Public Trust and Police Legitimacy: Community Perception of Law Enforcement Practices in Barangay Estefania, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental

Abstract

This study examined public trust and perceived police legitimacy among residents of Barangay Estefania, Bacolod City, and identified key policing factors influencing these perceptions. A total of 400 respondents participated in the study using a validated questionnaire with high reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.814–0.883). Results revealed very high levels of public trust (M = 4.70, SD = 0.30) and police legitimacy (M = 4.71, SD = 0.39), consistently observed across demographic groups. Pearson correlation analysis indicated a significant strong positive relationship between trust and legitimacy (r = 0.62, p < .01). Multiple regression analysis further revealed that professionalism and behavior were the strongest predictors of both public trust and legitimacy, followed by police visibility and crime prevention. The models explained 43% and 55% of the variance, respectively. Findings highlight that ethical conduct, fairness, visibility, and community engagement are critical determinants of effective policing. The study reinforces procedural justice theory, emphasizing that legitimacy is built not only through law enforcement outcomes but through respectful and transparent police-community interactions.