Public opinion of Milwaukee Police Department is improving, survey finds

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Public opinion of the Milwaukee Police Department is improving according to a survey released Thursday, Oct. 22. 

The Police Satisfaction Survey found 79 percent of those interviewed were somewhat or very satisfied. Twenty-one percent of Milwaukee residents were "not very" or "not at all satisfied" with MPD. 

That’s an improvement from 2017, when 28 percent were not satisfied.

The survey was requested by the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission but conducted by an outside firm.

It's usually conducted every two years, with the most recent survey was done in 2019.

Since then a lot has changed. Homicide rates have doubled and the police chief was demoted.

Milwaukee Alderman Michael Murphy says as of now, there is no money in the budget to conduct the survey again next year.

"It didn’t capture all the racial strife that’s going on since then. That’s why I think it would be important to conduct the survey next year to see how peoples reactions are to police going forward," said Alderman Murphy. 

Other notable findings:

The survey also found 91 percent of people prefer MPD to be visible in neighborhoods.

Black residents were twice as likely to have been stopped by police compared to white residents and more likely to be searched.

Read the findings of the survey below: