60 percent say more should be done to hold police accountable for mistreatment of Black people: poll

A new poll found that 60 percent of people in the U.S. believe more should be done to hold police accountable for mistreatment of Black people. 

The Washington Post-ABC News poll published on Friday surveyed attitudes this past week when the former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of all three charges against him for the killing of George Floyd last May.

The Post reports that respondents’ attitudes did not vary much in the poll before and after the verdict was given.

While 60 percent of those surveyed said they believe more needs to be done to hold police accountable, 33 percent said they think that the U.S. is interfering too much with the work of police officers.

Calls to completely change the police system or defund the police have been more prevalent following the death of Floyd, which ignited protests and demonstrations nationwide.

Respondents’ attitudes on police accountability varied based on political party, race, age and gender.

Eight-five percent of those surveyed who identified as Democrats said they believe that more accountability in policing is needed while only 31 percent of Republicans said the same thing.

Similarly, 83 percent of Black people surveyed and 67 percent of Hispanic people believe more police accountability is needed, compared to 53 percent of white people who said the same.

Concern for police accountability was at an all-time high after the death of Floyd last May, but the numbers in the new poll still show higher numbers than in the years prior.

Concern about police accountability rises with younger people. Sixty-seven percent of people ages 18 to 39 said they believe more police accountability is needed while around 50 percent of those over the age of 65 said the same thing.

There was a gap along gender lines as well, with 67 percent of women surveyed calling for more police accountability compared to 53 percent of men calling for the same.

The poll was conducted between April 18 and April 21 among 1,007 U.S. adults. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.