The police as viewed by the Salvadoran public

Poll results recently released by the Francisco Gavidia University in San Salvador provide insights into how people view the National Civilian Police:

• 48% say that the police sometimes do not respect citizens' rights.
  
• 35% say they have been subject to, or aware of, abuse by police.
  
• The majority of Salvadorans don't reach out to police when they have been the victim of a crime.   69% would rather not go to the police because of a lack of trust or simply a belief that the perpetrators will not be captured.
  
• 49% believe that the police need more education in human rights.
  
• 45% of Salvadorans believe there are death squads within the ranks of the police.
  
• 66% of Salvadorans disapprove of vigilante death squads. (Of course that means that one in three do not disapprove).