KEY FINDINGS Seventy percent of Philadelphians say they have considerable respect for the police.

Among those who have had recent contact with local officers, three-fourths report having been treated with courtesy, fairness and professionalism. In addition, by a 2-1 ratio, city residents support Mayor Michael Nutters stop-and-frisk policy, which allows officers to stop individuals they suspect are involved in criminal activity and to pat them down for weapons. But when Philadelphians are asked whether they trust police to show good judgment in using stop and frisk, confidence dwindles. Forty-three percent say they have faith in officers judgment while 31 percent do not. And pluralities of both African Americans and young people say they do not trust the Philadelphia police to enforce the policy wisely. These are some of the findings from a poll of 1,604 city residents conducted for The Pew Charitable Trusts Philadelphia Research Initiative between January 31 and February 13 of this year. By a wide margin, residents cite crime most often when asked to name one or two things they like least about living in Philadelphia. But the percentage of residents mentioning crime is substantially lower this year (29 percent) than it was two years ago (45 percent). RESPECT FOR POLICE In the poll, Philadelphians were asked how much respect they have for the police. Fortyone percent said a great deal and 29 percent a good amounta total of 70 percent in the top two categories. Seventeen percent said just some and 12 percent not much. See Figure 1.
FIGURE 1 LEVEL OF RESPECT FOR PHILADELPHIA POLICE

GREAT DEAL, 41% DON'T KNOW/ REFUSED, 1% NOT MUCH, 12% GOOD AMOUNT, 29%

While levels of respect are high across the JUST SOME, board, they vary according to age, income and 17% racial/ethnic group. Eighty-two percent of Philadelphians over the age of 65 say they have a high level of respect for the police compared to 63 percent of those between ages 18 and 34. Eighty-three percent of individuals with household incomes over $100,000 voice a great deal or good amount of respect compared to 67 percent with household incomes under $30,000. Seventy-eight percent of whites and 65 percent of African Americans and Hispanics have high levels of respect for the police. For more details, see Appendix Table 1.

These levels of respect appear to correlate with personal experience. In the poll, Philadelphians were asked whether they had engaged in a conversation with a police officer at any time in the last two years. And 63 percent said they had. The word conversation was used to encourage respondents to talk about any contact with police, regardless of the circumstances. By consistent ratios of roughly 3-to-1, residents who had direct contact with the police report that the officers were courteous rather than discourteous, fair rather than unfair, respectful rather than disrespectful and professional rather than unprofessional. See Figure 2. Here, too, there are some variations based on age, income and racealthough the ratings are high for every group. On a separate question, Philadelphians are split, 49 percent to 49 percent, on whether the overall quality of police protection in the city is good or excellent as opposed to only fair or poor. In a Philadelphia Research Initiative poll two years ago, 55 percent rated police protection good or excellent and 42 percent only fair or poor.
FIGURE 2 BEHAVIOR OF PHILADELPHIA OFFICERS (As reported by those who had contact with police)
90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 74% 77% 75% 77%

21%

20%

20%

20%

STOP AND FRISK The policy known as stop and frisk has been controversial in cities across the country. It allows an officer to stop an individual in a public place if the officer has a reasonable suspicion that the individual is involved in a criminal activity. The officer may then pat down that person in search of a weapon. Advocates say the policy is an effective tool in preventing crime and getting illegal weapons off the street. Opponents say the policy can lead to violations of civil liberties and to racial and other sorts of profiling. Mayor Nutter and Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey have made it a key element in their fight against street crime. In November 2010, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit challenging the policy and its implementation in Philadelphia. In the poll, Philadelphians express strong approval of stop and frisk, with 61 percent in favor and 29 percent against. See Figure 3. Support is particularly high among whites (75 percent), people aged 5064 (73 percent) and those with household incomes over $100,000 (74 percent). Support was lower among blacks (48 percent) and people aged 18-34 (51 percent).

A survey question asking whether residents think police use good judgment in implementing stop and frisk produced less positive views. Forty-three percent of residents think police use good judgment, and 31 percent do not think so. The rest say they do not know or offer no firm opinion.

