© Lucas Jackson / Reuters
"The percentage who say they respect the police is significantly higher now than in any measurement taken since the 1990s and is just one point below the high of 77 percent recorded in 1967," Gallup said, referring to the results of its most recent poll held earlier in October.
Respect for police officers appeared to grow as the number of on-duty officers shot and killed rose as well, the survey revealed.
Three in four Americans, or 76 percent, said they have "a great deal" of respect for police in their areas - a 12 percent jump from last year. Another 17 percent said they have "some" respect for their local police officers, and only seven percent confessed they had "hardly any" respect.
The majority of those with the highest levels of respect for officers came from suburban areas, smaller towns, or rural areas, where numbers reached 80 percent - compared to less than 70 percent for those who live in small or large cities.
The surge signals a significant recovery from 2015, when Americans' confidence in police fell to its lowest in years, to just over 50 percent.
Last year, Gallup said it was "likely" that fatal confrontations between police and black men across the US "contributed to the decline in confidence in police."
Although 2016 has also been shaken with tension between police and civilians - including shootings of unarmed black men and attacks on officers in Texas, Louisiana, and elsewhere - that violence seemed to have little influence on people's overall opinion of officers.
Both white and non-white respondents showed increased levels of respect for law enforcement, signaling a change in trend since 2000.
"Four in five whites (80%) say they have a great deal of respect for police in their area, up 11 points from last year. Meanwhile, two in three non-whites (67%) report having the same level of respect, an increase of 14 points from last year," Gallup said.
The surge has been recorded among most political parties, ideologies, and age groups.
The number of young people aged 18 to 34 who said they respect police increased 19 percent since 2015. A 16 percent increase was also recorded among the 35 to 54 age group.
"Respect for police remains highest among Republicans (86%) and conservatives (85%), but solid majorities of Democrats (68%) and liberals (71%) report the same level of respect," Gallup found.
According to the FBI, 41 officers were killed in 2015, which marked a 10 percent decline from the year before. However, the number increased in 2016, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. The non-profit has tracked 47 officers fatally shot in the line of duty so far this year.
Just Like Nazi Germany '36
If they had the polls and tech in place then, we'd see the same. The behavior of the lemmings/masses is little different today. What Hannah Ahrendt discussed and Stanley Milgram proved, was that it was NOT in the German 'Hun' genome that such mass movements grow, but by the very nature of mankind.
I listened to a great speech by Huxley (NOT the Mike Wallace interview) at Berkley in 1962 [ [Link] ] and he discussed what is daily discussed at SOTT - that this tendency towards being a follower, is innate for about 60% of folks with 20% doing the right and 20 % leaning the wrong way, and how Hitler and others like him had an intuitive grasp of the lessons of Pavlov and Bernays, (and probably PTB-sponsored briefs on them, with basics of Hegelian Dialectics and modern pharmaceuticals thrown in for good measure) which he - Hitler - used almost perfectly through the mass communication device of radio. (Like TV, it too only went one way.)
Violent crime has been way down for years, with a huge chunk of the drop being the legalization of concealed carry of firearms in most states. So why more cops? MSM anecdotal BS.
The followintg type events are almost NEVER reported. (A monthly list of some is found in the
NRA's American Rifleman magazine.)
A Prospective Robber: It's just not fair, man! You walk in a store, say 'hands up' and next thing you know,,you've got five grandmas and grandpas pointing 44's at you and saying 'You feel lucky, Punk?" (That's why ALL mass shootings happen in Gun Free / Free Fire zones or states. Always!) Mass: No Guns; Pulse : Liquor Serving Bar, Schools, etc.) If there's an exception to that rule, I'd love the cite.
Why this police support, when we all are getting ticketed for going 6 mph over speed limit, etc? Easy: Most Americans are MSM-programmed idiots, and the PTB kill off those who through charisma on behalf of good (e.g.., JFK, MLK et al).* might wake up the idiot masses.
Fellow Americans: It's long past time to split, folks.
R.C.
*I'm not saying they were saints. But today, the only people who get elected are those who never done anything - nor attempted ANY change in their lives. Anyone running for office who ever violated a victimless law (not me, I was too into surfing) even if never busted, will find some former partier paid off loser to indict them - if the PTB's MSM so desires.... and the idiot masses play follow the leader. Zeig Heil!
Old saying found in ancient temple: Boring life: Manipulated leader.
RC