Student’s Views and Feelings Towards Law Enforcement

Winona, Minnesota

Recent events involving police, including the death of George Floyd, have led to an intense dispute among Americans over police conduct. Feelings that individuals have towards law enforcement may be shaped through interactions that they have with police. Others maybe influenced by interactions that others have experienced, whether that be their friends, what they have witnessed, or what they have seen on television. Studies such as the Brunson and Pegram, Etkins, Smith and Hawkins, Weitzer and Tuch, and Worden and McLean all share similar results, which can be expected in this research involving college students. The studies have shown the impact that negative interactions (directly or indirectly) have on negative feelings towards police. Specifically, Brunson and Pegram demonstrated that “study participants who reported positive police experiences were more likely to rate officers favorably, compared to those who described their interactions as negative” (Brunson and Pegram). All of these studies provide excellent information, but they were all conducted prior to the events that occurred in 2020 and none were found to show an interest in college students. The data in this new study were obtained through a short survey that was sent out to Winona State students. The survey included questions regarding individual interactions with police and the feelings, attitudes, and comfort levels that resulted, along with questions regarding what students would like to see changed with law enforcement. Based on the findings of the Brunson and Pegram, Etkins, Smith and Hawkins, Weitzer and Tuch, and Worden and McLean, it is expected that college students will yield similar results including things such as relation between experiences and how an individual perceives law enforcement.