CBS News Poll – February 1-4, 2023

Adults in the U.S.

Sample 2,030 Adults in the U.S.
Margin of Error ±3%

35. Regarding how they operate and their procedures, what would you like to see happen with police departments
in the U.S.?
No changes are needed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11%
Need minor changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42%
Need major changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47%

36. How would you rate the job your local police are doing in your community?
Very good . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28%
Somewhat good . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50%
Somewhat bad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14%
Very bad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8%

37. Thinking about the police in your town or area, do the police generally make you feel...
Protected . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45%
Threatened . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11%
A mix of both . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32%
Neither . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12%

38. In general, do you think police in most communities treat Black people better than White people, treat White
people better than Black people, or treat both White and Black people equally?
Black people better than White people . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7%
White people better than Black people . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47%
Treat equally . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46%

Questions held for future release.

1
CBS News Poll – February 1-4, 2023
Adults in the U.S.

35. Change for Police Departments

Regarding how they operate and their procedures, what would you like to see happen with police departments in the U.S.?

Gender Age Ideology

Total Male Female Under 30 30-44 45-64 65+ Liberal Moderate Conservative

No changes are needed 11% 14% 9% 12% 10% 12% 10% 8% 7% 18%
Need minor changes 42% 48% 36% 43% 42% 39% 44% 29% 43% 56%
Need major changes 47% 38% 55% 45% 47% 49% 46% 63% 50% 26%
Totals 100% 100% 100% 100% 99% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Weighted N (2,022) (1,001) (1,021) (443) (506) (652) (421) (504) (663) (619)

2020 Vote Party ID Race White by Education

Total Biden Trump Dem Ind Rep White Black Hispanic No Degree 4yr Degree+

No changes are needed 11% 5% 17% 5% 11% 16% 11% 7% 14% 12% 9%
Need minor changes 42% 28% 58% 33% 40% 55% 45% 29% 41% 42% 50%
Need major changes 47% 66% 25% 62% 49% 29% 44% 64% 45% 45% 41%
Totals 100% 99% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 99% 100%
Weighted N (2,022) (653) (603) (610) (673) (565) (1,272) (250) (319) (788) (484)

1
CBS News Poll – February 1-4, 2023
Adults in the U.S.

36. Rate Local Police

How would you rate the job your local police are doing in your community?

Gender Age Ideology

Total Male Female Under 30 30-44 45-64 65+ Liberal Moderate Conservative

Very good 28% 33% 23% 18% 24% 31% 39% 15% 29% 43%
Somewhat good 50% 45% 55% 56% 49% 47% 48% 52% 55% 43%
Somewhat bad 14% 14% 15% 15% 18% 14% 10% 21% 12% 10%
Very bad 8% 8% 7% 11% 9% 8% 3% 12% 4% 4%
Totals 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Weighted N (2,014) (1,000) (1,014) (445) (507) (640) (422) (504) (654) (618)

2020 Vote Party ID Race White by Education

Total Biden Trump Dem Ind Rep White Black Hispanic No Degree 4yr Degree+

Very good 28% 17% 49% 16% 28% 43% 33% 13% 25% 32% 35%
Somewhat good 50% 58% 40% 60% 49% 42% 49% 57% 44% 49% 47%
Somewhat bad 14% 17% 7% 13% 17% 11% 12% 20% 18% 12% 13%
Very bad 8% 8% 3% 11% 6% 4% 6% 10% 13% 7% 5%
Totals 100% 100% 99% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Weighted N (2,014) (650) (602) (603) (669) (566) (1,273) (246) (315) (789) (484)

2
CBS News Poll – February 1-4, 2023
Adults in the U.S.

37. Police Make You Feel

Thinking about the police in your town or area, do the police generally make you feel...

Gender Age Ideology

Total Male Female Under 30 30-44 45-64 65+ Liberal Moderate Conservative

Protected 45% 45% 46% 35% 41% 47% 60% 27% 49% 63%
Threatened 11% 12% 10% 18% 13% 9% 4% 18% 9% 7%
A mix of both 32% 30% 33% 39% 33% 29% 25% 43% 31% 21%
Neither 12% 13% 11% 8% 13% 15% 11% 11% 11% 9%
Totals 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 99% 100% 100%
Weighted N (2,021) (1,000) (1,021) (443) (507) (648) (422) (505) (662) (617)

2020 Vote Party ID Race White by Education

Total Biden Trump Dem Ind Rep White Black Hispanic No Degree 4yr Degree+

Protected 45% 38% 69% 37% 43% 64% 52% 25% 34% 50% 56%
Threatened 11% 13% 5% 14% 11% 7% 9% 13% 21% 10% 7%
A mix of both 32% 37% 17% 40% 31% 21% 27% 48% 33% 29% 25%
Neither 12% 12% 8% 9% 15% 8% 11% 13% 12% 11% 11%
Totals 100% 100% 99% 100% 100% 100% 99% 99% 100% 100% 99%
Weighted N (2,021) (648) (601) (606) (674) (566) (1,272) (247) (321) (789) (483)

3
CBS News Poll – February 1-4, 2023
Adults in the U.S.

38. Police Treat Communities

In general, do you think police in most communities treat Black people better than White people, treat White people better than Black people, or treat both
White and Black people equally?

Gender Age Ideology

Total Male Female Under 30 30-44 45-64 65+ Liberal Moderate Conservative

Black people better than White people 7% 9% 6% 11% 7% 6% 4% 8% 4% 10%

White people better than Black people 47% 42% 52% 51% 52% 45% 42% 71% 50% 23%
Treat equally 46% 49% 42% 38% 41% 49% 54% 21% 46% 67%
Totals 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Weighted N (2,013) (992) (1,021) (443) (501) (650) (419) (497) (663) (616)

2020 Vote Party ID Race White by Education

Total Biden Trump Dem Ind Rep White Black Hispanic No Degree 4yr Degree+

Black people better than White people 7% 5% 10% 6% 6% 10% 6% 4% 15% 6% 6%

White people better than Black people 47% 72% 17% 70% 48% 22% 41% 67% 54% 37% 49%
Treat equally 46% 22% 73% 24% 46% 68% 52% 29% 31% 57% 45%
Totals 100% 99% 100% 100% 100% 100% 99% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Weighted N (2,013) (653) (600) (610) (665) (560) (1,261) (251) (321) (786) (475)

4
 HOW THE POLL WAS CONDUCTED AND THE
MARGIN OF ERROR CALCULATED

The CBS News/YouGov survey of 2,030 adults in the U.S. was conducted between February 1-4,
2023.
This sample was weighted according to gender, age, race, and education based on the U.S. Census
American Community Survey, and the U.S. Census Current Population Survey, as well as 2020
Presidential vote and 2022 Congressional vote. Respondents were selected to be representative of
adults nationwide. The weights range from 0.5 to 4.3, with a mean of 1 and a standard deviation
of 1.
The margin of error (a 95% confidence interval) for a sample percentage p based upon the entire
sample is approximately 3.0%. It is calculated using the formula
s
1 + CV2
p̂ ± 100 ×
n

where CV is the coefficient of variation of the sample weights and n is the sample size used
to compute the proportion. This is a measure of sampling error (the average of all estimates
obtained using the same sample selection and weighting procedures repeatedly). The sample
estimate should differ from its expected value by less than margin of error in 95 percent of
all samples. It does not reflect non-sampling errors, including potential selection bias in panel
participation or in response to a particular survey.