Trust in the police: understanding ethnic minority and majority differences through the multidimensional Intergroup Trust Model

Understanding trust between communities and police remains a critical societal challenge, particularly for ethnic minorities who consistently show lower police trust. This study applied the Intergroup Trust Model (IGT-Model), which conceptualizes trust as five-dimensional, to examine police trust variations between ethnic minority and majority members in two USA and New Zealand community samples. Study 1 (Boston) collected 252 surveys from three diverse neighborhoods (136 Black and 116 White residents). ANCOVAs revealed significant trust differences between groups. Hierarchical regression showed that Black participants' lower trust was primarily explained by a lack of compassion-, compatibility-, and security-based trust, whereas White participants' trust was predicted by integrity-based trust. Study 2 (Auckland) collected 331 surveys across three diverse neighborhoods (170 Māori, 161 White New Zealanders). ANCOVAs replicated significant trust differences between minority and majority groups. Hierarchical regression showed similar patterns: Māori lower trust was driven by lack of compassion- and compatibility-based trust, while White New Zealanders' trust was based on competence- and compassion-based trust. These findings indicate one-size-fits-all policing approaches cannot build genuine community trust. The IGT-Model provides a useful framework for unpacking complex trust compositions and designing targeted interventions. Recognizing trust's multidimensional nature allows nuanced strategies to rebuild police-community relationships and address historical disparities.