Highlights
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Gallup reports a significant decline in confidence across the American institutions surveyed.
Compared to entities like religion, Congress, the presidency, newspapers, television news, banks, and public schools, the law enforcement profession stands out as one of America’s most respected institutions.
This does not imply that confidence in the police has not decreased; it has just diminished less than in most other institutions.Â
In 2025, confidence in policing is measured at 55% for “A Great Deal” or “Quite A Lot” and an additional 33% for “Some”.
Confidence varies across different groups, influenced by political affiliation, race, age, income, and other factors.
However, according to collective research, the majority across all groups express trust in American law enforcement and desire police presence in their communities.
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Author
Leonard Adam Sipes, Jr.
Formerly a Senior Specialist for Crime Prevention and Statistics at the Department of Justice’s clearinghouse. He also served as the Director of Information Services for the National Crime Prevention Council, Adjunct Associate Professor of Criminology and Public Affairs at the University of Maryland, University College, a police officer, and a federal senior spokesperson.
He advised presidential and gubernatorial campaigns and contributed to the “McGruff-Take a Bite Out of Crime” national media campaign. He also produced successful state-level anti-crime media campaigns.
With 35 years of experience directing award-winning public relations for criminal justice agencies, he has been interviewed thousands of times by major national news outlets, focusing often on crime statistics and research. He pioneered state and federal podcasting series and developed a unique style of proactive public relations for the government.
He holds a Certificate of Advanced Study from The Johns Hopkins University.
He is also the author of “Success With The Media: Everything You Need To Survive Reporters and Your Organization,” available on Amazon and other bookstores.
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Notes
The questions asked, the number of institutions studied, and the years included vary in Gallup reports annually.
The Appendix of this article provides a historical summary of Gallup’s findings on all institutions studied.
Article
I find it notable that my previous articles on American confidence in law enforcement provoke some dissatisfaction among rank-and-file police officers. Some professionals feel that many Americans have lost faith in them.
Gallup
This is not the case, according to Gallup and its data from 1993 to 2025 (see charts below).
Firstly, Gallup evaluates confidence in two ways: based on institutions and personal honesty.
Secondly, since 1993, confidence in most American institutions has significantly declined. Yet, confidence in law enforcement is only surpassed by the military, small businesses, and science, showing resilience amid the overall decline.
The law enforcement profession, when compared to various other institutions, stands out as one of the most respected in America.
While confidence in the police has declined, it has done so less than in other institutions.Â
All Institutions
As of now, 27% of Americans express “a great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in the core institutions measured, slightly above the record-low average in 2023.
Confidence in institutions is assessed using three categories: “A Great Deal,” “Quite A Lot,” and “Some.”
Policing
In the realm of policing, 55% fall into the “A Great Deal” or “Quite A Lot” category, with an additional 33% in the “Some” category for 2025.
Despite significant variations by race, age, income, and political leanings, confidence in law enforcement remains strong across most demographic groups. The collective literature indicates that most people within each group trust American law enforcement and want police in their communities.Â
The following charts offer a historical view of policing:Â
Charts 1993-2025-American Police
Previous Article On Police Confidence
In a previous report, Americans’ confidence in the police as an institution increased by eight percentage points over the past year to 51%, marking the largest year-over-year change in public perceptions among 17 major U.S. institutions measured in Gallup’s 2024 annual update.
The American public often rates many institutions harshly. While various institutions and professions face criticism, policing fares relatively well in Gallup and other citizen satisfaction reports.
The Threat Of Force-USDOJ Surveys
One indicator of confidence in law enforcement is the use of force. According to repeated US Department of Justice surveys, the overall use or threat of force across all encounters was 2 percent. Alongside other positive polling data, it suggests that most police officers strive to interact with the public respectfully, contributing to relatively high confidence and trust in law enforcement.Â
The use of force figure is based on citizen surveys, countering the narrative that police officers are quick to use or threaten force. It is slightly higher for proactive policing.
Words and Numbers Matter
Public trust in law enforcement is significantly influenced by numbers, which often tell different stories depending on how questions are framed. Two previous Gallup reports appear to present conflicting statistics about Americans’ views of the police.
In truth, they measure different aspects.
