New York City (NYC) Poll * March 15, 2007 * Approval Of Kelly, Police Inch - Quinnipiac University

Home> Institutes and Centers> Quinnipiac University Polling Institute> New York City (NYC)> Release Detail

March 15, 2007 - Approval Of Kelly, Police Inches Back Up After Drop, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Voters Want Board Of Ed, Not Mayor, To Run Schools

New York City voters approve 60 - 33 percent of the job police are doing, a slight increase in the police approval which had dropped after the 50-shot killing of Sean Bell, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.
This compares to a 53 - 40 percent police approval in a January 16 poll by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University. All-time high police approval is 76 - 18 percent February 7, 2002.
Police Commissioner Ray Kelly's approval is at 56 - 30 percent, up from 52 - 34 percent January 16, but short of his all-time high of 70 -16 percent. Black approval has gone from a negative 32 - 57 percent January 16 to a negative 39 - 50 percent today.
Voters approve 71 - 21 percent of the way Mayor Michael Bloomberg is handling crime and approve 50 - 32 percent of the Mayor's response to the Sean Bell shooting.
New York City voters approve 57 - 24 percent of bringing criminal charges against the officers involved in the Sean Bell shooting. There is "no excuse" for how the police acted, 57 percent say, while 32 percent call the shooting a "mistake."
"Two-to-one, New Yorkers like the way the police do their job. That's better than it was two months ago, but not as good as it was a year ago," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
"Most New Yorkers think the Sean Bell shooting was inexcusable, not just a tragic mistake. Most favor bringing criminal charges against the police officers involved."
New York City voters approve 50 - 39 percent of Mayor Bloomberg's handling of the public schools. Voters disapprove 43 - 33 percent of the job Schools Chancellor Joel Klein is doing.
"New Yorkers give Mayor Bloomberg good marks on dealing with crime and so-so marks on education," Carroll said. "But Police Commissioner Kelly's approval rating has slid since the Sean Bell case, and Schools Chancellor Klein's grades remain negative."
Bloomberg gets mixed grades for his takeover of the public schools, with 39 percent calling it a success; 34 percent calling it a failure and 27 percent undecided.
By a 58 - 31 percent margin, voters say an independent board of education should control the public schools - not the mayor. Looking at control of individual public schools, 38 percent of voters prefer neighborhood-based boards of education should have most control, with 33 percent who say principals should have most control and 18 percent who say officials from the Education Department should have control.
"Has Bloomberg's take-over of the public schools been a success? New Yorkers are divided. On the general question, though, they prefer to have an independent board - not the mayor - run the schools.
Only 19 percent of New York City voters are satisfied with public schools citywide, with 64 percent dissatisfied. Looking at schools in their neighborhoods, 34 percent are satisfied, with 47 percent who are not satisfied. Satisfaction among voters with children in public schools jumps to 47 - 52 percent for their local schools.
Among those voters with children in public schools, 36 percent would like to transfer their children to a better public school, with 61 percent who say no. Among those parents, 39 percent would like to transfer their children to private or parochial schools, with 55 percent who say no.
From March 6 - 12, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,261 New York City registered voters, with a margin of error of +/- 2.8 percentage points. The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio and nationwide as a public service and for research. For more data -- http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x271.xml, or call (203) 582-5201.
2. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Ray Kelly is handling his job as Police Commissioner?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Approve 56% 69% 50% 59% 71% 39% 46% Disapprove 30 23 34 26 15 50 35 DK/NA 14 8 16 14 14 11 18 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Approve 45% 54% 55% 59% 75% 62% 50% Disapprove 36 33 27 28 20 28 32 DK/NA 19 13 18 13 5 10 18
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Ray Kelly is handling his job as Police Commissioner? * - also 70% on 2/3/06
Highest Lowest Approve Approve Mar 15 Jan 16 Jul 12 Apr 13 Mar 9 Mar 9 Jan 16 2007 2007 2006 2006 2006 2006 * 2007 Approve 56 52 66 68 70 70 52 Disapprove 30 34 20 18 17 17 34 DK/NA 14 14 14 14 13 13 14
3. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Joel Klein is handling his job as New York City Schools Chancellor?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Approve 33% 35% 35% 33% 33% 33% 35% Disapprove 43 41 43 43 41 50 38 DK/NA 24 24 23 24 26 17 27 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Approve 28% 31% 40% 32% 33% 37% 30% Disapprove 50 48 34 43 37 38 48 DK/NA 23 20 26 24 30 26 22 HvChldIn PubSch Approve 33% Disapprove 52 DK/NA 15
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Joel Klein is handling his job as New York City Schools Chancellor?
Highest Lowest Approve Approve Mar 15 Jul 12 Apr 12 Mar 8 Feb 2 Feb 26 Mar 15 2007 2006 2006 2006 2006 2003 2007 Approve 33 37 38 38 40 46 33 Disapprove 43 40 39 40 37 27 43 DK/NA 24 22 23 22 23 28 24
10. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Michael Bloomberg is handling the public schools?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Approve 50% 55% 46% 54% 49% 50% 49% Disapprove 39 33 41 39 38 42 40 DK/NA 11 12 12 8 13 8 11 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Approve 42% 46% 54% 55% 49% 56% 44% Disapprove 46 45 32 35 40 35 43 DK/NA 12 10 14 10 11 9 13 HvChldIn PubSch Approve 47% Disapprove 50 DK/NA 4
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Mayor Bloomberg is handling the public schools? (* = ...of the way "Michael" Bloomberg...)
Highest Lowest Approve Approve Mar 15 Mar 8 Sep 22 Apr 1 Oct 22 Mar 8 May 7 2007* 2006 2005 2004 2003* 2006 2003* Approve 50 54 52 42 36 54 35 Disapprove 39 34 33 45 49 34 52 DK/NA 11 13 14 13 14 13 12
11. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Michael Bloomberg is handling crime?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Approve 71% 71% 70% 74% 80% 61% 61% Disapprove 21 22 24 18 12 31 30 DK/NA 7 7 6 9 8 7 9 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Approve 62% 70% 80% 68% 79% 75% 68% Disapprove 29 23 13 25 14 18 24 DK/NA 9 8 7 7 7 7 8
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Michael Bloomberg is handling crime?
Highest Lowest Approve Approve Mar 15 Jan 16 Oct 22 Sep 9 May 7 Jan 16 May 7 2007 2007 2003 2003 2003 2007 2003 Approve 71 75 61 60 57 75 57 Disapprove 21 17 28 29 31 17 31 DK/NA 7 7 11 10 12 7 12
14. Are you generally satisfied with the quality of the public schools in New York City, or are you not satisfied?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Satisfied 19% 25% 18% 19% 18% 16% 28% Not satisfied 64 61 67 63 58 75 62 DK/NA 16 14 15 18 24 9 10 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Satisfied 18% 17% 16% 22% 36% 23% 17% Not satisfied 72 65 64 62 52 61 68 DK/NA 10 17 20 16 12 17 16 HvChldIn PubSch Satisfied 36% Not satisfied 63 DK/NA 1
TREND: Are you generally satisfied with the quality of the public schools in New York City, or are you not satisfied? * - also 21% on 2/22/05 ** - also 12% on 2/5/04, 3/27/02, 4/20/00, 3/31/97
Highest Lowest Satis Satis Mar 15 Mar 8 Sep 22 Feb 5 Oct 22 Mar 8 Feb 5 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2006 * 2004 ** Satisfied 19 21 21 12 14 21 12 Not satisfied 64 67 66 74 72 67 74 DK/NA 16 12 13 13 14 12 13
15. Are you generally satisfied with the quality of public schools in your neighborhood, or are you not satisfied?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Satisfied 34% 39% 34% 33% 36% 24% 40% Not satisfied 47 45 47 46 37 63 49 DK/NA 19 16 19 21 27 13 11 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Satisfied 28% 31% 30% 40% 51% 36% 32% Not satisfied 59 50 42 44 39 45 48 DK/NA 13 19 28 16 10 19 19 HvChldIn PubSch Satisfied 47% Not satisfied 52 DK/NA 1
TREND: Are you generally satisfied with the quality of the public schools in your neighborhood, or are you not satisfied?
