Americans are increasingly worried about crime in their cities, but a recent NPR-Ipsos law enforcement poll reveals that there is no broad support for President Donald Trump’s controversial deployment of the National Guard to tackle these issues.
The survey highlights stark partisan divisions regarding the efficacy and appropriateness of Trump’s crime-fighting measures, which include sending troops to major urban areas.
Over seven in ten Americans expressed that the current levels of crime and violence in American cities are unacceptable.
Despite significant drops in crime rates overall since the pandemic, public perception remains skewed, with many citizens believing that crime has been on the rise.
Mallory Newall, vice president of the global polling firm Ipsos, emphasized this disconnect: “The American public largely agrees that crime has increased in the U.S. and in major cities, yet they don’t broadly support actions taken to curb it, such as deploying the National Guard.”
Half of those surveyed opposed the idea of sending National Guard troops to their localities, indicating significant hesitation among citizens.
A glaring partisan divide emerged from the poll results; approximately 80% of Republicans favored such deployments, while nearly the same proportion of Democrats strongly disapproved.
This partisan split is not only prevalent in responses about the National Guard’s presence in their communities but also in relation to its ongoing deployment in Washington, D.C., where some perceive it as merely a display of force.
“They’re there for show. Totally unnecessary,” said Les Blackmore, a 70-year-old retiree from Lee’s Summit, Missouri.
Blackmore expressed deep concern about the military presence in civilian life, stating, “It’s not America to me, to see that — a national force policing everyday lives of Americans on our streets and highways.”
Conversely, Republicans are more likely to endorse President Trump’s strategies, with 93% identifying crime and violence as unacceptably high.
Bianca Gallegos, a stay-at-home mom from Pocatello, Idaho, shared her perspective: “I think the biggest issue in America today we face was crime and drugs. Just a lot of killings and drugs and gang-related.”
Gallegos qualified her views by indicating that while she supports the National Guard’s deployment in Washington, D.C., and Memphis due to their heightened crime rates, she would not desire a similar presence in her own community.
“If that’s something Trump feels needs to be done, then I think it should be done,” she added.
However, independent voters are not convinced by Trump’s tactics. The NPR-Ipsos poll reveals that more than half of independents oppose the deployment of troops for crime prevention.
Darius Gamble, a 50-year-old human resources professional from Gardendale, Alabama, voiced strong objections to the approach.
“I truly think it’s an abuse of power. Calling out the National Guard, I think, is truly excessive and unwarranted,” Gamble insisted.
He expressed disappointment with the current administration’s focus, saying, “You can deploy military reserves, but they’re still not addressing the real issue, which is we just have way too many guns on the street and there’s not enough opportunities for individuals.”
For many Americans, the economy remains a primary concern, as reflected in the NPR-Ipsos poll results: concerns over political polarization followed by crime ranked high on the list.
Newall noted a notable increase in worries regarding political extremism and division in society, which has jumped by approximately 15 percentage points since May.
“What that tells me is that in this current moment, the public is really on edge about the divides in our society and the fractured political environment that exists,” she concluded.
This growing anxiety about political and social divisions intersects with how many view the deployment of military forces in domestic settings, amplifying the debate on the efficacy and appropriateness of using the National Guard to address the nation’s crime concerns.
While the call for stronger law enforcement resonates with a part of the population, the apprehension and distrust surrounding the military’s role in policing American cities indicate a complex and evolving debate that underscores deeper societal issues.
image source from：npr
