Civilian Review Board Supported In Medford, Somerville: Survey

MEDFORD, MA — A survey of policing in Medford and Somerville found strong support for civilian review boards and other reform proposals. Overall, residents are "somewhat satisfied" with policing in their communities, although satisfaction is lower among residents of color, according to Brian Schaffner, professor of Civic Studies at Tufts University.

The survey, conducted by Schaffner and Tufts students, was sent out to 12,500 residents in Medford and Somerville in October. It yielded 500 valid survey responses in Medford and over 600 in Somerville.

Schaffner, an experienced pollster, said he has "rarely found any policy that attracts as much support as the civilian review board does in these surveys." Seventy-three percent of respondents in Medford and 81 percent in Somerville supported the creation of a civilian review board.

In Medford, about one in five residents, and one in four residents of color, reported having had at least one negative experience with police. More than half of residents surveyed said they have had at least one positive experience with Medford police.

A quarter of Medford residents of color were dissatisfied with the police and close to 30 percent said police make them feel unsafe. However, more than 80 percent of those surveyed in Medford said the police make them feel somewhat or mostly safe, which aligns with national surveys on policing.

Seven percent of respondents in Medford supported choke holds, 24 percent backed tear gas and 26 percent supported rubber bullets.

In Somerville, about half of those surveyed were satisfied with the police, and 79 percent said police make them feel somewhat or mostly safe. A fifth of residents of color were dissatisfied with the police, and nearly 30 percent said police make them feel unsafe.

A majority of respondents in Somerville said social service workers, not the police, should respond to situations involving mental health rises, homeless individuals, neighbor disputes and intoxicated people.

The survey was conducted by Schaffner, co-director of the Cooperative Election Study survey and a previous director of UMass Poll, with Tufts students Carolina Espinal, Jaime Givens, Carolina Olea Lezama, José Martínez, Maya Morris, Sibi Nyaoga, Lidya Woldeyesus and Leah Yohannes.

See the full results from Medford here and from Somerville here.