Police brutality has not caught hold as a political issue in Chicago, even though large numbers of blacks are generally dissatisfied with police services and feel that their neighborhoods aren`t receiving enough protection, a new Tribune poll shows.
Despite recent allegations by some black leaders that police mistreatment of blacks has increased since the election of Mayor Richard Daley in April, most Chicagoans believe that police abuse of civilians is not on the rise, the poll found.
And when police brutality does occur, it is not necessarily motivated by race, a large majority of both black and white Chicagoans believe. Most Chicagoans feel that police officers of either race are equally likely to be brutal, according to the poll.
The poll also found that blacks and Hispanics say they have experienced police harassment more than twice as frequently as whites.
Almost half the blacks surveyed, however, expressed the view that whites have just as good a chance as blacks of suffering police mistreatment-another indication that, despite weeks of Chicago City Council hearings and public demonstrations, the issue is not being seen primarily in racial terms.
In fact, Chicagoans of both races are skeptical of the motives of those who have made the brutality charges. A majority of blacks, and a much larger percentage of whites, agree that ”certain people are using the police brutality issue for political reasons.”
Though Daley`s opponents have hoped the brutality charges would damage him politically, the poll shows the mayor is still extremely popular throughout the city. Six months into his term, Daley has the approval of more than two-thirds of all Chicagoans, including slightly over half of its black residents, according to the telephone survey of 500 Chicagoans last Monday and Tuesday.
Police brutality emerged as a major issue-at least among some politicians and the news media-following two incidents widely reported last month.
In one, a black ex-convict was shot and killed by a black police officer on the South Side. In the other, two white officers allegedly drove two black youths from Comiskey Park to the all-white Canaryville neighborhood, where the youngsters were beaten.
The City Council`s police committee conducted stormy hearings on the issue. On Oct. 21, a group composed primarily of blacks marched past the mayor`s home in Bridgeport to protest brutality. And on Monday, Daley appointed six new members to the Chicago Police Board, which he and Police Supt. Leroy Martin had criticized as being too lenient on police officers accused of brutality.
Despite all that attention, only 27 percent of Chicagoans believe police brutality is more prevalent this year than last, according to the poll, which has an error margin of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
Those who believe brutality is more prevalent include 15 percent of the whites polled, 38 percent of blacks and 40 percent of Hispanics. Blacks who are younger, more affluent and better educated are more likely to believe the amount of brutality has increased, which could reflect higher expectations of police behavior on their part.
Only 25 percent of Chicagoans believe that police officers find it easier to get away with brutality now than a year ago, but here the racial differences are more pronounced. Twelve percent of whites believe this, compared with 41 percent of blacks and 20 percent of Hispanics.
One in five blacks and Hispanics say they have first-hand knowledge of someone who has been unduly harassed by the police, but only 8 percent of whites say they do.
Asked whether a white or black officer is more likely to be brutal, 73 percent of whites and 72 percent of blacks said both races are equally capable of brutality.
Asked which race is more likely to be the victim of police brutality, 49 percent of blacks-and 58 percent of whites-said the two races have an equal chance.
Another 39 percent of blacks, and 26 percent of whites, said blacks are the most likely victims.
In short, black Chicagoans do not appear to be as riled up about police brutality as some political figures might like. Rank-and-file blacks seem to view the Police Department less emotionally, but perhaps more realistically. They don`t feel safe in their neighborhoods, and they want better police protection.
Only 46 percent of Chicagoans, regardless of race, say police protection is good or excellent where they live, which places it ahead of street maintenance (30 percent), but well below fire protection (69 percent) and garbage pickup (63 percent).
Overall, blacks are much more critical of the police than whites. Only 35 percent of blacks give the department good or excellent ratings, compared with 47 percent of Hispanics and 57 percent of whites.
Almost two-thirds of blacks say the police do only a fair or poor job of
”keeping neighborhood streets safe.” Just 57 percent of blacks believe the police ”have your best interest at heart,” compared with 68 percent of Hispanics and 79 percent of whites.
Seventeen percent of blacks say that, if they were in trouble, they would seek help elsewhere, rather than call the police.
Only 22 percent of blacks rate the Police Department excellent or good at ”treating all races fairly,” compared with 30 percent of Hispanics and 49 percent of whites.
The poll shows that Daley made a wise political move in retaining Martin, the police superintendent originally appointed by the late Mayor Harold Washington. While fewer than two-thirds of Chicagoans have heard of Martin, only 3 percent have an unfavorable opinion of him.
More important, perhaps, 59 percent of Chicagoans say they approve of Martin`s efforts to prevent police brutality. Among blacks, 53 percent approve, with the rest split almost equally among those who disapprove and those who have no opinion.
Almost the same percentage of Chicagoans, 58 percent, say they approve of Daley`s efforts to prevent brutality, but blacks are less favorably disposed toward the mayor than toward Martin. Only 41 percent of them approve of Daley`s efforts on brutality, compared with 37 percent who disapprove and 22 percent who have no opinion.
The mayor`s less-than-overwhelming support among blacks is the only soft spot in his overall popularity ratings. His performance has won the approval of an impressive 68 percent of Chicagoans, including 79 percent of whites, 82 percent of Hispanics and 52 percent of blacks.
Many politicians believe an officeholder`s disapproval ratings, or
”negatives,” are more significant than approval ratings. Daley`s disapproval rating is at a very low 14 percent. That represents 9 percent of whites, 2 percent of Hispanics and 24 percent of blacks.
His support stretches across the city. Among whites, he is slightly more popular on the lakefront (82 percent approval) than on his native South Side
(74 percent).
Among blacks, he is slightly more popular among the young, affluent and college-educated.
