One-in-four Canadians have lost confidence in the internal operations and leadership of the RCMP over the last five years.
Vancouver, BC [June 28, 2023] – More than two thirds of Canadians hold police officers in high regard on approachability and promptness, but perceptions are markedly lower on impartiality, a new Research Co. poll has found.
The online survey of a representative national sample asked Canadians to say whether the police officers who operate in their community possess five characteristics.
More than two thirds of Canadians believe the police officers who serve their communities are approachable (69%) and respond to calls promptly, while more than half say they can be trusted (64%) and are a source of pride (57%).
Only 50% of Canadians think the police officers who operate in their community treat every person fairly.
More than half of Canadians who reside in Alberta (58%) and British Columbia (52%) believe the police officers who serve their communities treat every person fairly, along with fewer than half of those who live in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (49%), Ontario (also 49%), Quebec (48%) and Atlantic Canada (43%).
“Fewer than half of Canadians of Indigenous and European descent (48% and 49% respectively) think police officers are fair to everyone,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The proportion is slightly higher among East Asians (51%) and superior among South Asians (61%).”
Two thirds of Canadians (67%) have confidence in the internal operations and leadership of their local police force. More than three-in-five feel the same way about the Supreme Court of Canada (65%) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) (64%). Respondents hive the lowest rating to the criminal courts in their province (58%).
On a regional basis, confidence in the RCMP is highest in Quebec (68%), followed by Ontario (65%), Alberta (also 65%), British Columbia (63%), Atlantic Canada (60%) and Saskatchewan and Manitoba (57%).
More than half of Canadians (54%) say their confidence in the internal operations and leadership of the RCMP has stayed the same over the last five years. One-in-four (26%) have lost confidence, while 12% say it has increased.
Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from June 17 to June 19, 2023, among 1,000 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region. The margin of error – which measures sample variability – is +/- 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
Find our data tables here and download the press release here.
For more information on this poll, please contact:
Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.
778.929.0490 [e] mario.canseco@researchco.caPhoto Credit: Suwannee.payne