New York City (NYC) Poll * April 13, 2006 * Police Were Too Aggressive On - Quinnipiac University

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April 13, 2006 - Police Were Too Aggressive On Protestors, New York City Voters Tell Quinnipiac University Poll; City's Safety Score, Police Approval Remain High


New York City voters say 49 - 35 percent that police were "too aggressive" with demonstrators during the 2004 Republican Convention, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. Feelings range from 58 - 28 percent "too aggressive" in Manhattan to 47 - 28 percent "acted appropriately" in Staten Island.
By a 65 - 29 percent margin, New York City voters say government should not violate their basic civil rights in its efforts to combat terrorism.
Voters split 45 - 46 percent on whether police crossed that line and violated the civil rights of protestors. Only Staten Island voters say 72 - 23 percent that police have not "crossed the line," the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds.
A total of 83 percent of New York City voters, tying the highest percentage ever, say New York is a "very safe" or "somewhat safe" place to live, and 72 percent of voters, also among the highest score ever, approve of the job police are doing.
Black voters approve of the police 58 - 32 percent and 79 percent say the city is safe; white voters approve 82 - 11 percent and 87 percent say the city is safe, and Hispanic voters approve of police 69 - 25 percent, with 78 percent saying the city is safe.
"They sure are New York's finest, a big majority agrees. But a lot of New Yorkers think the police might have crossed the civil liberties line in controlling protestors," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
New York City voters approve 80 - 15 percent of the installation of security cameras around the city.
Voters also approve by a narrow 49 - 45 percent margin having undercover police officers join protest groups to gather information.
They also approve 68 -18 percent of the way Police Commissioner Ray Kelly is doing his job. White voters approve 76 - 9 percent, while black voters approve 60 -29 percent and Hispanic voters approve 60 - 24 percent.
"New Yorkers approve a couple of control techniques: surveillance cameras, by a big margin, and letting undercover cops join protest groups, by a narrow margin," Carroll said.
From April 4 - 10, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,316 New York City registered voters, with a margin of error of +/- 2.7 percentage points.
The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Florida and nationwide as a public service and for research.
For additional data -- www.quinnipiac.edu 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 68% 82% 66% 69% 76% 60% 60% Disapprove 18 9 19 19 9 29 24 DK/NA 14 9 15 12 14 11 16 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Approve 63% 69% 65% 69% 80% 70% 66% Disapprove 24 19 16 18 11 17 19 DK/NA 13 12 20 13 9 13 15
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Ray Kelly is handling his job as Police Commissioner? * - also hit 70% on 2/3/06
Highest Lowest Approve Approve Apr 13 Mar 9 Feb 3 Jul 20 Jun 23 Mar 9 Jul 20 2006 2006 2006 2005 2005 2006 * 2004 Approve 68 70 70 67 65 70 61 Disapprove 18 17 16 16 17 17 21 DK/NA 14 13 14 16 19 13 18
6. 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 72% 89% 72% 66% 82% 58% 69% Disapprove 20 7 20 24 11 32 25 DK/NA 8 4 8 9 7 10 6 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Approve 65% 69% 74% 77% 79% 74% 70% Disapprove 25 23 16 16 16 19 20 DK/NA 10 8 10 7 5 6 10
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way the New York City police are doing their job?
