9423992 Weitzer Nationwide and city-specific surveys have consistently found that public attitudes toward the police vary by race, with African-Americans less favorable than whites. We have little knowledge of whether these attitudes are shaped by the fact that most police departments are largely non-minority in composition. This study examines relations between the police and the African-American population of Washington, DC. Washington is the American city with the highest proportion of African-American police officers of any of the U.S.'s 50 largest cities. It provides an appropriate setting for examining (1) how blacks and whites perceive and experience policing in a city with a predominantly black police force and (2) what factors and policing issues have the greatest effect on citizens' attitudes toward the police. It will allow us to draw some conclusions about the extent to which citizen attitudes towards the police are affected by the racial composition of their police forces. The study will contribute to theories of police-community relations be examining several factors thought to be important in the distinct context of a largely black police force. Its results will also have implications for the assessment of police policies and programs such as community policing that depend heavily on community support for police law enforcement efforts. In so doing, it will increase our knowledge of an important consideration in building safer, more cohesive neighborhoods and cities. ****
