America is Still Behind Us

America is Still Behind Us
By: Richard Rosell, Ph.D.

I often wonder what that world would be like if the majority of the news media were as honest and transparent as law enforcement.  I don’t ponder that for long, though.  It will never happen in our lifetime.  It may never happen in 100 lifetimes.  The data is there for them, should they desire to use it honestly.  Sadly, it is much more convenient for them to consistently ignore the facts in order to create chaos and instigate mistrust against us.

Consider that a 2022 Gallup poll reported that 41.5 percent of both black and white Americans had faith in the police, 56 and 27 percent by whites and blacks respectively.  This data represents an increase from the 37.5 percent total in 2020.  But the most interesting aspect of this increase is that, while there was no change in the percentage of white Americans (56%), confidence among black Americans jumped 8 percent, from 19 to 27 percent. When all Americans are included, the average confidence in law enforcement jumps to 48 percent. Only two institutions of the 16 included in the poll, small business and the military, top confidence in law enforcement, garnering 68 and 64 percent respectively.

Now, I know what you are thinking. “Gee, we only have a 48 percent confidence rate?” While I would love to see that percentage double, when you put it into the proper perspective, we are doing much better than most institutions.

The Supreme Court, the institution upon which we depend to properly interpret our most sacred document, the United States Constitution, only enjoys the confidence of 25 percent of Americans.  

The American public school system, responsible for educating the next generation, and all subsequent generations, of American children, rates only slightly better than the Supreme Court at 28 percent.

Confidence in the presidency has dropped dramatically to 23 percent. Without getting political, I think we all know why.

At the bottom of the sixteen institutions included in the poll we find the United States Congress, with a mere 7 percent confidence rating.  How disturbing is the state of our republic that the institution charged with creating federal law and providing for the common defense can boast that 93 percent of Americans polled have no confidence in it?  In my humble opinion, it certainly earned that 7 percent rating.

While I take no joy in that fact that many of our institutions have become so morally and ethically corrupt that they no longer enjoy the confidence of the average American, I am not surprised.  Nor am I shocked, that Gallup reports that only 11 percent of Americans have a “Great Deal” of confidence in television media, and 16 percent in print media.  Don’t you remember when these embarrassing stats appeared on the front page of the New York Times and the Washington Post on the same day?  Oh, wait, that’s right.  That didn’t happen.

I’m not satisfied with 48 percent, but I am also mindful of the possibility that if the media portrayed law enforcement as we truly are as opposed to how they want us to appear, our confidence percentage would be significantly higher.  So, keep your chins up and continue to do your best. It could be worse; we could be Congress.

Richard Rosell, Ph.D. is currently the Police Chief and Public Safety Director for the Town of Indian River Shores, Florida, the former Director of Public Safety for the Town of Dover, NJ and Township of Springfield, NJ, and a 27-year veteran of the New Jersey State Police, retiring at the rank of Captain.