Highest Lowest Approve Approve Apr 13 Jun 23 Jul 3 Feb 7 May 3 Feb 7 Apr 20 2006 2005 2003 2002 2001 2002 2000 Approve 72 69 63 76 54 76 43 Disapprove 20 23 32 18 34 18 48 DK/NA 8 7 6 6 11 6 9
7. 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 75% 89% 74% 72% 85% 60% 73% Disapprove 20 9 20 22 10 35 23 DK/NA 6 3 6 6 5 6 4 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Approve 69% 72% 78% 77% 80% 74% 75% Disapprove 27 22 13 18 19 20 19 DK/NA 3 6 8 5 1 6 6
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way the police in your community are doing their job? (* - also hit 65% on 10/02/1997)
Highest Lowest Approve Approve Apr 13 Jun 23 Jul 3 Feb 7 May 3 Feb 7 Apr 20 2006 2005 2003 2002 2001 2002 2000 * Approve 75 73 69 79 68 79 65 Disapprove 20 23 26 18 23 18 28 DK/NA 6 4 5 3 8 3 6
8. Is being the victim of a crime something you personally worry about or not?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Yes 44% 41% 46% 42% 36% 48% 53% No 54 58 53 57 62 52 46 DK/NA 1 1 1 1 1 - 1 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Yes 51% 49% 38% 42% 34% 36% 51% No 48 50 61 56 64 63 48 DK/NA 1 1 1 2 2 1 1
TREND: Is being the victim of a crime something you personally worry about or not?
Apr 13 Jun 23 Jul 3 Feb 7 May 3 Feb 1 Jun 15 2006 2005 2003 2002 2001 2001 2000 Yes 44 46 56 46 47 53 55 No 54 53 42 54 53 47 44 DK/NA 1 1 1 - - 1 -
9. Do you think New York City is a very safe place to live, somewhat safe, somewhat unsafe, or very unsafe?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Very safe 18% 22% 18% 17% 22% 13% 15% Smwht safe 65 57 65 69 65 66 63 Smwht unsafe 13 17 13 9 10 14 15 Very unsafe 3 2 3 3 1 5 5 DK/NA 2 2 2 2 1 1 2 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Very safe 12% 16% 25% 15% 23% 23% 13% Smwht safe 68 61 64 70 57 65 65 Smwht unsafe 14 17 8 10 16 8 16 Very unsafe 5 4 2 2 2 2 4 DK/NA 1 1 1 3 3 2 1
TREND: Do you think New York City is a very safe place to live, somewhat safe, somewhat unsafe, or very unsafe?
Apr 13 Jul 20 Jun 23 Jul 3 Feb 7 Feb 1 Jun 15 2006 2005 2005 2003 2002 2001 2000 Very Safe 18 25 17 17 19 15 9 Smwht Safe 65 55 64 59 64 64 62 Smwht Unsafe 13 14 13 15 13 16 20 Very Unsafe 3 4 4 6 3 4 5 DK/NA 2 2 2 2 1 1 3
10. Do you think your neighborhood is a very safe place to live, somewhat safe, somewhat unsafe, or very unsafe?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Very safe 38% 47% 38% 37% 50% 22% 34% Smwht safe 48 38 49 53 43 58 45 Smwht unsafe 11 12 11 7 6 16 14 Very unsafe 3 3 3 3 - 5 6 DK/NA - 1 - - 1 - - Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Very safe 29% 32% 45% 40% 53% 44% 33% Smwht safe 49 48 45 52 41 44 51 Smwht unsafe 16 14 8 8 3 8 13 Very unsafe 6 5 1 - 2 4 2 DK/NA - - - 1 - - -
TREND: Do you think your neighborhood is a very safe place to live, somewhat safe, somewhat unsafe, or very unsafe?
Apr 13 Jul 20 Jun 23 Jul 3 Feb 7 Feb 1 Jun 15 2006 2005 2005 2003 2002 2001 2000 Very Safe 38 42 35 38 45 41 33 Smwht Safe 48 42 50 46 43 46 53 Smwht Unsafe 11 11 10 10 9 9 11 Very Unsafe 3 5 5 5 2 4 2 DK/NA - 1 1 1 1 - 1
11. Do you generally think of the police more as friends, more as enemies, or don't you think of them in either of these ways?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Friends 45% 62% 43% 42% 55% 32% 44% Enemies 7 4 7 7 4 8 9 Neither 46 34 48 49 40 57 47 DK/NA 2 - 2 2 2 3 - Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Friends 42% 44% 45% 47% 54% 45% 46% Enemies 7 7 6 7 6 9 5 Neither 50 46 47 44 40 44 48 DK/NA 2 3 1 1 1 2 2
TREND: Do you generally think of the police more as friends, more as enemies, or don't you think of them in either of these ways?
