Most Favor Use of Federal Cops To Fight Crime in Some Cities

Most voters approve of President Trump’s decision to use federal agents to fight the growing violent crime in some major cities. They also believe many of these cities bring the criminal problems onto themselves.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 55% of Likely U.S. Voters think federal law enforcement officials should be used to fight the growing level of violent crime in several major cities since the cities appear unable or unwilling to handle the problem themselves. Thirty-six percent (36%) oppose this federal anti-crime help.(To see survey question wording, click here.)

Eighty percent (80%) of Republicans favor the use of federal law enforcement in these cities, all of which are currently run by Democrat politicians. Democrats by a 53% to 39% margin are opposed. Among voters not affiliated with either major party, 48% want the feds to get involved; 39% do not.

Fifty-one percent (51%) of all voters agree that government policies and practices encourage violent crime in some cities and states more than others. Just 24% disagree, while another 24% are undecided.

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted July 21-22, 2020 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Sixty-six percent (66%) of Americans oppose reducing the police budget in the community where they live. Sixty-one percent (61%) believe violent crime will go up in communities that defund the police.

Middle-aged voters are the strongest believers that some cities and states encourage violent crime with their policies and practices. Blacks are less convinced of that than whites and other minority voters.

Seniors are the most opposed to using federal law enforcement in some cities to fight the growing level of violent crime. Other minorities (68%) support the use of the feds much more than whites (53%) and blacks (50%) do.

Democrats, Republicans and unaffiliated voters are in general agreement that some cities and states bring more violent crime on themselves through their policies and practices.

Voters who think these cities and states encourage their own violent crime problems are more likely to support a federal role in fighting them.

Sixty-four percent (64%) of all Americans are concerned that the growing criticism of America’s police will lead to a shortage of police officers and reduce public safety in the community where they live.

In January 2017 when Trump first proposed sending federal law enforcement to Chicago help stem its rising murder rate, just 36% of voters felt that was a federal responsibility. Fifty-six percent (56%) said fighting local crime was more of a state and local responsibility.

Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.

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