New York City voters approve 75 - 18 percent of the job Police Commissioner Ray Kelly is doing, his highest approval rating ever, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.
Kelly's approval is 81 - 14 percent among white voters, 63 - 27 percent among black voters and 76 - 18 percent among Hispanic voters.
Voters also approve of NYPD's performance 70 – 23, with almost no gender gap in approval for Kelly or the police, and say it would positively affect their vote for mayor if the candidate promises to ask Kelly to stay on as the police commissioner.
"Perhaps because of the Newtown massacre or because of the recent announcement that murder in the Big Apple is at an all-time low, or both, New York City voters like their top cop and all their cops even more," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
However, by an overwhelming 80 - 17 percent, voters favor a nationwide assault weapons ban, yet still disapprove of the stop-and-frisk tactic 50 - 46 percent.
