Racial discrimination and perceptions of police among US adults

Abstract Background Mistrust of law enforcement across the United States has implications for public health and safety. While direct police encounters shape perceptions of law enforcement, the influence of broader experiences with racial discrimination remains understudied. This study examined associations between racial discrimination and perceptions of police among US adults. Methods Data were from a web-based cross-sectional survey across 13 northeastern states in March–April 2023 (N = 5,048). Racial discrimination was measured in childhood, adolescence, adulthood, past year, and in the healthcare setting specifically. Perceptions of police were measured on an 8-item scale ranging from 8–40, with higher scores denoting more negative attitudes. Multivariable linear regression (1) quantified associations between racial discrimination and perceptions of police; and (2) tested whether these associations differed across racial/ethnic groups, controlling for age, gender identity, homelessness, behavioral health history, and direct positive and negative police encounters. Results Participants had mean age of 47 years old, and half identified as male (50%). The majority were White (48%), with 17.5% identifying as non-Hispanic Black and 21.3% as Hispanic. In adjusted models, both cumulative racial discrimination across the life course and healthcare discrimination were significantly associated with negative perceptions of police. We observed evidence of interaction between race/ethnicity cumulative racial discrimination: the association between racial discrimination and negative perceptions of police were significantly stronger in Black, relative to White respondents. Conclusions Experiences of racial discrimination beyond direct policing encounters—particularly cumulative lifetime discrimination and healthcare discrimination—are independently associated with negative police perceptions. These findings suggest spillover effects across institutions, with implications for system avoidance behaviors and institutional trust that may affect both public health and public safety outcomes.