New research released by the New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) confirms what many Australians may already feel: trust in police is declining.
BOSCAR has been surveying NSW residents since 2007 and in releasing the 2026 data, the organisation states:
Confidence in the NSW criminal justice system has declined significantly since 2019 across all measures, and is at the lowest levels since BOCSAR’s survey began in 2007.
This comes just months after a 2026 Australian Productivity Commission report found perceptions of fair and equal treatment by police has declined more than 20% in the past decade.
So why is this happening, and why does it matter?
Why trust is crucial
Trust is one of the foundations policing relies on. When trust falls, people are less likely to report crime, cooperate with investigations, or call for help when they need it.
Our recent research examined anti-police sentiment in Australia. We found some Australians have moved well beyond simple frustration with police into genuine fear, anger and in some cases, an apathetic perspective that nothing will change.
When people feel that way, they disengage from the very system designed to keep them safe.
This matters right now because governments across Australia are debating youth crime, domestic violence, bail laws and community safety, and many are reaching for tougher “law and order” responses as the answer.
But tougher laws won’t deliver safer communities if the public doesn’t trust the institution responsible for enforcing them.
COVID was a pivotal moment – but not the whole story
COVID was a major turning point. Officers were tasked with enforcing lockdowns, mask mandates and border restrictions, placing them directly in conflict with frustrated communities.
For many Australians who previously had little direct contact with police, suddenly encountering them as enforcers of mask mandates and lockdown rules was a jarring experience.
As one former officer reflected in our recent research, the COVID response:
would be the single most negative thing the police force has done […] that’s had the biggest negative effect.
Diego Fedele/AAP
The pandemic also brought policing into the public spotlight in a way rarely seen before.
Our research found there was a dramatic increase in the overall volume of policing stories in the news during this period, and public commentary became noticeably more negative, especially around issues of trust, fairness and respect.
Constant news and social media coverage meant policing issues were front and centre for Australians in a way they hadn’t seen before.
But COVID was just one part of a much bigger picture. A number of other pressures were building at the same time that help explain why trust has fallen.
How trust can be eroded
Trust in government and institutions has been declining in the past decade across much of the western world.
Political polarisation, misinformation and a growing segment of the population who are deeply sceptical of state authority all added fuel to the fire.
At the same time, a series of high-profile incidents involving alleged police misconduct or excessive force intensified public calls for greater accountability and police reform. When isolated high-profile events occur, the public tends to generalise the behaviour of individual officers to the wider institution, leaving the broader policing organisation carrying the reputational damage for the actions of a few.
Police are also being asked more and more to respond to situations that go well beyond traditional law enforcement, including complex social issues and mental health crises.
Many of these situations involve layers of trauma, disadvantage, vulnerability, and systemic failures that policing alone cannot easily solve.
Our research found frustration with how police handle these issues is among the most consistent and emotionally charged themes in anti-police sentiment.
While some of that criticism is justified, it is worth acknowledging police are filling gaps left by overstretched health, social and community services. Even the most well-intentioned officer may struggle when sent to a mental health crisis or a complex family situation without the right training or support.
Police are often the first to acknowledge this tension.
What needs to change?
Trust can be rebuilt, but it requires more than tougher policing or better public relations.
Our research suggests everyday interactions matter. People are more likely to trust police when officers are respectful, explain their decisions and treat people fairly.
Trust is often built (or damaged) through small, routine encounters.
Accountability must also be genuine: public confidence is weakened when misconduct goes unpunished.
Transparent and independent oversight bodies that are genuinely separate from police organisations, and greater openness, are essential steps. The perception that police “investigate themselves and let each other off” (as one former officer in our research bluntly described it) is deeply corrosive to public trust.
At the same time, police cannot solve every social problem alone.
Expanding co-responder models – where mental health workers and social services respond alongside or instead of police to appropriate calls – may reduce pressure on officers and improve outcomes for communities.
Ultimately, the picture is serious, but it is not hopeless. Police are working hard under difficult circumstances and many communities still want a strong and trusted police service. But trust takes time, recurring commitment and reassurance.
This is a challenge – and also an opportunity.
