Poll of Seattle residents finds fewer disapprove of police

Associated Press

SEATTLE — A new survey of Seattle residents finds an increased approval rating for the city’s police department since it began making reforms with the U.S. Justice Department under a settlement.

The survey was filed in U.S. District Court in Seattle on Monday. It found that compared to similar polls conducted in 2013 and 2015, the percentage of people who said they approve of Seattle police has risen from 60 percent to 64 percent to 72 percent in 2016.

The polling firm said much of the improvement is among black residents, with 49 percent approval in 2013 to 62 percent now, and Latinos, with 54 percent approval in 2013 to 74 percent now.

In addition, fewer residents are saying they disapprove of the department. The survey found the department’s disapproval rating has decreased from 34 percent in 2013 to 20 percent in 2016, and fewer people are reporting troubling interactions between officers and Seattle residents.