Highest Lowest Satis Satis Mar 15 Mar 8 Feb 5 Oct 22 Jul 18 Mar 31 Feb 5 2007 2006 2004 2003 2002 1997 2004 Satisfied 34 36 27 30 33 41 27 Not satisfied 47 46 56 52 50 40 56 DK/NA 19 18 17 18 17 19 17
16. Do you think Mayor Bloomberg's take-over of the public schools has been a success or failure?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Success 39% 43% 38% 41% 40% 35% 40% Failure 34 28 36 33 29 43 35 DK/NA 27 28 26 26 32 22 25 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Success 30% 37% 44% 40% 47% 44% 34% Failure 51 39 21 31 27 28 38 DK/NA 20 24 35 29 25 27 27 HvChldIn PubSch Success 41% Failure 45 DK/NA 13
17. Who do you think should have more control over the public schools - the mayor or an independent board of education?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Mayor 31% 45% 26% 35% 35% 25% 33% Independent BOE 58 45 64 54 54 66 56 DK/NA 12 10 11 12 11 9 10 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Mayor 25% 27% 38% 29% 40% 38% 25% Independent BOE 62 64 47 60 46 50 64 DK/NA 13 8 15 11 14 12 12 HvChldIn PubSch Mayor 29% Independent BOE 61 DK/NA 10
18. Who do you think should have more control over individual public schools - the principal, the neighborhood board of education, or officials from the city's education department?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Principal 33% 35% 32% 36% 38% 30% 27% Neighborhood BOE 38 38 37 37 34 41 37 Officials/Educ Dept 18 18 21 15 17 20 23 DK/NA 11 8 11 12 11 8 13 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Principal 30% 30% 37% 32% 46% 38% 29% Neighborhood BOE 41 38 29 44 34 34 41 Officials/Educ Dept 19 22 19 14 16 19 18 DK/NA 11 10 15 9 4 9 12 HvChldIn PubSch Principal 38% Neighborhood BOE 37 Officials/Educ Dept 19 DK/NA 5
19. (If kids in public school) Would you like to transfer your child from his or her current school to a better public school?
HvChldIn PubSch Yes 36% No 61 DK/NA 3
20. (If kids in public school) Would you like to transfer your child from his or her current school to a private or parochial school?
HvChldIn PubSch Yes 39% No 55 DK/NA 6
21. Do you approve or disapprove of Mayor Bloomberg's handling of the school bus schedule change?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Approve 12% 16% 11% 14% 11% 10% 12% Disapprove 62 57 63 61 56 76 61 DK/NA 26 28 26 25 32 14 26 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Approve 10% 13% 9% 14% 13% 15% 9% Disapprove 72 63 52 64 63 58 66 DK/NA 19 24 39 22 24 27 25 HvChldIn PubSch Approve 11% Disapprove 72 DK/NA 17
22. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the New York City police are doing their job?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Approve 60% 69% 57% 63% 80% 32% 57% Disapprove 33 27 35 32 14 61 35 DK/NA 6 3 7 5 6 7 8 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Approve 46% 57% 67% 64% 76% 64% 58% Disapprove 46 36 26 31 22 32 34 DK/NA 9 7 7 5 2 4 8
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way the New York City police are doing their job?
