The Gallup survey was based on telephone interviews with 1,023 persons older than 18 from across the United Stated and was conducted on July 13-17, 2016.
When asked to name the single most important thing that could be done in order to reduce the number of deadly encounters between members of the black population and police in the United States, respondents offered a variety of solutions which can be divided in three groups, namely structural changes to society as a whole (36 percent), developments in the black community (27 percent) and police reforms (21 percent), the poll found.
In regard to societal changes, respondents suggested better relations, communication and understanding (19 percent), followed by gun control (5 percent) and less racism (5 percent).
Some 9 percent suggested additional police training as a necessary step toward change in policing, 5 percent believed police should be more patient, slower to act, should use common sense and less brutality, while 2 percent thought better hiring practices and hiring more qualified police would held solve the problem.
Earlier in July, deadly shootings of African-American men by police in the US states of Louisiana and Minnesota were followed by targeted killings of police officers in the cities of Dallas and Baton Rouge.