Gallup’s January 13, 2025, report, “Americans’ Ratings of U.S. Professions Stay Historically Low,” reveals that 44% of Americans rated the honesty and ethical standards of police officers as “high” or “very high.” This figure was 45% in 2023, suggesting little improvement in public perception of the police.
However, another Gallup report from July 15, 2024, “U.S. Confidence in Institutions Mostly Flat, But Police Up,” shows that 51% of Americans had a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in the police institution, a notable rise from 43% in 2023.
So, are Americans more confident in law enforcement or not?
Two Questions, Two Interpretations
The answer lies in methodology. Gallup conducts multiple surveys each year with different criteria:
The “Honesty and Ethics” poll asks Americans how they perceive the personal character and moral behavior of people in various professions, including police officers, nurses, teachers, and members of Congress. This survey focuses on individuals within a profession.
The “Confidence in Institutions” poll, meanwhile, gauges how much trust Americans have in large organizations such as the military, Supreme Court, news media, and the police. This survey captures public sentiment about the institution as a whole.
The difference in wording is crucial. Some may believe that police officers are not always honest individually (yielding a lower rating) but still view the institution as vital for maintaining law and order (resulting in a high confidence score).
Conclusions
American policing continues to rank favorably among various institutions. However, this does not imply the profession is free from problems.
During my time as a police officer, I nearly shot someone in a legally justified situation, only to discover the person was reaching for a harmless starter pistol without realizing it.
I realized it is nearly impossible for officers not to make mistakes, especially in highly stressful situations. Responding to a burglar alarm one night, we found people on the roof above us holding shiny objects, prompting us to draw our weapons.
They turned out to be electricians called by the building owner. I could share more examples. The reality is that a law enforcement career inevitably involves incidents with the potential to end a career or worse.
Are there officers who misuse their power? Are there individuals in any profession who do so?
The medical profession sees far more injuries or deaths, yet it rarely makes front-page news. Medical errors are estimated to contribute to significantly more deaths annually than police use of force, although the circumstances are vastly different and should not be directly compared.
Indeed, we in the profession must treat all Americans, irrespective of their identity, with respect and courtesy. It is the oath we all took. Historical grievances must be acknowledged.
However, critics, particularly those unfamiliar with the realities officers face, should refrain from quick judgments until all facts are known. The majority of officers strive to do the right thing. Extreme situations can cloud judgment, and officers must live with the knowledge that they will be judged for split-second decisions.Â
Appendix-Gallup’s Overview Of Institutions
Americans’ confidence in U.S. institutions remains historically low, as indicated by their average view of 14 institutions assessed annually since 1993. Currently, 27% of Americans express “a great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in these core institutions, one percentage point above the record-low average in 2023.
When restricted to the nine institutions measured annually since 1979, average confidence is also 27%, reflecting the broader similarity of the two trends. Both lists include a mix of government and private sector institutions, making either version suitable as a barometer of national confidence.
The Data: Americans’ average confidence in nine public and private U.S. institutions, tracked by Gallup since 1979, stands at 27%. This continues the historically low levels recorded since 2022.
The Trend: Average public confidence in these institutions has fallen by 21 percentage points since 1979. This decline is not gradual but rather the cumulative effect of sharp downturns during brief periods of economic challenges, such as recessions. Other significant news events — involving the police, court decisions, or U.S. military actions — have also contributed, alongside increased political polarization.
Since 1979, Americans’ average confidence in institutions has trended downward — not gradually but driven by several steep drops. Confidence fell sharply in the early 1980s and again in the early 1990s, each time followed by partial recoveries.
A sharper decline occurred in the mid-2000s with the onset of the Great Recession, proving more resistant, with confidence remaining at the 2007 low point and sinking even further over the next nine years.
Confidence finally improved significantly in 2020, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, due to heightened public trust in several institutions most affected by the crisis — particularly the medical system and public schools. However, average confidence quickly reverted and sank further to 27% in 2022.
While economic problems like recessions and high inflation may partly explain these declines, specific issues related to views of the presidency (such as the Iraq War and U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan), Supreme Court (including the Dobbs decision), backlash to COVID-19 policies (affecting the medical system and public schools), and religion (clergy abuse scandals and declining religiosity) have also contributed, along with increasing political polarization.
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