Highest Lowest Approve Approve Mar 15 Jan 16 Apr 13 Jun 23 Jul 3 Feb 7 Apr 20 2007 2007 2006 2005 2003 2002 2000 Approve 60 53 72 69 63 76 43 Disapprove 33 40 20 23 32 18 48 DK/NA 6 8 8 7 6 6 9
23. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the police in your community are doing their job?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Approve 68% 73% 66% 72% 84% 48% 59% Disapprove 27 25 29 24 12 47 34 DK/NA 5 2 5 4 4 5 6 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Approve 54% 67% 76% 72% 69% 69% 68% Disapprove 42 30 20 22 26 28 26 DK/NA 5 4 5 6 5 3 6
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way the police in your community are doing their job? (* - also 65% on 10/02/1997)
Highest Lowest Approve Approve Mar 15 Jan 16 Apr 13 Jun 23 Jul 3 Feb 7 Apr 20 2007 2007 2006 2005 2003 2002 2000 * Approve 68 67 75 73 69 79 65 Disapprove 27 29 20 23 26 18 28 DK/NA 5 5 6 4 5 3 6
24. How closely have you been following the case of Sean Bell, the young black man who was shot and killed by police officers after leaving a night club last November? Would you say you have been following it very closely, somewhat closely, not too closely, or not at all?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Very closely 33% 35% 32% 33% 23% 45% 37% Smwht closely 44 41 46 42 48 44 40 Not too closely 18 15 18 20 22 10 17 Not at all 4 8 3 5 6 1 6 DK/NA 1 - 1 1 1 - 1 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Very closely 33% 35% 29% 34% 31% 36% 30% Smwht closely 44 44 42 45 54 43 46 Not too closely 16 16 24 17 12 17 19 Not at all 6 4 4 4 3 4 5 DK/NA 2 1 1 - - - 1
TREND: How closely have you been following the case of Sean Bell, the young black man who was shot and killed by police officers after leaving a night club last November? Would you say you have been following it very closely, somewhat closely, not too closely, or not at all?
Mar 15 Jan 16 2007 2007 Very closely 33 31 Smwht closely 44 44 Not too closely 18 19 Not at all 4 6 DK/NA 1 -
25. Do you approve or disapprove of Mayor Bloomberg's public response to this incident?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Approve 50% 55% 47% 54% 57% 40% 45% Disapprove 32 28 37 26 23 48 34 DK/NA 18 17 16 19 20 11 21 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Approve 38% 51% 57% 47% 60% 57% 44% Disapprove 43 36 25 30 25 30 34 DK/NA 19 13 18 23 15 13 22
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of Mayor Bloomberg's public response to this incident?
Mar 15 Jan 16 2007 2007 Approve 50 54 Disapprove 32 31 DK/NA 18 16
26. From what you know about the police shooting of Sean Bell, which statement comes closer to your opinion? A) It was a tragic thing, and there is absolutely no excuse for how the police acted. OR B) It was a tragic thing, but it is understandable that the police could have acted this way
Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp A) No excuse 57% 38% 66% 52% 38% 88% 61% B) Understandable 32 52 24 39 48 6 32 DK/NA 11 10 10 9 14 6 7 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom A) No excuse 62% 60% 57% 54% 42% 53% 60% B) Understandable 28 30 30 36 47 36 29 DK/NA 11 10 12 10 10 11 11
TREND: From what you know about the police shooting of Sean Bell, which statement comes closer to your opinion? A) It was a tragic thing, and there is absolutely no excuse for how the police acted. OR B) It was a tragic thing, but it is understandable that the police could have acted this way.
Mar 15 Jan 16 2007 2007 No excuse 57 58 Understandable 32 30 DK/NA 11 12
27. Do you approve or disapprove of bringing criminal charges against the police officers for the death of Sean Bell?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Approve 57% 41% 63% 53% 38% 82% 61% Disapprove 24 42 17 29 37 6 25 DK/NA 19 17 20 18 25 12 14 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Approve 67% 59% 56% 53% 39% 54% 59% Disapprove 18 23 21 30 36 27 22 DK/NA 16 19 23 17 26 19 19
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of bringing criminal charges against the police officers for the death of Sean Bell?
Mar 15 Jan 16 2007 2007 Approve 57 55 Disapprove 24 23 DK/NA 19 22