POLL: Arizona Voters Support Police Reform and Increased Funding Simultaneously

Arizona Voters Support Police Reform and Increased Funding Simultaneously

64% Back More Police Funding; 58% Also Support Accountability Reforms — Not Mutually Exclusive

PHOENIX (October 24th, 2024) – Arizona voters reject the false choice between police funding and police reform, with 64% supporting increased law enforcement resources and 58% supporting transparency and accountability measures — positions they hold simultaneously, according to a new AZPOP survey from OH Predictive Insights.

The survey dismantles the binary framing that has dominated national debates about policing since 2020. Only 12% of Arizona likely voters support reducing police funding — a position that remains deeply unpopular across partisan lines (5% of Republicans, 12% of Independents, and 19% of Democrats). The overwhelming majority of voters want a well-funded, professionally accountable law enforcement system.

Specific reforms enjoy broad bipartisan support: mandatory body cameras for all police officers (82% support), independent review boards for misconduct complaints (67% support), required data collection and public reporting on use of force (74% support), and increased mental health co-responder programs for nonviolent calls (71% support).

"Arizona voters have moved past the false choice between cops and communities," says OHPI Chief of Research Mike Noble. "They want more officers, better training, modern equipment, and they want accountability systems that ensure those officers are serving their communities effectively."

The community policing model — which involves building relationships between officers and neighborhoods, community liaison programs, and problem-oriented policing strategies — draws 79% support across partisan lines, making it the most broadly popular law enforcement approach tested in the survey.

Crime concerns have risen modestly in Arizona compared to pre-pandemic levels: 54% of likely voters say they are concerned about crime in their community, up from 48% in 2022. Property crime is the most commonly cited concern (mentioned by 44% of crime-concerned voters), followed by drug-related crime (31%) and violent crime (25%).

The Phoenix metro area's significant challenge with fentanyl trafficking — Arizona is a major transshipment corridor — has elevated public concern about drug-related crime and supports investment in both law enforcement and treatment infrastructure.

Methodology: AZPOP conducted October 19–21, 2024. n=600 Arizona Likely Voters. ±4.0% MOE.