Arresting the decline in police trust - 360

Published on June 14, 2023
Incidents of police violence and misconduct are becoming far too common. The question is; who should do the investigating? And what should that look like?
Video: Michael Joiner, 360info
Australia’s latest Productivity Commission report released this month found perceptions of the honesty and fairness of police officers have reached a 10-year low, and Indigenous deaths in custody are at their highest in 15 years.
In the United States, over 400 people have been killed by police so far in 2023, with numbers predicted to grow, according to not-for-profit organisation Mapping Police Violence.
Incidents of police violence and misconduct are becoming far too common, sparking widespread outrage and calls for reforms.
But police reforms are complex.
And while Malaysia’s Independent Police Conduct Commission will be in force from next month, critics argue it lacks disciplinary powers.
Change can still happen. As long as there is a commitment to transparency and accountability in the process.
Trust in police forces has fallen since the pandemic in many of the countries surveyed by Ipsos. A few, like Spain and India, have seen trust improve.