Whether we're talking about the local Anytown Police Department or the FBI, calls to "defund" the police have been booming for a few years now. Why? What does it mean? Could it mean that we pay less in taxes? And does it mean less crime in the neighborhood?
What Does "Defund the Police" Really Mean?
According to Wiki, "Defund the police" is a slogan that shows support for taking tax funds away from police departments and reallocating them to non-policing forms of public safety and support. Examples of that could be social services, youth services, housing, education, healthcare, and other community resources.
Does That Mean We'd Pay Less in Taxes?
The quick and dirty answer is no – because the funds would be sent to other community organizations and used for other services, our tax bills would not be reduced if we defund the police.
Would It Mean Fewer Cops on the Street?
Yes. Nationally, we spend $115 billion a year funding the police. The vast majority of that money -- an estimated 80% to 95% of a department's total budget -- goes to paying personnel. So reducing the amount of money we send to police departments would almost automatically mean staffing layoffs. This would be especially true in small towns and rural areas where there often aren't a lot of non-police staff in the department - meaning there probably isn't a secretary or administrator to lay off in place of an officer. Less funding could also result in less training and resources.
Does that Make Us Unsafe?
Yes and No. Maybe? This part is harder to report on.
First, it's important to note that since the civil unrest of 2020 that led to the initial calls to defund the police, there hasn't actually been evidence of widespread budget cuts directly related to the "defund the police campaign." Budgets are far more likely to be cut due to economic trends than social or political pressures because police departments are funded locally, and the bulk of their budget lives and dies by the local taxes.
Some major cities did cut police budgets in 2021, but many were quick to reverse their decision. As far as suburban and rural departments go, far fewer cities cut budgets in response to social issues.
As far as crime goes, some of the most well-funded departments in the country -- many of which increased their budgets in 2021, including Baltimore, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., -- saw a rise in violent crime this year. However, a few have seen significant decreases, such as in Wilmington, Delaware.
The Bottom Line
Civil society needs a policing mechanism. Ours isn't perfect, but most experts agree that taking money away is never a solution. We must continue to fund our police departments well so they can get the proper training and equipment that works while also strengthening the non-policing community resources, ultimately connecting them together. Beefed up social services plus more police boots on the street sound like the winning combination.
Guess what? The President can't do much at all on police in your area...but your local & state government reps can! Here’s three small things you can do that make a BIG impact:
