Between March and September 2020, human-rights groups documented 10 killings by Angola's police and military, including the deaths of five boys aged 14-16 (Amnesty International, 2020). This dispatch reports on a special survey module included in the Afrobarometer Round 9 (2021/2023) questionnaire to explore Africans' experiences and assessments of police professionalism. Findings in Angola show that a majority of citizens experience insecurity and fear in their neighbourhoods and say the government needs to do a better job of reducing crime. Few express trust in the police, who are more widely seen as corrupt than other key state institutions.

Principais conclusões:

• More than six in 10 Angolans (63%) say they felt unsafe walking in their neighbourhood at least once during the previous year, while 54% say they feared crime in their home at least once.
• Among citizens who sought police assistance during the previous year, 41% say they had to pay bribes ("gasosa" or "sentimentos"). And 37% of those who encountered the police in other settings say they paid a bribe to avoid problems.
• Almost half (45%) of Angolans say "most" or "all" police officials are corrupt, the worst rating among 12 institutions and groups of leaders the survey asked about. Perceptions of widespread police corruption increased by 6 percentage points compared to 2019.
• Two-thirds (66%) of Angolans say the police "often" or "always" stop drivers without good reason, and majorities say the police use excessive force during protests (57%) and with suspected criminals (55%). Almost four in 10 (38%) say the police frequently engage in criminal activities.
• Fewer than two in 10 Angolans (18%) say the police "often" or "always" act in a professional manner and respect the rights of all citizens, while a remarkable 60% say they "rarely" or "never" do.