The public's faith in police work is dwindling, a recent survey Institute of Criminology at the Hebrew University found Sunday.
Initially held in April, during the first coronavirus-triggered lockdown, the survey found that 62% of Israelis believed the police were successfully dealing with the challenges posed by the pandemic.
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But a follow-up poll held amid the second lockdown saw the Israel Police's approval ratings drop, with only 21% of respondents saying the police have kept up performance as they did in mid-March.
Both surveys included the same sample of 600 Israelis.
A comparison of the data showed that while during the first survey, only 17% of respondents thought that police enforcement of coronavirus regulations had adversely affected police relations with the public, the second poll found that now more than half – 52% – believe so. I
Moreover, while during the first lockdown, 59% of Israelis stated that they trust the police to enforce emergency regulations impartially, only 38% believed that to be true during the second lockdown.
Only 19% of respondents – compared to 34% in the poll held in April – said agree that the police make decisions that serve the public interest. Only 26% (compared to 41% in April) said they think the police shows concern for the well-being and quality of life of the public.
The number of Israelis who agree that the police treat all members of the public equally (24%) and fairly (31%) has dropped to 16% and 19%, respectively.
This has led to a drop in public confidence and trust in the police, a key concept in the relationship between law enforcement and the public.
While in April 43% of respondents said that they had faith in the Israel Police, come September that number dropped to 31%. Only 16% said that police action during the second coronavirus outbreak has bolstered their faith in the police, compared to 39% who said the same in April.
The researchers noted that during times of crisis, police strategy and tactics both have a significant impact on the public perception of the force, as civilians become highly sensitive to processes they believe are fair or unfair, and whether they believe the police officers they encounter truly have the public's best interest in mind.
Public diplomacy plays a key role in the civilian perception of the police, especially in times of a national crisis, they said.
A statement by the Israel Police said, "For the past seven months its officers have been in the forefront of the battle against the coronavirus, heading lifesaving enforcement activities during one of the worst crises to even befall the State of Israel, this alongside the various missions the police routinely handles.
"Unfortunately, police activity these days is not popular and does not receive the appreciation it deserves from the public.
"Overall, the public's faith in government institutions has been eroded by the economic, social, and health crisis, which have greatly affected public perception. The Israel Police will continue to work for, protect and serve the public."
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