STATISTICS FOR FACE TO FACE CONTACTS WITH POLICE

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STATISTICS FOR FACE TO FACE CONTACTS WITH POLICE

STATISTICS FOR FACE TO

About five million fewer residents had

90% Approval Rating

FACE CONTACTS WITH

face-to-face contact with the police in 2008, compared to the 45 million residents who had police contact in 2002.

Among people who had face-to-face contact in 2008, about nine out of 10 residents felt the police were respectful or acted properly during their most recent contact that year.

POLICE An estimated 40 million U.S. residents age 16 or older, or about 17 percent of the population, had a face-to-face contact with a police officer in 2008 [According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics] This is a continuing decrease in contact between police and the public, down from 19 percent of residents who had contact with the police in 2005 and 21 percent who had contact in 2002.

These findings are based on the Police-Public Contact Survey (PPCS), conducted every three years since 1999. The PPCS, a supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), consists of a nationally representative sample of U.S. residents age 16 or older.

Nearly 60,000 people participated in the most recent PPCS, which was conducted during the last six months of 2008.

1# Reason: traffic stop

About half of drivers who were pulled over by police said that they were stopped for speeding.

During this period, the most common situation in which people came into contact with the police was as a driver in a traffic stop.

85% Stop Legit

1# Reason: Report a Crime

Most drivers (85 percent) who were pulled over by police during 2008 believed they were stopped for a legitimate reason.

The second most common reason for contact with police continued to be reporting a crime or problem, although the number of contacts that occurred for this reason decreased. Nearly 12 million residents said their most recent contact in 2002 was to report a crime or problem to police, compared to about 8 million residents in 2008.

STATISTICS FOR FACE TO FACE CONTACTS WITH POLICE An estimated 40 million U.S. residents age 16 or older, or about 17 percent of the population, had a face-to-face contact with a police officer in 2008 This is a continuing decrease in contact between police and the public, down from 19 percent of residents who had contact with the police in 2005 and 21 percent who had contact in 2002.

These findings are based on the Police-Public Contact Survey (PPCS), conducted every three years since 1999. The PPCS, a supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), consists

of a nationally representative sample of U.S. residents age 16 or older.

Nearly 60,000 people participated in the most recent PPCS, which was conducted during the last six months of 2008.

About five million fewer residents had face-to-face contact with the police in 2008, compared to the 45 million residents who had police contact in 2002.

1# Reason: traffic stop During this period, the most common situation in which people came into contact with the police was as a driver in a traffic stop.

1# Reason: Report a Crime The second most common reason for contact with police continued to be reporting a crime or problem, although the number of contacts that occurred for this reason decreased. Nearly 12

million residents said their most recent contact in 2002 was to report a crime or problem to police, compared to about 8 million residents in 2008.

90% Approval Rating Among people who had face-to-face contact in 2008, about nine out of 10 residents felt the police were respectful or acted properly during their most recent contact that year.

About half of drivers who were pulled over by police said that they were stopped for speeding.

85% Stop Legit Most drivers (85 percent) who were pulled over by police during 2008 believed they were stopped for a legitimate reason.