Gans - 02/01/23 2:47 PM ET

(City of Memphis via AP)
The image from video released on Jan. 27, 2023, and partially redacted by the City of Memphis, shows Tyre Nichols on the ground during a brutal attack by five Memphis police officers on Jan. 7, 2023, in Memphis, Tenn. Nichols died on Jan. 10. The five officers have since been fired and charged with second-degree murder and other offenses. (City of Memphis via AP)

Three out of four registered voters consider police violence against the public to be a serious problem in the aftermath of the death of Tyre Nichols after he was beaten by police officers, according to a new poll.

A Politico-Morning Consult poll released Wednesday showed 44 percent of respondents said police violence is a “very serious” problem, while 31 percent said it is a “somewhat serious” problem. Only 17 percent said it is “not too serious,” and 5 percent said it is “not serious at all.”

The poll showed an overwhelming majority also believe violence against the police in the United States is a serious problem, with 43 percent saying it is “very serious” and 33 percent saying it is “somewhat serious.”

But respondents said they believe police violence against the public is a bigger problem than violence against the police by a margin of 51 percent to 37 percent.

A funeral service for Nichols is being held Wednesday following his death in early January. Nichols was driving a vehicle and pulled over for allegedly driving recklessly on Jan 7.

The chief of the Memphis Police Department has since reportedly said she has not seen any proof to back up the allegation that Nichols’s driving was reckless.

Body camera footage released last week showed officers pulling Nichols out of his car and wrestling him to the ground. Nichols ran away, but officers caught up with him and beat him for three minutes.

Nichols did not receive medical attention for more than 20 minutes, and he was taken to a hospital after experiencing shortness of breath. He died in the hospital on Jan. 10.

Rev. Al Sharpton and members of Nichols’s family have called for legislation in the aftermath of his death to prevent Black individuals from continuing to die during confrontations with police.

The poll found that more than 60 percent of respondents said police violence against Black people is widespread and common, while just less than 40 percent said it is rare.

The poll was conducted from Jan. 27 to 29 among 1,977 registered voters. The margin of error was 2 points.