Sharp
erosion in public trust in police
Chief Saunders not held directly responsible
TORONTO January
29th - In
a random sampling of public opinion taken by the Forum Poll™ among 586 Toronto
voters, close to 4-in-10 have less trust in Toronto’s police officers now than
they did a year ago (37%), while fewer than half this number have more trust
now (14%). About one half have not changed their opinion in the past year
(46%). Those with less trust now are commonly younger (35 to 44 - 51%), in mid
income groups ($60K to $80K - 43%) and those who disapprove of the job Chief
Saunders is doing (56%).
Trust has eroded sharply in just more than one week
Two thirds of
Toronto voters now say they trust Toronto’s police officers (63%), one quarter
"a great deal" (26%) and more than a third “somewhat" (37%). In
contrast, just more than a week ago, when the jury began deliberations in the
James Forcillo trial, trust levels were sharply higher (January 20 - 78% in
total, 33% “a great deal” and 45% “somewhat”).
Wide majority aware of recent police infractions
About
7-in-10 voters are aware of two recent police infractions, one where four
veteran officers were charged with perjury and obstruction of justice and one
where an officer was charged with firing into a stopped car (71%), and a
further one sixth are aware of at least one of these incidents (16%). Awareness
is highest among the wealthiest (86%) and among Doug Ford voters from the last
mayoral election (81%).
One half agree these are random, isolated incidents
One
half of voters agree these two incidents are random and isolated occurrences
(48%), while more than one third think they are not (35%). Close to one fifth
don’t have an opinion (17%). Those who don’t see these as random, isolated
incidents tend to be the youngest (42%), males (42%), the least wealthy (41%),
Olivia Chow voters (44%), those who disapprove of the job John Tory is doing as
mayor (45%), those who disapprove of the chief of police (57%) and those who
are members of a visible minority (41%).
Saunders approval is stable from last week, last month
Close
to one half of Toronto voters approve of the job Chief Saunders is doing (48%)
and this is comparable to just more than a week ago (January 20 - 45%) and last
month (December, 2015 - 48%).
Majority say opinion of Saunders has not changed
Close
to 6-in-10 voters say their opinion of Chief Saunders is neither better nor
worse now than when he was appointed in April (57%).
Majority disagree Saunders responsible for recent incidents
More
than half of Toronto voters disagree that Chief Saunders can be held directly
responsible for recent incidents of wrongdoing in the force (56%), while only
about one sixth see him as responsible (14%).
On balance, less wrongdoing seen in TPS than other police forces
In
total, one quarter of voters think there is less wrongdoing in the TPS than
other police forces in Canada (24%), one twentieth saying “much less” (6%) and
close to one fifth saying “somewhat less” (18%). Just one sixth find there is
more wrongdoing (14%), and this is made up of one tenth who see “somewhat more”
(11%) and very few who see “much more wrongdoing” (3%). As many as 4-in-10 say
there is neither more nor less wrongdoing in the TPS than other Canadian forces
(39%).
“It is apparent that the public
has taken notice of the mishaps in the Toronto Police Service recently, and
this has had an effect on their trust in the policing of Toronto. While their
trust has been shaken, however, no one seems to blame it on Chief Saunders, and
he still maintains his very solid approval ratings, which have barely changed
since he was appointed,” said Forum Research President, Dr. Lorne
Bozinoff.
Lorne Bozinoff, Ph.D. is the president and founder of Forum
Research. He can be reached at lbozinoff@forumresearch.com or at (416)
960-9603.
