MOSCOW, June 9, 2009. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data describing the impressions of Russians from their contacts with law enforcement bodies; the way they portray a typical law enforcement officer; what Russians think about them; whether Russians trust them or not and how they assess the work of police (militia) in their region.

Basically, Russians tend to have negative impressions from communications with police officers (16% against 9%). Those who have negative impressions are both metropolitan residents and respondents residing in small surroundings (17-19% against 12% among rural area residents), as well as men (20% against 12% among women) and respondents with low level of income (19%). Those who have positive impressions are mainly middle-sized cities residents (13%) and respondents with high level of income (13%).   Meanwhile, 72% of Russians do not have an experience of contacts with law enforcement officers.

The most common feeling Russians have about police officers is distrust (28%). Twenty-one per-cents feel hope, 15% - respect, 12% - disappointment, and 11% - trust. Eight per-cent feel antipathy, 7% - condemnation, 6% are skeptical about them. Only 5% of respondents express their likes towards militia, and 1% - admiration. And finally, every fifth are indifferent (20%).

Those Russians who have the opposite impressions from contacts with police officers feel differently about them. Those respondents who have negative experience from contacts often feel distrust (47%), indifference (20%), disappointment (19%), antipathy (19%), condemnation (16%), and hatred (9%). Those who have positive impressions tend to feel respect (37%), hope (35%), trust (30% against 1% among those who have negative impressions), and likes (12% against 1%). 

The portrait of the typical police (militia) officer is quite ambiguous. Despite Russians regard law enforcement officers as being non-corrupt, fair (14%) and honest (12%), those who call them venal and insolent are 11% (for each group). Respondents describing militiamen as being "educated", "kind" and "fair" are 6% for each group. Others call them "polite" (5%), "disciplined" and "brave" (4% for each). Russians also express negative feelings such as "indifferent", "cruel", "exceeding powers" (3% for each group). This is followed by such epithets as "robust" (3%), "a man in uniform" (3%). There are respondents who have both negative and positive assessments (2% for each group): from the one hand, "stupid", "incompetent", "bad", "unprincipled", from the other hand, "handsome/beautiful", "benevolent", and "normal".

As before, more than half of Russians (53%) often do not trust militia officers (35% - rather trust, 18% - definitely distrust). Those who have such opinion are mainly respondents with negative experience of communications with law enforcement representatives (88%); most of them are Southerners (63%). The share of those who trust militia are 38%: they are basically residents of the Urals, Siberia and respondents residing in the Far East of Russia  (43-44%), as well as those who have positive experience of communications with militia  (77%). 

The work of the law enforcement bodies has got average assessments among Russians over the recent years (50%). Negative assessments prevail over the positive ones: 27% (21% - bad, 6% very bad) against 14% (13% - good, 1% - very good). Meanwhile, 33% assessed the militia performance negatively in 2005. Residents of Siberia and Urals region give average marks (63% and 60% respectively). Those who negatively evaluate the work of law enforcement officers are Southerners (40%); positive marks were given by those residing in the Central District of Russia (19%).

Those respondents assessing militia performance positively are often those who had positive communications with militia officers (41% that is three times more than sample average). Most of respondents who had negative experience are not satisfied with the work of militia (43% - that is almost twice more than sample average). Those who did not communicate with law enforcement bodies usually give average assessment of their activity.  

The initiative Russian opinion poll was conducted on May 30-31, 2009. 

1600 respondents were interviewed at 140 sampling points in 42 regions of Russia.

The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.

Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or www.wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM,

the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!