ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the public’s perception of the police. The chapter begins by examining people’s attitudes of the police based on ideology, age, race, sex, income, and personal experience, providing explanations for why populations vary in their support of the police. Next, the chapter discusses specific barriers to building police–community partnerships. Specifically, barriers discussed include excessive force, police corruption, rudeness, authoritarianism, and politics. Finally, the chapter discusses two areas where police can improve relationships. Police legitimacy and procedural justice and the adoption of body-worn cameras are discussed as avenues for increasing positive interactions with the public and subsequently improve the public’s perception of the police.
