A Gallup poll of more than 36,000 Americans finds 94% feel police reform is needed in the US

• The killing of George Floyd, as well as President Trump's recent decision to tear gas protestors for a photo opportunity in front of a church, has sparked public conversation on police reform. 
• The overwhelming majority of Americans agree there needs to be at least some police reform in the US, a new Gallup poll of over 36,000 shows.
• But when it comes to how, and to what extent, people are divided by race, age, and political affiliation. 
• Some 94% of respondents said some change was needed to improve policing, with 58% saying major change needs to happen, and 36% saying minor change needs to happen. Only 6% said no changes are needed.
• Black Americans are much more likely than whites to want major police reform (just under 90%). However a slight majority of white Americans did agree major police reform was needed (51%).
• Only 14% of Republicans said major reform was needed, compared to 89% of Democrats, and 60% of independent voters. Most Republicans, 72%, said minor changes are needed.
• The majority of Americans do not support defunding police departments for alternative methods of safekeeping, the report found.
• However, the majority of Americans do support measures that would hold police officers accountable for abuse, changing policy so officers with multiple incidents of abuse of power are not allowed to serve, and promoting community-based alternatives such as family programs and nonprofits to intervene for youth who are at high risk for violence.
• Americans are torn over certain issues, like whether to reduce the budgets of police departments. Some 70% of Black Americans strongly or somewhat support reducing police department budgets, compared with 49% of Latinos and 41% of white Americans.
• Top corporate executives are also calling for police reform.
• CEOs at JP Morgan Chase, Apple, and others recently sent a joint letter to Congress urging immediate police reform. 
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NOW WATCH: Being Black, Wearing Blue: Black officers caught in the middle of the debate over police violence

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