FIGURE 3 STOP AND FRISK

Approve, 61%

Disapprove 29%

The racial disparity on this question was Depends, pronounced. Among whites, 57 percent say the 7% police use good judgment on stop and frisk, Don't Know/ while 15 percent take the opposite view. Among Refused, African Americans, 30 percent back the police on 3% this question and 44 percent do not. See Figure 4. Residents aged 18-34 also tilt against the police here, with 37 percent saying that officers use good judgment and 42 percent saying not. For more details, see Appendix Table 2. ATTITUDES ABOUT CRIME In an open-ended question, participants in the poll were asked 60% to name one or two things they like 50% least about living in Philadelphia. 40% Crime has been the number one 30% answer in each of the three years 20% that the Philadelphia Research Initiative has conducted its 10% benchmark poll. But the 0% percentage of people mentioning crime has been on the decline. This year, it was 29 percent, compared to 35 percent in 2010 and 45 percent in 2009.
FIGURE 4 POLICE OFFICERS' JUDGMENT
57% 44% 30% 15%

Use good judgment Do not use good judgment

White Respondents

Black Respondents

The survey measured concern about crime in several other ways. For instance, residents were asked whether they consider crime a very serious or somewhat serious problem in their neighborhoods. Sixty-four percent say they do, compared to 62 percent in 2010 and 64 percent in 2009. Residents also were asked whether they feel safe when they are outside at night in their neighborhoods. Again, there has been little change in attitudes over time. Fifty-seven percent of Philadelphians say they feel completely safe or pretty safe. The people who feel the safest are those with household incomes over $100,000 (84 percent) and between $50,000 and $100,000 (73 percent). Least safe are residents of North Philadelphia (40 percent) and Hispanics (46 percent). For more details, see Appendix Table 3. Reported crime levels in Philadelphia in 2010 were lower than they were five or 10 years ago, but little changed from 2009. Compared to 2009, homicides were up 1 percent last year; violent crime was down 3 percent; and major crime overall was up 2 percent. ABOUT THE SURVEY The Philadelphia Research Initiative survey was conducted by telephone between January 31 and February 13, 2011, among a citywide random sample of 1,604 city residents, ages 18 and older.
3

Interviews were conducted with 1,202 landline users and 402 cell phone users to reach a broad representative sample of Philadelphians. The final sample was weighted to reflect the demographic breakdown of the city. The margin of error for the entire sample is approximately +/- 2.5 percentage points. The margin of error is higher for subgroups. Surveys are subject to other error sources as well, including sampling coverage error, recording error and respondent error. Abt SRBI Public Affairs designed the survey and conducted all interviewing, working with Cliff Zukin, veteran pollster and professor of political science and public policy at Rutgers University. This report was written by Larry Eichel, project director of the Initiative, in consultation with Zukin. ABOUT THE PHILADELPHIA RESEARCH INITIATIVE The Pew Charitable Trusts Philadelphia Research Initiative provides timely, impartial research and analysis on key issues facing Philadelphia for the benefit of the citys citizens and leaders. Pew is a nonprofit organization that applies a rigorous, analytical approach to improve public policy, inform the public and stimulate civic life. www.pewtrusts.org/philaresearch.

APPENDIX
* = less than 1%

RESPECT FOR POLICE Table 1 Great deal (percent) 41 White Black Hispanic Education H.S. or less Some College College Grad Gender Male Female Years in Philly 10 or less 11 to 30 Over 30 Age 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ Household Income <$30,000 $30-$50,000 $50-$100,000 $100,000+ Neighborhood South Philly West Philly North Philly N.W. Philly N.E. Philly Children in Household Yes No 32 41 48 49 38 39 42 49 42 38 32 42 48 40 41 31 28 24 33 28 29 31 34 29 28 31 28 30 28 30 20 16 18 11 18 20 17 10 16 19 19 18 14 18 17 17 13 8 5 15 11 9 4 12 14 17 11 7 14 10 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 3 * 1 2 1 1 1 2
5

Total Race

Good amount (percent) 29 32 28 24 26 31 34 30 28 30 30 28

Just some (percent) 17 14 20 17 16 21 15 17 17 15 19 16

Not much (percent) 12 8 14 17 13 10 10 11 12 7 17 11

Don't Know/Refused (percent) 1 * 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 4 * 1

46 37 41 43 37 40 40 41 44 34 44

APPENDIX
DO PHILADELPHIA POLICE USE GOOD JUDGMENT IN DECIDING WHO TO STOP AND FRISK? Table 2 Do use good judgment (percent) 43 White Black Hispanic Education H.S. or less Some College College Grad Gender Male Female Years in Philly 10 or less 11 to 30 Over 30 Age 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ Household Income <$30,000 $30-$50,000 $50-$100,000 $100,000+ Neighborhood South Philly West Philly North Philly N.W. Philly N.E. Philly Children in Household Yes No 48 39 44 36 46 37 45 48 45 40 40 51 63 48 31 34 39 58 39 45 29 32 22 44 26 42 33 24 13 37 35 25 11 22 40 42 35 21 40 26 12 14 11 10 15 11 11 12 21 13 13 9 8 16 12 14 15 8 12 13 12 15 23 9 13 9 11 16 21 10 12 15 19 14 17 10 12 13 9 16 42 43 45 33 34 22 15 12 9 10 10 24 57 30 48 Do not use good judgment (percent) 31 15 44 36 Don't Know/Refused (percent) 13 20 9 7

Total Race

Sometimes/Depends (percent) 13 8 18 9

APPENDIX
SAFETY IN NEIGHBORHOOD AT NIGHT Table 3 Completely safe (percent) 19 White Black Hispanic Education H.S. or less Some College College Grad Gender Male Female Years in Philly 10 or less 11 to 30 Over 30 Age 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ Household Income <$30,000 $30-$50,000 $50-$100,000 $100,000+ Neighborhood South Philly West Philly North Philly N.W. Philly N.E. Philly Children in Household Yes No 25 13 16 22 18 19 21 19 15 13 18 25 38 18 22 8 15 25 18 19 41 35 42 36 38 37 39 40 35 33 41 48 46 32 38 31 42 41 35 39 21 26 26 27 22 28 22 25 16 28 25 20 13 27 24 30 25 21 27 22 9 18 15 12 15 15 16 12 14 19 14 6 3 20 11 25 11 7 17 12 3 7 1 3 8 2 2 4 19 7 2 1 1 3 6 6 6 6 3 7 16 20 24 32 42 46 26 25 19 18 11 10 8 2 2 22 17 12 A little unsafe (percent) 24 23 25 25 Don't Know/Refused (percent) 5 5 6 4

Total Race

Pretty safe (percent) 38 39 38 34

Not safe at all (percent) 14 10 14 25

PHILADELPHIA RESEARCH INITIATIVE / ABT SRBI TOPLINE FOR SELECTED QUESTIONS JANUARY 31 FEBRUARY 13, 2011 ANNUAL BENCHMARK POLL
BASE= 1,602 Philadelphia Residents Except Where Noted * = less than 1% - = question not asked/zero respondents

Q. WHAT ARE THE ONE OR TWO THINGS YOU LIKE LEAST ABOUT LIVING IN PHILADELPHIA? FEBRUARY 2011 JANUARY 2010 JANUARY 2009 ================= ================= ================= 29% 35% 45%

CRIME/VIOLENCE

Q. PLEASE RATE EACH AS IT APPLIES TO THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA: POLICE PROTECTION FEBRUARY 2011 (800) JANUARY 2010 (795) JANUARY 2009 (781) ================= ================= ================= EXCELLENT 8% 10% 15% GOOD 41% 42% 40% ONLY FAIR 31% 32% 30% POOR 18% 13% 12% DON'T KNOW / REFUSED 2% 2% 3% REFUSED Q. I'M GOING TO READ YOU A LIST OF PROBLEMS THAT SOME PLACES FACE AND WOULD LIKE YOU TO TELL ME WHETHER YOU THINK EACH IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM, SOMEWHAT SERIOUS, OR NOT VERY SERIOUS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD: CRIME FEBRUARY 2011 (804) JANUARY 2010 JANUARY 2009 ================= ================= ================= VERY SERIOUS 35% 28% 33% SOMEWHAT SERIOUS 29% 34% 31% NOT VERY SERIOUS 34% 36% 35% NO OPINION * 1% * DON'T KNOW / REFUSED 1% 1% 1%

