Poll: New Yorkers overwhelming disapprove of cops turning backs on mayor
New Yorkers have weighed in on the standoff between the mayor and the police, and most of them disapprove of recent police actions.
A new Quinnipiac Poll shows that, across the racial spectrum, New Yorkers disapprove 69 – 27 percent of police officers turning their backs on the mayor at a recent funeral for two slain officers. Also across the racial spectrum, New Yorkers said 77 – 17 percent that police union leader Patrick Lynch’s claim that the mayor had blood on his hands was “too extreme,” and no single age, race, party, gender, or geographical group thinks those comments were “appropriate.”
The racial divide starts to show, however, in poll questions about whether or not Mayor Bill de Blasio supports the police, with black voters saying the mayor supports the police 69 – 19 percent and Hispanic voters with 53 – 33 percent, while white voters say 49 – 36 percent that he does not support police.
Interestingly, while across the board the poll shows voters say 52 – 38 percent that police discipline has broken down, they also say 62 – 20 percent that Police Commissioner William Bratton is up for the task of restoring order and discipline. Bratton’s approval numbers are up to 56 percent.
“Maybe it’s sympathy for a guy in a tough position, a commissioner leading a defiant department, but Commissioner William Bratton’s job approval numbers jump up,” Quinnipiac University Poll Assistant Director Maurice Carroll said. “Voters think misbehaving cops should be punished and they fear that discipline in the department has broken down, but they believe Commissioner Bratton can straighten things out.”
As for Reverend Al Sharpton, his approval numbers are down to 29 percent, with 51 – 37 percent saying he is a negative influence on the city and 37 percent saying he has too much influence over the mayor.
Click here to see a breakdown of the poll numbers.
