INTERVIEW: Survey on policing in Wisconsin

DE PERE, Wis. (WBAY) - The Wisconsin Professional Police Association (WPPA) released its annual public survey on issues related to policing in Wisconsin communities. The survey exposed differences between white and non-white respondents.

Out of over 1,100 people polled, 91% agreed a well-trained police force helps make communities safer, including 92% of white and 83% of non-white respondents.

When it comes to respect for police, 93% of whites said they respect officers “some” or a “great deal,” compared to 83% of non-whites.

And when asked about police violence against the public in Wisconsin, 36% of whites consider it a “moderately serious” or “extremely serious” problem but 63% of non-whites say it’s moderately or extremely serious.

We talked with Jamie Lynch, executive director of St. Norbert College’s Strategic Research Institute in De Pere, which conducts the study for the WPPA. He talks about the institute’s relationship with the WPPA.

He also discusses how the annual polling and the perception of police have changed over time.

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