Abstract:

Police use of lethal force is currently a recurring issue between police and the public. Lack of data on police officers' use of force has made it difficult for the general public to comprehend this aspect of policing. Police officers are viewed poorly in the Philippines due to a history of police brutality, racial discrimination, and excessive force. In recent years, police use of force has been the most visible problem in the public eye. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the public's attitudes towards the police in Angeles City, Philippines. Using a cross-sectional correction design, we utilized correlated procedural justice, encounters with police, legitimacy, and willingness to cooperate with police, and trust in the police with the police with the public attitudes toward the use of force by the police among the responses of 384 participants. Responses were collected online using adopted self-administered questionnaires. The findings of this study indicated the factors that influence the attitudes of the public toward the use of force by the police in Angeles City has no correlation with procedural justice and legitimacy. On the other hand, encounters with the police, willingness to cooperate, and trust in the police have a moderate to a very strong positive correlation. Therefore, these factors affect the public attitudes towards the use of force by the police. This study suggested that when police treat residents with integrity, fairness, and respect, they see the police as genuine and trustworthy, comply with police commands, and cooperate with them when necessary. Citizens who view the police as legitimate interact more positively with them, obey laws without fear of retaliation from the police, and are thus less likely to file complaints about their encounters with the police, have a higher level of satisfaction with the police in general.