Q. HOW SAFE DO YOU FEEL IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN YOU ARE IN YOUR HOME AT NIGHT--COMPLETELY SAFE, PRETTY SAFE, A LITTLE UNSAFE, OR NOT SAFE AT ALL? FEBRUARY 2011 JANUARY 2010 JANUARY 2009 ================= ================= ================= COMPLETELY SAFE 45% 36% 38% PRETTY SAFE 42% 48% 46% A LITTLE UNSAFE 10% 12% 11% NOT SAFE AT ALL 3% 4% 3% DON'T KNOW/ DEPENDS/REFUSED * * 1% Q. AND HOW SAFE DO YOU FEEL WHEN YOU ARE OUT IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AT NIGHT--COMPLETELY SAFE, PRETTY SAFE, A LITTLE UNSAFE, OR NOT SAFE AT ALL? FEBRUARY 2011 JANUARY 2010 JANUARY 2009 ================= ================= ================= COMPLETELY SAFE 19% 16% 18% PRETTY SAFE 38% 39% 39% A LITTLE UNSAFE 24% 23% 24% NOT SAFE AT ALL 14% 13% 13% DON'T KNOW/DEPENDS/REFUSED 5% 9% 6% Q. OVERALL, HOW MUCH RESPECT DO YOU HAVE FOR THE POLICE IN PHILADELPHIA - A GREAT DEAL, A GOOD AMOUNT, JUST SOME, OR NOT MUCH AT ALL? GREAT DEAL GOOD AMOUNT JUST SOME NOT MUCH DON'T KNOW/REFUSED 41% 29% 17% 12% 1%

HAVE YOU HAD A CONVERSATION WITH A POLICE OFFICER IN PHILADELPHIA AT ANY TIME IN THE LAST TWO YEARS? YES NO CAN'T RECALL/DONT KNOW/REFUSED 63% 36% 1%

Q. THINK ABOUT YOUR LAST CONTACT WITH THE PHILADELPHIA POLICE, TELL ME WHICH WORD BETTER DESCRIBES THE POLICE OFFICER'S BEHAVIOR: BASE: HAD A CONVERSATION WITH A POLICE OFFICER IN PHILADELPHIA IN LAST 2 YEARS (1,005)

COURTEOUS OR DISCOURTEOUS COURTEOUS DISCOURTEOUS MIXED DON'T KNOW/REFUSED FAIR OR UNFAIR FAIR UNFAIR MIXED DON'T KNOW/REFUSED RESPECTFUL OR NOT RESPECTFUL RESPECTFUL NOT RESPECTFUL MIXED DON'T KNOW/REFUSED PROFESSIONAL OR UNPROFESSIONAL PROFESSIONAL UNPROFESSIONAL MIXED DON'T KNOW/REFUSED 77% 20% 3% 1% 75% 20% 4% * 77% 20% 2% 1% 74% 21% 4% 1%

Q. "STOP AND FRISK" REFERS TO A POLICE OFFICER STOPPING A PERSON IN A PUBLIC PLACE IF THE OFFICER SAYS THERE IS REASONABLE SUSPICION THAT THE PERSON IS INVOLVED IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, AND PATTING DOWN THE PERSON IN SEARCH OF A WEAPON. DO YOU APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE OF PHILADELPHIA POLICE ENGAGING IN STOP AND FRISK? APPROVE DISAPPROVE DEPENDS DON'T KNOW/REFUSED 61% 29% 7% 3%

Q. IN GENERAL, DO YOU THINK THE PHILADELPHIA POLICE DO OR DO NOT USE GOOD JUDGMENT IN DECIDING WHO TO STOP AND FRISK?

DO DO NOT SOMETIMES/DEPENDS DON'T KNOW/REFUSED

43% 31% 13% 13%