I find it interesting that my previous articles on American confidence in law enforcement drive a bit of discontent from rank-and-file police officers. Some in the profession believe that many Americans have lost faith in them and their profession.
Gallup
That’s not the case, per Gallup and its measurements from 1993 to 2025 (see charts below).
First, we need to understand that Gallup measures confidence in two ways based on institutions and personal honesty.
Second, confidence in most American institutions has taken a considerable hit since 1993. When considering that confidence in law enforcement is only exceeded by the military, small business, and science, the police profession has survived the overall downturn of institutions rather well.
The law enforcement profession, when compared to religion, Congress, the presidency, newspapers, television news, banks, public schools, and many others, comes off as one of America’s most embraced institutions.
That does not mean that confidence in the police as an institution hasn’t taken a hit; it means that it’s receded less than most others.
All Institutions
Currently, 27% of Americans express “a great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in the core institutions measured overall, one percentage point above the record-low average in 2023.
Confidence in institutions is based on three variables: “A Great Deal,” “Quite A Lot,” and “Some.”
Policing
For policing, it’s 55 percent on the “A Great Deal “- ” Quite A Lot” measure and an additional 33 percent for the “Some” category in 2025.
Across most demographic groups, confidence in law enforcement remains relatively strong despite substantial differences by race, age, income, and political affiliation. But almost without exception, based on the collective literature, the majority in every group express confidence in American law enforcement and want cops in their communities.
The charts below provide a historical perspective of policing:
Charts 1993-2025-American Police
Previous Article On Police Confidence
In an earlier report, Americans’ confidence in the police as an institution increased eight percentage points over the past year to 51%, the largest year-over-year change in public perceptions of 17 major U.S. institutions measured in Gallup’s 2024 annual update.
The American public rates many institutions harshly. There are a wide variety of institutions and professions that are taking a beating. Policing does relatively well in Gallup and other reports of citizen satisfaction.
The Threat Of Force-USDOJ Surveys
One measure of confidence in law enforcement is the use of force. The overall use of “or” threat of force (across all encounters) was 2 percent, per repeated US Department of Justice polls. With additional positive polling data, it seems that most police officers are trying to interact with the American public respectfully, which is why confidence and trust in law enforcement are relatively high.
The use of force figure is based on surveys of citizens and contradicts the narrative that police officers are too quick to resort to the use of “or” threat of force. It’s slightly higher for proactive policing.
Words and Numbers Matter
When it comes to public trust in law enforcement, numbers matter — and they often tell different stories depending on how the question is asked. Two previous Gallup reports offer what appear to be conflicting statistics about Americans’ views of the police.
In reality, they are measuring different things.
In Gallup’s January 13, 2025, report, “Americans’ Ratings of U.S. Professions Stay Historically Low,” 44% of Americans said they rated the honesty and ethical standards of police officers as “high” or “very high.” That number was 45% in 2023. On the surface, this suggests public perception of the police hasn’t improved.
However, in a different Gallup report from July 15, 2024, “U.S. Confidence in Institutions Mostly Flat, But Police Up,” 51% of Americans said they had a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in the institution of the police — a notable increase from 43% in 2023.
So which is it? Are Americans more confident in law enforcement or not?
Two Questions, Two Interpretations
The answer lies in the methodology. Gallup conducts multiple surveys each year using different criteria:
The “Honesty and Ethics” poll asks how Americans view the personal character and moral behavior of people in various professions. This includes police officers, but also nurses, teachers, and members of Congress. This survey focuses on individuals within a profession.
The “Confidence in Institutions” poll, on the other hand, measures how much trust Americans have in large organizations such as the military, Supreme Court, news media, and yes, the police. This survey captures how people feel about the institution as a whole.
The difference in wording matters. Some might believe that police officers are not always honest on an individual level (thus giving a lower rating) but still believe the institution plays a crucial role in maintaining law and order (thus giving a high confidence score).
Conclusions
American policing continues to rank well when looking at a variety of institutions. That, however, obviously does not mean that the profession is problem-free.
When I was a police officer, I nearly shot someone where the shooting would have been legally justified, but it turned out that the person in question (under suspicious circumstances) reached for a harmless starter pistol without realizing what he was doing.
I discovered that it was nearly impossible for officers not to make mistakes, especially during immensely stressful circumstances. We responded to a burglar alarm one night and suddenly discovered that people were standing on the roof directly above us with shiny objects in their hands. We drew our weapons.
They were electricians called by the building owner. I could go on with additional examples. The bottom line? It’s not possible to go through multiple years in law enforcement without incidents that have the potential for ending your career, or worse.
Are there cops who abuse their power? Are there people in any profession who abuse their power?
Far more people are injured or die within the confines of the medical profession, yet it’s not a front-page news item. Medical errors are estimated to contribute to substantially more deaths annually than deaths involving police use of force, although the two issues involve very different circumstances and should not be directly equated.
Yes, we in the profession need to treat all Americans, regardless of who they are, with respect and courtesy. It’s the oath we all took. There are groups with historical grievances that must be considered.
But critics, especially those unfamiliar with the realities officers routinely face, should avoid rushing to judgment before all the facts are known. The vast majority of cops try to do the right thing. Extreme circumstances, however, can cloud judgments. Officers have to live the rest of their lives knowing that they will be judged for split-second decisions.
Appendix-Gallup’s Overview Of Institutions
Americans’ confidence in U.S. institutions remains historically low, as reflected in their average view of 14 institutions measured each year since 1993. Currently, 27% of Americans express “a great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in these core institutions, one percentage point above the record-low average in 2023.
When limited to the nine institutions measured about annually since 1979, average confidence is also 27%, reflecting the broader similarity of the two trends. Both lists include a mix of government and private sector institutions, making either version appropriate for use as a barometer of national confidence.
The Data: Americans’ average confidence in nine public and private U.S. institutions, which Gallup has tracked as far back as 1979, stands at 27%. This represents a continuation of the historically low levels Gallup has measured since 2022.
The Trend: Average public confidence in these institutions has fallen 21 percentage points since 1979. Rather than occurring gradually over the decades, most of the decline represents the cumulative effect of sharp downturns in brief periods during recessions or other economically challenging times. Other major news events — such as those involving the police, court decisions or U.S. military actions — have also contributed, along with increased political polarization.
Americans’ average confidence in institutions has been trending downward since 1979 — not gradually, but rather driven by several steep drops. Confidence fell sharply in the early 1980s and again in the early 1990s, each time quickly followed by partial recoveries.
An even sharper decline in the mid-2000s associated with the onset of the Great Recession proved more resistant, with confidence remaining at the 2007 low point and sinking even further over the next nine years.
Confidence finally showed significant improvement in 2020, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, due to heightened public trust in several institutions most affected by that crisis — particularly the medical system and public schools. However, average confidence quickly reverted and sank further to 27% in 2022.
While recessions, high inflation and other economic problems may partly explain these declines, specific issues related to views of the presidency (such as the Iraq War and U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan), Supreme Court (including the Dobbs decision), backlash to COVID-19 policies (affecting the medical system and public schools) and religion (clergy abuse scandals and declining religiosity) have also contributed, along with increasing political polarization.
Comments