Apr 13 Jun 23 Jul 3 Feb 7 Apr 20 Mar 15 Jun 17 2006 2005 2003 2002 2000 2000 1999 Friends 45 42 41 47 32 37 37 Enemies 7 7 7 4 10 10 11 Neither 46 48 49 46 56 50 50 DK/NA 2 3 4 2 2 3 2
12. Which comes closer to your view? (A) the government should take all steps necessary to prevent additional acts of terrorism in the United States even if it means your basic civil liberties would be violated - or (B) the government should take steps to prevent additional acts of terrorism but not if those would violate your basic civil liberties.
Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp (A) All steps 29% 59% 21% 29% 34% 23% 24% (B) Shld'nt violate civil lib 65 34 74 64 59 71 69 DK/NA 7 7 5 7 7 6 7 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom (A) All steps 31% 28% 21% 30% 45% 30% 27% (B) Shld'nt violate civil lib 64 65 72 64 45 63 66 DK/NA 6 7 7 6 9 7 6
TREND: Which comes closer to your view? (A) The government should take all steps necessary to prevent additional acts of terrorism in the United States even if it means your basic civil liberties would be violated. - or (B) The government should take steps to prevent additional acts of terrorism but not if those would violate your basic civil liberties.
Apr 13 Feb 3 Aug 19 Jul 20 2006 2006 2005 2005 (A) All steps 29 28 38 30 (B) Shldn't violate civil liberties 65 66 55 64 DK/NA 7 6 7 6
13. Do you think the NYC police department has crossed the line and has violated the civil liberties of protesters in NYC, or not?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Yes 45% 20% 53% 40% 35% 58% 46% No 46 74 38 53 54 35 46 DK/NA 9 6 9 7 10 7 8 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Yes 45% 47% 47% 47% 23% 46% 44% No 45 46 42 44 72 46 46 DK/NA 10 7 11 9 5 8 10
14. Do you think the New York City police should be permitted to have undercover officers join protest groups as a way to gather information or not?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Yes 49% 70% 42% 55% 54% 39% 51% No 45 25 52 40 39 55 41 DK/NA 6 5 6 4 6 5 8 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Yes 46% 45% 45% 57% 60% 51% 47% No 48 49 46 40 33 43 46 DK/NA 6 6 9 3 7 5 7
TREND: Do you think the New York City police should be permitted to have undercover officers join protest groups as a way to gather information or not?
Apr 13 Feb 3 2006 2006 Yes 49 59 No 45 35 DK/NA 6 6
15. The New York City Police Department is installing 505 surveillance cameras around the city. These surveillance cameras will constantly keep watch over neighborhoods plagued by crime and monitor potential terror targets. Do you think this is a good idea or bad idea?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Good idea 80% 89% 82% 74% 79% 83% 83% Bad idea 15 9 13 19 15 12 14 DK/NA 5 1 5 7 6 5 4 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Good idea 88% 81% 72% 81% 86% 76% 84% Bad idea 8 15 19 14 11 18 12 DK/NA 4 4 9 5 3 6 4
16. There have been a series of court cases involving people who were arrested during the 2004 Republican convention. Thinking back, do you think in controlling those demonstrations the police were too aggressive or acted appropriately?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Too aggressive 49% 21% 56% 50% 43% 62% 45% Acted appropriately 35 66 28 34 40 24 36 DK/NA 17 13 16 17 17 14 19 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Too aggressive 51% 47% 58% 45% 28% 52% 46% Acted appropriately 30 36 28 40 47 37 33 DK/NA 19 16 14 15 25 11 21