Public and communities | Public Sector | Social | UK
Methodology note: ComRes interviewed 1,000 GB adults by telephone between 18th and 20th October 2013. Data were weighted to be representative of all GB adults aged 18+. ComRes is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.
Date Published: 21 Oct 2013
Categories: Public and communities | Public Sector | Social | UK
Description
The vast majority of Britons believe police officers to be telling the truth when they hearing them speaking on television or in the street (82%).
Q: When you hear a police officer speaking, either on the television or in the street while on duty, how likely or unlikely are you to think that they are telling the truth? Would you say you are very likely, fairly likely, fairly unlikely or very unlikely to think that they are telling the truth?
|
Options |
% |
|
Very likely |
29% |
|
Fairly likely |
53% |
|
Fairly unlikely |
10% |
|
Very unlikely |
6% |
|
Don’t know |
2% |
|
NET: Likely |
82% |
|
NET: Unlikely |
16% |
Base: All GB adults (n=1,000)
Women (86%) are more likely than men (79%) to believe the police to be telling the truth when they see them speaking on the television or in the street.
Three in ten Britons believe police officers are very likely to be telling the truth (29%).
However, one sixth British adults think that the police are fairly or very unlikely to be telling the truth (16%).
Although two thirds of the British public (67%) say that the accusations of lying over the “plebgate” affair have made no difference as to whether they trust the police, a quarter say it has made them less likely to trust the police (26%).
Q: The police watchdog has accused three officers of lying in order to undermine a Cabinet minister at the centre of the so-called “pleb-gate” affair which took place outside Downing Street. The officers and their Chief Constables deny any misconduct. To what extent, if at all, would you say that these revelations have affected your opinion of the police?
|
Options |
% |
|
I am much more likely to trust the police |
3% |
|
I am slightly more likely to trust the police |
3% |
|
It has made no difference to me |
67% |
|
I am slightly less likely to trust the police |
18% |
|
I am much less likely to trust the police |
8% |
|
Don’t know |
1% |
|
NET: More likely |
5% |
|
NET: Less likely |
26% |
Base: All GB adults (n=1,000)
Just less than one in twelve Britons (8%) say they are much less likely to trust the police following the revelations.
However, there appears to be some reinforcing of existing beliefs. More than two in five (43%) of those saying police officers are unlikely to be telling the truth when they are speaking on television or in the street, also say the “plebgate” affair has made them even less likely to trust the police. However, among those who believe officers are likely to tell the truth on television or in the street, the proportion is far less, with only 23% saying the “plebgate” affair has now made them less likely to trust the police
The majority of Britons say that generally, the police are open and honest about their conduct (53%), but two in five think the police seem to try to cover up wrong doing by those in its ranks (40%).
Q: Which of the following statements is closest to your view about the police?
|
Options |
% |
|
Generally, the police are open and honest about their conduct and behaviour |
53% |
|
Generally, the police seem to try to cover up wrong doing by those in its ranks |
40% |
|
Don’t know |
6% |
Base: All GB adults (n=1,000)
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